Our lean office (document management) workshop last week helped reinforce a few ideas. Here were a few of my notes…
- 85% of issues related to document workflow are related to the process not the person doing the work! I may have mentioned this before, but I feel that it is worth repeating. When it comes to looking at a business process don’t be so hasty to blame the people involved. As a business grows the processes adapt and gain weight. Lean business practices will allow to you step back and redesign.
- Look at business process the way you would look at a manufacturing plant. Incomplete paperwork is a defect. Repeatedly picking up and putting down paper (over processing) is also a defect. Where are your defects? What can be done to eliminate them?
- More than 60% of the cost to produce a product is attributable to the administrative process.
- Don’t think of your process as the “Cost of Doing Business”. There are always ways to improve. Lean is more than just software. It is about continuous improvement.