Qeeva Advisory Limited is a top management consulting outfit in Nigeria offering Business Process & System reviews, audit for organizations. . We help evaluate and document existing processes and systems (“as is” state), identify gaps or areas of potential improvement, find opportunities to reduces costs or increase efficiency, and ultimately define a new (“to be” state) to meet your business goals.
Business Process Reviews has been defined as a project that aims to identify areas in your operations that can be enhanced and provide practical solutions to improve your use of software or procedures. A business process review is an exercise to evaluate your current organisational processes and identify ways in which to make them more effective and efficient.
We work with a variety of clients across different sectors, providing professional advice and consultancy on systems integration to package retailing, operations, marketing, productuction and accounting software, or the latest business technology.
Our Business Process & Systems Review Methodology
Scoping & Evaluation
We review the current documentation, process to determine what is on ground and use best practice to come up with what you need in line with the pain points you would have shared with us before we did the scoping. We learn about your business vide surveys of interviews,review of current documents, data flow as well as level of automation to enable us identify key results areas to present with you with an unbiased, systematic appraisal of the current system including human capital processes and technology.
We come up with gaps in the current system and share the options you can consider
Strategize
We will share our initial findings and recommendations with the Client and thoughts which answers the pain points or project goals alignment.
Deliverables & Implementation
The end goal is to define a new / improved “To Be” state for your systems and processes. Depending on the volume of gaps, inefficiencies or challenges, the specific recommendations can range significantly. Sometimes we will identify targeted initiatives to improve current processes or systems. At the other end of the spectrum, our findings may lead towards a recommendation of a software selection project. We provide a prioritized list of opportunities or challenges, whether they are related to process and/or technology. Each recommendation will be detailed and actionable.
We present the options available to the Client and when called upon work with them to implement the process improvement and or recommend new technological solution.
In the words of USAID in a publication titled “Business Process Review Methodology Bureau for Management”
Key Factors for BPR Success BPRs have many components and vary by topic, audience, purpose, and over time.
However, a few key factors commonly distinguish more successful efforts from others:
- Determining a clear vision;
- Targeting processes where improvement will create a significant benefit for the Agency;
- Gaining commitment from the relevant operating unit’s top leadership and the management team sand front-line staff of the targeted process or function, including a clearly identified Process Champion1 who will champion both the assessment and subsequent implementation of recommendations;
- Identifying a clear scope of work for specific targeted processes or functions;
- Communicating to affected staff and associated stakeholders the rationale and need for business process review and the importance of their cooperation and participation;
- Integrating both customers and implementing staff perspectives;
- Planning analysis adequately before starting;
- Choosing a BPR Team with knowledge of reengineering techniques;
- Planning ahead for change management with a focus on recommendations that are both impactful, feasible for implementation, and will improve felt experience; and
- Developing overarching performance metrics to track change and enable continuous improvement, impact, and sustainability moving forward.
Source: USAID: USAID in a publication titled “Business Process Review Methodology Bureau for Management” June 2019, P3.
The USAID approach for business process improvement consists of four phases:
- Diagnosis—Identify stakeholder needs, determine whether a BPR is the correct approach, review end-to-end processes, and seek inefficient or ineffective practices;
- Optimization—Make recommendations for process, structure, policy, technology, and/or staff skills and training changes to achieve desired outcomes based on empirical evidence about performance;
- Implementation—Act on opportunities to improve current processes and ensure they are standardized and socialized; and
- Assessment—Monitor progress ensuring transparency and sustainability, and use data to inform continuing process improvement iterations and broader institutional reforms.
Source: USAID: USAID in a publication titled “Business Process Review Methodology Bureau for Management” June 2019, P2.
What are the key questions to ask in a business process review?
1.Current System: Please share current system in place. Do have automation?
ANS
- Please share other processes in the business and those requiring update? *
ANS
3.What are the current issues with the existing process? The major and minor pain points
ANS
- How long have the current system being in place? When last was it reviewed?
Ans
5.Does the Organization have processes documents?
6.Have the Business created its own processes/manuals?
7.What tools/systems are being used by teams?
- How is data (and information) being shared between departments?
- What are the issues faced by the Organizations?
- How long does a current process take?
A Business interested ensuring its Business Processes & Systems are always in sync should observe the following.
1.Select your process
- Determine the processes that require tinkering by recalling the concern or pain points of the business.
