{"id":16833,"date":"2019-03-11T17:07:55","date_gmt":"2019-03-11T17:07:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.process.st\/templates\/the-process-for-optimizing-a-process-2\/"},"modified":"2024-02-28T22:31:04","modified_gmt":"2024-02-28T22:31:04","slug":"the-process-for-optimizing-a-process-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.process.st\/templates\/the-process-for-optimizing-a-process-2\/","title":{"rendered":"The Process for Optimizing a Process"},"content":{"rendered":"<section id=\"note-which-process-needs-optimizing\">\n<h2>Note which process needs optimizing<\/h2>\n<div class=\"image-content\">\n<figure>\n   <a href=\"https:\/\/www.process.st\/templates\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/nzeHrRMz_Yxem_SeOENNfw.gif\" alt=\"Note which process needs optimizing\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> <img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.process.st\/templates\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/nzeHrRMz_Yxem_SeOENNfw.gif\"> <\/a><br \/>\n  <\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"text-content\">\n<p>Processes are repetitive tasks you execute on a regular basis to reach a specific business goal. Read more about it <a href=\"https:\/\/www.process.st\/what-is-a-process\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>While it's never the case that any <a href=\"https:\/\/www.process.st\/create-a-process\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">process you create<\/a> is perfect, there will be some that regularly cause problems and you'll need to optimize that process to save time and money in your business.<\/p>\n<p>First, <strong>note down which business process should be optimized<\/strong>:<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"text-field-content form-field-content\">\n<div class=\"form-group\">\n   <label> Process name: <\/label><br \/>\n   <input type=\"text\" placeholder=\"Something will be typed here...\" disabled class=\"form-control\">\n  <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"what-identify-the-elements-of-the-process\">\n<h2>What: Identify the elements of the process<\/h2>\n<div class=\"text-content\">\n<p>What can be measured can be managed.&nbsp;To understand how to improve a process, you have to first understand what it is. <strong>Answer these 'what' questions<\/strong> to clarify the process' elements and help yourself to optimize it.<\/p>\n<p>See below the form for example answers.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"text-field-content form-field-content\">\n<div class=\"form-group\">\n   <label> What's the goal of the process? <\/label><br \/>\n   <input type=\"text\" placeholder=\"Something will be typed here...\" disabled class=\"form-control\">\n  <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"text-field-content form-field-content\">\n<div class=\"form-group\">\n   <label> When does it start and end? <\/label><br \/>\n   <input type=\"text\" placeholder=\"Something will be typed here...\" disabled class=\"form-control\">\n  <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"text-field-content form-field-content\">\n<div class=\"form-group\">\n   <label> What activities advance the process? <\/label><br \/>\n   <input type=\"text\" placeholder=\"Something will be typed here...\" disabled class=\"form-control\">\n  <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"text-field-content form-field-content\">\n<div class=\"form-group\">\n   <label> What departments\/employees are part of the process? <\/label><br \/>\n   <input type=\"text\" placeholder=\"Something will be typed here...\" disabled class=\"form-control\">\n  <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"text-field-content form-field-content\">\n<div class=\"form-group\">\n   <label> What information is carried over between steps? <\/label><br \/>\n   <input type=\"text\" placeholder=\"Something will be typed here...\" disabled class=\"form-control\">\n  <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"text-content\">\n<p>Example:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>What's the goal of the process? <strong>Send an error-free newsletter to a list of subscribers.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>When does it start and end? <strong>It starts when the newsletter is created, and ends when it's sent out.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>What activities advance the process? <strong>Creation, proofing, testing, sending.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>What departments\/employees are part of the process? <strong>The marketing department.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>What information is carried over between steps? <strong>Errors to be corrected before sending.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"how-rethink-the-methods-currently-used\">\n<h2>How: Rethink the methods currently used<\/h2>\n<div class=\"text-content\">\n<p>Are you using paper where it would be better to use an electronic system? Are you moving documents manually over huge office spaces? There are bound to be steps \u2014 even in purely electronic processes \u2014 that can be slimmed down or cut entirely. Answering these questions will help you identify them.