Redesign heuristics

Summary

This video discusses nine redesign heuristics for process optimization, divided into three categories: task-level, flow-level, and process-level heuristics. Task-level heuristics focus on task management, such as eliminating, composing, separating, or specializing tasks. Flow-level heuristics involve re-sequencing or parallelizing tasks to optimize process flow. Process-level heuristics aim to improve resource allocation, communication, and automation. The video highlights trade-offs between performance dimensions (cost, time, quality, flexibility), using a notation system to illustrate how each heuristic impacts these factors. The ultimate goal is to streamline processes while balancing these trade-offs for optimal results.

Takeaways

• 😀 Different sets of redesign heuristics exist, each targeting specific areas of business processes.
• 😀 The redesign heuristics in this video are divided into three categories: task level, flow level, and process level.
• 😀 Task level heuristics involve eliminating, composing, separating, and specializing tasks to improve processes.
• 😀 Flow level redesign heuristics focus on re-sequencing tasks and parallelizing them to optimize trade-offs in processes.
• 😀 Process level heuristics focus on specialization, resource optimization, communication improvements, and automation.
• 😀 Automation is most effective when applied after restructuring and streamlining the process across various dimensions.
• 😀 Each heuristic aims to balance the four performance dimensions of the 'devil’s quadrangle': time, cost, quality, and flexibility.
• 😀 Some heuristics may improve cost but slow down the process, while others improve quality at the expense of time.
• 😀 Trade-offs between performance dimensions are represented using notations like T+, T-, C+, C-, Q+, and F+.
• 😀 The specific trade-offs each heuristic strikes are essential to understand when considering process redesign.

Q & A

What are redesign heuristics?

Redesign heuristics are strategies or guidelines used to improve and optimize processes. They help identify changes that can enhance efficiency, reduce costs, or improve other performance metrics in a given process.

How are the nine redesign heuristics categorized?

The nine redesign heuristics are divided into three categories: task-level heuristics, flow-level heuristics, and process-level heuristics.

What are task-level redesign heuristics?

Task-level redesign heuristics focus on modifying individual tasks within a process. This includes eliminating tasks, composing tasks, separating tasks, or specializing tasks to improve process efficiency.

What are flow-level redesign heuristics?

Flow-level redesign heuristics deal with the sequence of tasks within a process. They involve re-sequencing tasks to improve efficiency, managing trade-offs, or changing sequential tasks into parallel tasks to reduce process time.

What are process-level redesign heuristics?

Process-level redesign heuristics focus on the overall process design. This includes making the process more specialized or generalized based on needs, optimizing resource allocation, improving communication between process workers and customers, and automating the process.

Why is automation considered at the end of the process redesign?

Automation is most effective when applied after restructuring and streamlining the process. This ensures that the process is optimized in other dimensions first, which enhances the efficiency and effectiveness of automation.

What is the 'devil’s quadrangle' mentioned in the context of redesign heuristics?

The 'devil’s quadrangle' refers to the four key performance dimensions in process redesign: cost, time, quality, and flexibility. Each redesign heuristic strikes a trade-off between these dimensions, which must be carefully considered.

How are the performance impacts of redesign heuristics quantified?

The performance impacts of redesign heuristics are quantified using notation like T+, T– (for time), C+, C– (for cost), Q (for quality), and F (for flexibility). These notations indicate whether a heuristic improves or worsens performance in each dimension.

Can a redesign heuristic improve multiple performance dimensions simultaneously?

Yes, a redesign heuristic can improve multiple performance dimensions, but it usually comes with trade-offs. For instance, improving time and quality might result in reduced flexibility, or improving cost efficiency might slow down the process.

What is the main focus of specialization in process redesign?

Specialization in process redesign refers to dedicating resources or tasks to particular roles or processes, which can increase efficiency in specific areas but might decrease flexibility or adaptability in others.