Estimated reading time: 3 minutes
Key Takeaways
- Start by clearly defining the trigger of the process to understand its flow.
- Document what actually happens, not just how it should work, to uncover hidden improvement opportunities.
- Identify decision points and handoffs in the process to mitigate delays and improve efficiency.
- Question each step in the process; remove unnecessary tasks before attempting to automate.
- Finally, define the desired outcome to guide your automation efforts effectively.
Automation can make a good process faster.
It can also make a bad process fail faster.
That is why one of the most important questions to ask before implementing automation is not "What software should we use?"
It is:
How does this process actually work today?
Start With the Trigger
Every process starts somewhere.
A customer submits a form. A purchase order arrives. A project is approved. An invoice becomes due. A service request is received.
Define that trigger clearly.
Then follow the work from beginning to end.
A simple process might look like:
Inquiry received → Qualification → Assignment → Follow-up → Proposal → Outcome recorded
You do not need specialized process mapping software. A whiteboard, piece of paper, or shared document can be enough.
Document What Actually Happens
One of the most common process improvement mistakes is mapping how the process is supposed to work instead of how it really works.
Ask the people performing the work.
You may discover that the documented procedure says one thing while employees have developed several additional steps to keep the process moving.
Those unofficial steps are often where the best improvement opportunities are hiding.
Look for Decisions and Handoffs
As you map the process, identify every point where someone must make a decision.
Examples include:
- Is the lead qualified?
- Does this require manager approval?
- Is inventory available?
- Is the information complete?
- Has the customer responded?
Also identify handoffs between people and systems.
Handoffs frequently create delays because one person finishes their part but the next person does not know that action is required.
Question Every Step
Once the process is visible, begin asking questions.
- Why does this step exist?
- Does anyone use this information?
- Could this information be collected earlier?
- Are we entering the same information twice?
- Could one approval replace several?
- Does the customer benefit from this step?
This reflects an important Lean principle: remove unnecessary work before trying to make unnecessary work faster.
Simplify Before You Automate
Imagine a process with twelve steps.
After reviewing it, you discover that three steps are no longer necessary and two others can be combined.
You now have a seven-step process.
Automating those seven useful steps is likely to produce a better result than automating all twelve original steps.
Define the Desired Outcome
Finally, define what success should look like.
Perhaps you want every website inquiry entered into your CRM automatically and assigned within five minutes.
Or invoices should be generated within one business day of project completion.
Clear outcomes make technology decisions easier because you are choosing tools to support a defined process rather than hoping a tool will define the process for you.
Map first. Simplify second. Automate third.
That order prevents a surprising amount of wasted effort.
