Continuous Process Improvement
As mentioned at the start of the Kit and outlined in our process review model, process analysis and redesign are more likely to form part of a continually looping review and improvement model in your organisation. Modern organisations never stops looking for improvement, and this could manifest itself in a number of ways, for example striving for:
- Zero defects/inaccuracies/errors
- Time compression
- Cost down - globalisation, funding regimes
- Better targeting of resources to strategic priorities, streamlining etc.
This is certainly true in the education sector.
In striving to calculate our efficiency we should in theory be measuring achievement against all the calculated possibilities for error - for instance if data is entered onto a computer system from a paper form you could look at each field on the form and measure - (a) is the information correct on the form and (b) is it entered accurately onto the computer.
A methodology called Six Sigma takes measurement of efficiency to the extreme. Within the Six Sigma methodology you would also measure the instances of data loss from the screen before the record is committed or saved, loss between the terminal and the server and any subsequent loss because of database malfunction. Each potential has to be investigated and any risk mitigated against. Six sigma is a statistical measurement which strives for just 16 errors in a million - companies who undertake quality exercises such as Total Quality Management or BS standards can expect to operate at three to four sigma, which works out at 1,600 to 12,000 errors in a million possibilities for error.
However, Six Sigma is hideously expensive, requires very highly qualified statisticians and is outside the scope of most businesses except successful multi-nationals, where some have saved millions in the long term through pursuing this level of efficiency. If you'd still like to know more then we have provided an overview of the methodology.
Another methodology that is used to improve existing processes is the Kaizen philosophy for continuous and incremental self improvement that has been applied to business and management.
Simpler models for process analysis and design are probably more practically applicable in the education sector. The same methods can be applied to looking at incremental process improvement as well as more substantial redesigns and - in some rare cases - wholesale business process re-engineering.
An increasingly popular emerging methodology for IT Service Management (ITSM) is the IT Infrastructure Library or ITIL methodology, developed by the UK's Office of Government Commerce (OGC) and supported by publications, qualifications and an international user group. ITIL is intended to assist organisations to develop a framework for IT Service Management using process review as a base.
