Business process improvement is a systematic approach used to identify and analyze current business processes that could be improved to encourage more efficient workflow and overall business growth. Our very own Certified Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt (he is really good at it) Christopher Smith offers to share his secret process improvement formula in a minute or less!

1. What does success look like? Before you start, ask yourself that question and nail down the scope. Many times success is making an improvement in a known metric or measure.
2. Get a solid baseline: Record current performance of that metric… not an average across time but actual daily/weekly values for at least 25 time periods.
3. ALWAYS….: Follow these three simple rules
   1. Plot your data
   2. Plot your data
   3. Plot your data

Process improvement is an ongoing practice to eliminate non-value adding activities and use resources in a more efficient way. When done right, the results can transform a company’s performance and be measured in terms of increased productivity, employee efficiency and customer satisfaction. Stay tuned for the next Minute Monday for tips on scheduling meetings in Outlook!