Summary

In this conversation, I speak with Damien Lacey, a process evangelist with extensive experience in process improvement. They discuss the importance of understanding and documenting processes, the metrics that matter in process improvement, and how organizations can effectively implement changes. Damien shares insights on the challenges of process improvement, including the need for executive buy-in, the significance of customer expectations, and the common pitfalls organizations face. The discussion emphasizes the value of a structured approach to process management and the role of culture in driving continuous improvement.

Takeaways

• Process improvement is about organizing work to improve efficiency.
• Metrics such as speed, cost, and quality are key to process improvement.
• Understanding customer expectations is crucial for effective process management.
• Documenting processes is essential for improvement and standardization.
• Engaging employees in process improvement fosters a culture of efficiency.
• Choosing the right problems to solve can lead to quick wins in process improvement.
• Executive buy-in is critical for successful process initiatives.
• Organizations must balance the need for improvement with the realities of daily operations.
• The J-curve effect can be mitigated by choosing manageable projects.
• Service industries can apply process improvement principles effectively.

Sound bites

"This is potentially transformative."

"It's all about improving metrics."

"Speed is becoming more important."

Keywords

process improvement, efficiency, productivity, process management, operational excellence, customer expectations, documentation, metrics, service industry, cross-departmental collaboration

Damien Lacey is the Founder of OE Partners and has spent 20 years in Australia and Japan helping teams transform business processes. This session will teach you how to enable profitable growth through "step-change" improvements in productivity for your business

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