During this step we will gain a thorough understanding of the current processes including the specific tasks and activities. This step may include meeting with customers and/or employees through focus groups, interviews, or group discussions. A key to this phase is the development of hypotheses and tests that adequately “define the challenge or opportunity”.

At the outset of any performance improvement effort, it is crucial to establish desired results and commitment. During this first phase, the key processes are identified and a clear picture is developed of how work gets done.

Step 2 - Research and Analysis

During step 2 we begin to capture more information to help us learn about the processes we identified in step 1. This may include conducting industry, market, and competitor analysis as well as a financial analysis of the related business functions. The goal of this step is capture and define qualitative and quantitative statistics regarding the who, what, when, where, why and how of the current environment.

During this stage, we develop an in-depth picture of not only how work is being done but also a thorough mapping of the processes involved. Most managers and employees have never seen a visual representation of how their activities fit into the bigger picture. In addition, we are able to provide specific quantitative and qualitative information about the processes including comparable and benchmark analysis.

Step 3 - Design the Future

Once a clear picture of the current reality is developed, the focus moves quickly to “what can be”. Our experience has demonstrated that there are two fundamentally different approaches that can be pursued. Often both are pursued simultaneously, but must be done so with great care. Regardless which option is chosen,

“Improvement is not the name of the game today …. It is THE GAME!”

Step 3 is all about creating positive and sustainable change. Change can be in the way that processes are performed, in the products that are sold, in the customers that are targeted, in the employee skill sets for example. We will develop specific recommendations including a thorough risk analysis, financial impact analysis, customer impact analysis, and employee impact analysis. We will continue to work with the client to define changes that are powerful and practical.

Step 4 - Implement

After a desired change is defined there is a significant amount of work in managing the change -- this is step 4. Implementation plans are developed with specific milestones, timelines, and definitions of responsibilities. We work with all of the constituencies (owners, employees, and customers) throughout the implementation process to ensure successful implementation with minimal negative impact.

Organizations often find themselves overwhelmed not only by the pace of change but its discontinuity. The nature of change is making it increasingly difficult to predict the future with any certainty. Customers are demanding instant gratification, more choices, greater flexibility, higher quality, and all at a lower cost! Implementation planning must account for these forces.

Change is an art ……

Overcoming resistance to change is a touch of art with a whole lot of science!

Step 5 - Measure and Monitor

Lasting change does not occur overnight. It is often a lengthy but rewarding process. One way to ensure timely implementation and ongoing success of the change is to measure and monitor the change through an information based approach. We help the client define performance measurements and develop tracking systems and processes to ensure an effective implementation and ongoing success.

For most companies traditional financial measures while important, are inadequate. In fact, they can be misleading and mask the true story. Dimensions important to world-class companies include quality, productivity, innovation, teamwork, capacity for change, customer satisfaction, cycle times, and doing it right the first time. These dimensions are driven by market trends that increasingly demand mass customization.