- Discuss the existing process with your team
- Discuss the pain points with those who operate it to get a clear picture of the issues and take into cognizance their input before the reviews commences.
- Set metrics to measure success
- Determine what success means for the Business Process Review upfront-Reduction in time taken to fill an order etc. This is measurable
- Build an overview of the process flow
Document the business process of the entire business across departments and functional areas at the highest level, this should be in form of a flow chart details workflows, what tools and report is required by the functional areas.
- Create the process flow detail
Document a more precise process flow for each unit or functional areas. This could be flowcharting Credit approval process or customer ordering process or simply petty cash process.
9 Write the operating procedure
Document a written explanation for every “box” and “decision” place in the flow chart defining the objectives, coverage of the procedures and relevant work flow,
- Develop a detailed work instruction
- Develop a work instructions document or standard operating procedure for each functional areas.
- Have a Plan for Continuous Process Improvement
Why conduct a Business Process & System Review
- Once you have doubts that current profitability may not be sustained with current processes in operations management, customer management, innovation processes, and finally, regulatory compliance. As soon as you think that your operations are not optimal for example the level of inventory, inefficiency is stepping in.
- Regulatory Interferences in the way business is done can mean there is need to change processes to comply with regulation.
- Keep up with your competition;
- The need for strategic plans and programs for business growth arises
- The business needs to align to achieve specific goals;
- When organization have a strong desire to refine and standardize their processes to increase efficiency, ensure that quality is always maintained, training new employee easier.
Business Process Report
The Business Process Review Report is the outcome of the Business Process Review. It contains all the new processes, flow chart and why they have to be taken.
While every company is unique in some way and the number of steps can certainly vary, having a proper Business Process Review conducted can greatly increase your company’s efficient use of any ERP solution. If you would like to discuss a BPR, click below.
In the words of USAID in a publication titled “Business Process Review Methodology Bureau for Management”
Key Factors for BPR Success BPRs have many components and vary by topic, audience, purpose, and over time.
However, a few key factors commonly distinguish more successful efforts from others:
- Determining a clear vision;
- Targeting processes where improvement will create a significant benefit for the Agency;
- Gaining commitment from the relevant operating unit’s top leadership and the management team sand front-line staff of the targeted process or function, including a clearly identified Process Champion1 who will champion both the assessment and subsequent implementation of recommendations;
- Identifying a clear scope of work for specific targeted processes or functions;
- Communicating to affected staff and associated stakeholders the rationale and need for business process review and the importance of their cooperation and participation;
- Integrating both customers and implementing staff perspectives;
- Planning analysis adequately before starting;
- Choosing a BPR Team with knowledge of reengineering techniques;
- Planning ahead for change management with a focus on recommendations that are both impactful, feasible for implementation, and will improve felt experience; and
- Developing overarching performance metrics to track change and enable continuous improvement, impact, and sustainability moving forward.
Source: USAID: USAID in a publication titled “Business Process Review Methodology Bureau for Management” June 2019, P3.
The USAID approach for business process improvement consists of four phases:
- Diagnosis—Identify stakeholder needs, determine whether a BPR is the correct approach, review end-to-end processes, and seek inefficient or ineffective practices;
- Optimization—Make recommendations for process, structure, policy, technology, and/or staff skills and training changes to achieve desired outcomes based on empirical evidence about performance;
- Implementation—Act on opportunities to improve current processes and ensure they are standardized and socialized; and
- Assessment—Monitor progress ensuring transparency and sustainability, and use data to inform continuing process improvement iterations and broader institutional reforms.
Source: USAID: USAID in a publication titled “Business Process Review Methodology Bureau for Management” June 2019, P2.
Contents of a Business Process & Systems Review Report
Executive Summary
1 Section 1: Introduction and Context
Background and purpose of this report
Objectives of the XXX process review
XXX timeline 7
Section 2: Evaluation Framework
Research questions
Section 3: Approach and Methodology
Approach
Methodology
Research limitations and opportunities
Section 4: Findings
Design features of the New Process
M&E requirements
Payment by Results
Section 5: Conclusions and Recommendations
Conclusions
Recommendations
Annexes:
A – XXX Evaluation Framework
B – Background Information for Selected Sections
C – Process Review
Guide C-1
D – List of Documents
D- List of Stakeholders Interviewed
Conclusion
For more information on how we can help you with your Business Process & Systems Review, please complete this form
Get in touch today, Call 08023200801, email: info@qeeva.com for details