How do you incorporate feedback and improvement cycles into your process flow diagram?
A process flow diagram (PFD) is a visual representation of the steps, inputs, outputs, and resources involved in a process. It can help you identify bottlenecks, waste, errors, and opportunities for improvement. But how do you ensure that your PFD reflects the current reality and incorporates feedback from your stakeholders and customers? Here are some tips to help you create and update your PFD with feedback and improvement cycles.
Before you start drawing your PFD, you need to define the scope and goals of your process. What is the purpose of the process? Who are the customers and what are their expectations? What are the inputs and outputs of the process? What are the key performance indicators (KPIs) that measure the process efficiency and effectiveness? These questions will help you set the boundaries and objectives of your PFD and align them with your business strategy and customer needs.
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Clearly define your process scope and goals to integrate feedback and improvement cycles effectively. Start by setting SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) objectives. For example, when I led the creation of a unified database for fines and grievances, we set clear goals to enhance decision-making and reduce report generation time. This clear goal setting allowed us to continuously refine the process based on feedback and data, driving impactful results, and we don't stop there at the creation, we review it based on data driven results.
Next, you need to identify the main steps and actors involved in your process. A step is an action or a decision that transforms an input into an output. An actor is a person, a team, a department, or a system that performs a step or provides an input or an output. You can use symbols, shapes, colors, and labels to represent the steps and actors in your PFD. For example, you can use rectangles for steps, circles for inputs and outputs, diamonds for decisions, and arrows for flows. You can also use swimlanes to group the steps and actors by their roles or responsibilities.
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Identify the responsible owners by mapping out each step of the process to visualize the flow of activities clearly. In a Lean Six Sigma project, we analysed over 350,000 customer complaints by creating detailed flowcharts and identifying the stakeholders involved at each step. This enabled us to identify critical aspects of the process based on feedback from internal and external stakeholders, such as pain points, critical to quality aspects ...etc. By incorporating this feedback effectively and implementing the required solutions, we could reduce complaint handling time. Ensure that your process diagram includes all steps and owners to facilitate feedback integration.
Once you have a draft of your PFD, you need to validate it with data and feedback from your stakeholders and customers. Data can help you verify the accuracy, completeness, and relevance of your process steps, inputs, outputs, and resources. For example, you can use data to measure the cycle time, throughput, quality, cost, and customer satisfaction of your process. Feedback can help you identify the pain points, gaps, risks, and opportunities for improvement in your process. For example, you can use feedback to assess the value, usability, and reliability of your process outputs for your customers. You can collect data and feedback from various sources, such as surveys, interviews, observations, reports, and analytics.
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Validating process flow using actual data and stakeholder feedback, through continuously collecting performance data and seeking input from those involved. For example, while implementing an ISO 9001 system, we used real data and feedback by using the happiness faces meter on every transaction performed by the customer, which led to identify over 100 improvement actions. This validation ensured that the process flow diagram accurately reflected actual performance, allowing for continuous optimization, regular review and update based on feedbacks.
After you have validated your PFD with data and feedback, you need to analyze it for improvement opportunities. You can use different tools and techniques to identify and prioritize the areas of improvement in your process. For example, you can use a Pareto chart to find the 20% of the causes that account for 80% of the effects in your process. You can use a fishbone diagram to find the root causes of the problems in your process. You can use a value stream map to find the value-added and non-value-added activities in your process. You can use a SWOT analysis to find the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats in your process.
Finally, you need to implement and monitor your process improvement actions based on your analysis. You can use a project management approach to plan, execute, and control your improvement actions. You can use a SMART framework to set specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound goals for your improvement actions. You can use a PDCA cycle to plan, do, check, and act on your improvement actions. You can use a RACI matrix to assign roles and responsibilities for your improvement actions. You can use a dashboard to track and report the progress and results of your improvement actions.
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Monitor your process improvement actions using key performance indicators (KPIs). For instance, in a Lean Six Sigma project, I saw reduction in complaint handling time by implementing and monitoring specific actions. This led me to monitor this matric by regularly reviewing its progress and adjusting based on feedback. The result, it ensured sustained improvements, which helped in updating the process flow diagram to reflect these changes.
As you implement and monitor your process improvement actions, you need to update your PFD accordingly. You need to reflect the changes in your process steps, inputs, outputs, and resources in your PFD. You also need to review and revise your process scope and goals in your PFD. You need to communicate and document your updated PFD with your stakeholders and customers. You need to repeat this cycle of feedback and improvement regularly to ensure that your PFD remains relevant, accurate, and effective.
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Review and update to process flow diagram is necessary to reflect implemented improvements. For example, after conducting gap assessments, risk assessments, getting customer feedback, we update diagrams and conduct on job training to ensure stakeholders understand the revised processes and act accordingly. Keeping diagrams current is essential for clear communication and successful implementation of feedback-driven improvements. Make it a practice to revise your diagrams as part of your continuous improvement efforts.
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