Managing processes with a view to improving them requires a continuous flow of innovation and new ideas. When your process owners and their teams begin to audit their processes, they will need to find ideas and suggestions as to how they can improve the various elements of any given process.
Some of those ideas can come from activities such as the process benchmarking mentioned above, but you must also ensure there's an effective internal framework within your business to manage innovation which generates new ideas or suggestions as to how things can be improved.
Continuous improvement simply means ensuring that all processes are being enhanced on an ongoing basis based on clear measurement of impact, as illustrated in the following diagram.
Conclusion
Having read this online guide, you will have armed yourself with the tools necessary to define your key business processes, assign ownership of these processes and break them down into manageable tasks. Doing so will improve the efficiency of your business and ensure great long-term success.
However, measuring your performance in this area and constantly revising and updating your necessary processes is a key factor in making this work.
To learn about other aspects of managing and improving your business, read the Results Management Online Guide, the next guide in this series.