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"text-field-content form-field-content\">\n<div class=\"form-group\">\n   <label> How much paper is used in one run? <\/label><br \/>\n   <input type=\"text\" placeholder=\"Something will be typed here...\" disabled class=\"form-control\">\n  <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"text-field-content form-field-content\">\n<div class=\"form-group\">\n   <label> How many copies of the same document are made? <\/label><br \/>\n   <input type=\"text\" placeholder=\"Something will be typed here...\" disabled class=\"form-control\">\n  <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"text-field-content form-field-content\">\n<div class=\"form-group\">\n   <label> How many employee hours does the process take from start to end? <\/label><br \/>\n   <input type=\"text\" placeholder=\"Something will be typed here...\" disabled class=\"form-control\">\n  <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"text-field-content form-field-content\">\n<div class=\"form-group\">\n   <label> How many employee hours are spent doing work that could be cut? <\/label><br \/>\n   <input type=\"text\" placeholder=\"Something will be typed here...\" disabled class=\"form-control\">\n  <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"text-field-content form-field-content\">\n<div class=\"form-group\">\n   <label> Where and why does this process stall? <\/label><br \/>\n   <input type=\"text\" placeholder=\"Something will be typed here...\" disabled class=\"form-control\">\n  <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"text-field-content form-field-content\">\n<div class=\"form-group\">\n   <label> When do errors occur? <\/label><br \/>\n   <input type=\"text\" placeholder=\"Something will be typed here...\" disabled class=\"form-control\">\n  <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"remove-nonessential-steps\">\n<h2>Remove non-essential steps<\/h2>\n<div class=\"text-content\">\n<p>It'll become obvious to you that there are parts of the process that can be cut. If you're the person running the process, it's probable that you already knew the redundant steps.<\/p>\n<p>Use the space below to note which steps you cut.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"textarea-field-content form-field-content\">\n<div class=\"form-group\">\n   <label> Which steps were cut? <\/label><br \/>\n   <textarea placeholder=\"Something will be typed here...\" rows=\"3\" disabled class=\"form-control\"><\/textarea>\n  <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"note-which-steps-can-be-automated\">\n<h2>Note which steps can be automated<\/h2>\n<div class=\"text-content\">\n<p>By answering these 12 questions, you'll find&nbsp;problems in any&nbsp;(seemingly) tight process. Now you've removed non-essential steps, it's time to automate as much as the remainder as possible.<\/p>\n<p>If you're using paper, there's almost certainly an electronic solution that can eliminate that, whether it's <a href=\"http:\/\/www.capterra.com\/digital-signature-software\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">signing documents<\/a> or just <a href=\"http:\/\/www.cloudwards.net\/5-tools-that-make-managing-documentation-less-terrible\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">managing<\/a> them.<\/p>\n<p>If you're transferring data between your apps (adding Dropbox files manually to Google Drive, for example), you'll certainly find a solution with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.process.st\/what-is-zapier\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Zapier<\/a>, which lets you set up a rule for all future actions that meet a specific criteria. For example, 'whenever a new file is added to Dropbox, transfer it to Drive'.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Think in the most efficient&nbsp;terms for the whole process by reading our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.process.st\/business-process-automation-guide\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">ultimate&nbsp;guide to business process automation<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"textarea-field-content form-field-content\">\n<div class=\"form-group\">\n   <label> What can you automate? <\/label><br \/>\n   <textarea placeholder=\"Something will be typed here...\" rows=\"3\" disabled class=\"form-control\"><\/textarea>\n  <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Note which process needs optimizing Processes are repetitive tasks you execute on a regular basis to reach a specific business goal. Read more about it here. While it's never the case that any process you create is perfect, there will be some that regularly cause problems and you'll need to optimize that process to save [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":16513,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"ep_exclude_from_search":false,"cover_icon_emoji":"","cover_icon_url":"","tasks_count":"5","template_description":"Something specific slowing you down? 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