Which of your processes aren’t adding value? Identifying and removing these is a vital part of change management. We take a quick look at the role of operating models in streamlining processes. And share an example of a business that improved its process alignment.

Removing pointless processes is a key part of transformation

“It’s what we’ve always done.” “Not sure why, but that’s how we do it.” How many times have you heard this kind of statement in business?

Removing processes that don’t add value, or that waste resources, is as important as optimising those that deliver business benefits. It helps you take another step on the road to operational excellence.

We know process mapping delves into the detail of processes to uncover what’s working and what’s not. But it can also help paint a bigger picture, identifying those processes that aren’t contributing positively to your business goals.

Use operating models to help uncover superfluous processes

Operating models are a useful tool to identify which systems, structures and processes add value. They can cover an entire company, or be used for individual departments or functions. While an operating model illustrates the current state, a target operating model (TOM) represents the future state.

Translating your strategy into an operating model helps align business processes to needs, and set the right direction. Find out more about what a TOM should look like.

Example target operating model for the global sales function

Example target operating model for the global sales function

Source: BusinessOptix

Case study: how a pharmaceutical company aligned processes and built capability

The problem

As a result of fast growth, processes were no longer aligned with the business. There were many duplicated and disconnected processes which were difficult to sort, find and re-use.

The business saw this as an opportunity to make transformative changes by aligning investments to valuable areas. It wanted to improve and manage the processes required to operate existing and new business units.

The solution

A team developed a proof-of-concept (POC) project to determine whether the task was feasible and could deliver the desired transformation.

The organisation used the BusinessOptix POC tools to upload a capability model and priority list of core processes. The POC captured best practices, implementing and testing collaborative ways of working. This laid the foundations for the wider initiative and proved the BusinessOptix capabilities met the company’s needs.

The results

Following completion of the POC, the pharmaceutical business has:

  • Delivered capability modelling, process design and re-design in existing and new areas
  • Defined standards for roles, responsibilities and modelling
  • Streamlined the process transformation toolset, so BusinessOptix is the primary tool
  • Rolled out BusinessOptix to process designers across its global operations

Optimise your business processes

The BusinessOptix platform will help you define, model and prioritise business processes. Let us show you how: claim your free BusinessOptix demo here.

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