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This slide presentation provides an overview of why good business process documentation is important to improving productivity for a company and for its employees.
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HOW GOOD BUSINESS PROCESS DOCUMENTATION CONTRIBUTES TO IMPROVED
PRODUCTIVITY
10/22/2013 © 2013 Pyles Atwood Group (Division of Bell Design Technologies, Inc.) All Rights Reserved
Edith E. Bell, CPT, Ph.D.
Principal Consultant
Bell Design Technologies, Inc.
10/22/2013 © 2013 Pyles Atwood Group (Division of Bell Design Technologies, Inc.) All Rights Reserved
Your Presenter
Documentation
Formats
Getting and
Measuring
Compliance
Evaluating the
Need for
Documentation
Designing a
Documentation
Hierarchy
Streamlining
Current
Documentation
System
10/22/2013 © 2013 Pyles Atwood Group (Division of Bell Design Technologies, Inc.) All Rights Reserved
Business Process Documentation
Yes. Good documentation:
• Achieves improvement of employee productivity
• Ensures repeatable behavior after training
• Saves time and money when doing processes or completing forms
• Makes employees more efficient
Good arguments to give senior management as rationale for improving documentation
10/22/2013 © 2013 Pyles Atwood Group (Division of Bell Design Technologies, Inc.) All Rights Reserved
Is There Justification for Good Process Documentation?
(Page, 2009)
Importance of Documentation: Best Way to Do a Task
Good business process documentation serves as the keeper of process decisions.
Its role is to provide guidance for consistent ways of operating the business.
It enables employees to learn and be reminded of acceptable ways to fulfill work assignments.
10/22/2013 © 2013 Pyles Atwood Group (Division of Bell Design Technologies, Inc.) All Rights Reserved
(Escoe, 2001)
Importance of Documentation: Central Access to Information
Good business process documentation provides a central repository for people to access the how, what, and why of your business.
10/22/2013 © 2013 Pyles Atwood Group (Division of Bell Design Technologies, Inc.) All Rights Reserved
Importance of Documentation: Reduces Error
Good business process documentation reduces errors, which
• Improves quality
• Protects workers, the public, and property
• Increases productivity
10/22/2013 © 2013 Pyles Atwood Group (Division of Bell Design Technologies, Inc.) All Rights Reserved
Importance of Documentation: Audit Trail of Task Completion
Good business process documentation produces an audit trail.
It can serve as a diagnostic tool to help organizations target priorities for improving processes.
It can demonstrate compliance with stated internal requirements or criteria.
10/22/2013 © 2013 Pyles Atwood Group (Division of Bell Design Technologies, Inc.) All Rights Reserved
(Escoe, 2001; Page, 2009)
Top Reasons for Good Business Process Documentation
Often, the four best reasons for good business process documentation are overlooked, played down, or taken for granted.
They are very instrumental in improving productivity.
10/22/2013 © 2013 Pyles Atwood Group (Division of Bell Design Technologies, Inc.) All Rights Reserved
(Page, 2009)
Top Reason #1 for Good Documentation:
Compliance with Regulations
• Best practices from regulations tend to become the gold standard for management.
• Sources of capital may demand transparency. Being in compliance offers a competitive advantage even to private and not-for-profit organizations.
© 2011 Pyles Atwood Group (Division of Bell Design Technologies, Inc.) All Rights Reserved
(Jackson, 2006)
10/22/2013
Top Reason #2 for Good Documentation:
Conform to Industry Standard
• Takes companies to new marketplace level
• Enacts consistent, reliable, and trustworthy procedures
• Provides core component for deploying repeatable actions and training
© 2011 Pyles Atwood Group (Division of Bell Design Technologies, Inc.) All Rights Reserved
(Page, 2009)
10/22/2013
Top Reason #3 for Good Documentation:
Consistent Decision Making
• Reflects vision
• Integrates strategy into daily management decisions
• Results in consistent, reliable, trustworthy processes and procedures for management and employees
• Provides freedom to execute duties within defined boundaries
© 2011 Pyles Atwood Group (Division of Bell Design Technologies, Inc.) All Rights Reserved
(Page, 2009)
10/22/2013
Top Reason #4 for Good Documentation: Job Boundaries
•Allows employees to know rules and to produce the right result the first time
• Enables managers and direct reports to understand clearly individual and group responsibilities
• Sets boundaries so employees know in advance what response to expect from others when making decisions and carrying out actions
10/22/2013 © 2011 Pyles Atwood Group (Division of Bell Design Technologies, Inc.) All Rights Reserved
(Page, 2009)
Top Reason #5 for Good Documentation:
Foundation for Training
• Ensures employees take documentation seriously.
• Improves productivity when done right and reinforced by managerial support
10/22/2013 © 2011 Pyles Atwood Group (Division of Bell Design Technologies, Inc.) All Rights Reserved
(Page, 2009)
References
Escoe, A. (2001). The practical guide to people-friendly documentation. Milwaukee: ASQ Quality Press.
Jackson, P. M. (2006). Sarbanes-Oxley for small businesses: Leveraging compliance for maximum advantage. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.
Page, S. B. (2009). Writing exceptional policies and procedures. Westerville, OH: Process Improvement Publishing.
10/22/2013 © 2013 Pyles Atwood Group (Division of Bell Design Technologies, Inc.) All Rights Reserved
630.986.1228
http://www.belldesigntech.com
http://www.linkedin.com/in/edithbell/
10/22/2013 © 2013 Pyles Atwood Group (Division of Bell Design Technologies, Inc.) All Rights Reserved
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Contact Edith E. Bell, CPT, Ph.D.
