Questions to Ask as You Improve Any Process

Good leaders ask good questions. They do this so they can gain understanding and help those they lead understand as well. Change managers do the same and are always asking questions that will help them implement change effectively. Here are a few questions I ask as I approach any process improvement plan.

1. Does this process support the mission and purpose of the organization? This question first assumes you know and understand the mission and purpose of the organization. That’s the what and the why of the organization. It’s what you do and why you do it. Once you have firmly established the mission and purpose, you can then evaluate the process in relation to the what and why of the company. Does this process help move the company closer to achieving its mission and purpose? Is it required? How strongly does it support the mission and purpose? If the answer is no, why are you using the process in question?
2. Does this process add value? Does this process make a meaningful contribution to the company? If it’s required, then how might you make it more meaningful? What is the value of the process to the company? If the answer to Question 1 is in the affirmative, then this question focuses on the degree to which the process supports the company.
3. Is this process in control? How are you monitoring this process? What are your acceptable limits and tolerances? How did you establish those limits? How are you collecting the data about the process? Sometimes the process supports the organization and adds value but isn’t in control. Errors and omissions occur. Things slip through the cracks. You will want to determine what the acceptable limits are and how you will monitor the process. One way to make a process more valuable is to have it under control and within limits.
4. Who owns this process? Who is responsible for it? Is it a single person or a group of people? If they are responsible, how much control do they have in determining how the process is implemented and improved? Nothing is more frustrating than using a process in which you have no control. Look for ways to give those people involved in and using the process some ownership and control over the process. Identify those who will own the process and define what they are responsible for. Make certain they understand their responsibilities and how they will be held accountable. Getting their buy-in will go a long way to implementing the change you desire.
5. How visible does this process need to be? Is this a customer-facing process or a back office process? Which would provide greater efficiency? Which would provide greater customer satisfaction? Let’s face it; there are some processes that the customer doesn’t want to see or need to see. Hot dogs can be delicious, but the customer doesn’t need to see how they are made. Many times, our processes aren’t designed with the customer in mind. Plan out which processes should be witnessed by the customer and which should be tucked away in the back. Which one of your processes should be visible to the customer and which don’t they need to see?
6. How efficient is this process? How well does this process do what it is intended to do? How simple can you make the process? The less complex a process is, the easier it will for your people to use it. Making a process simple will help reduce errors and make it easier for you and those responsible for it to manage it.
7. How can we improve this process? What steps need to be removed, added, or modified to make this process better? Continuous improvement should be your goal. How can you make this process better? And as you begin to improve the process, start with the very first question above and begin all over again

To ensure you make the most effective and powerful changes to a process in your organization, always begin with asking questions. Never assume you know all the answers and always ask good questions.