Process Redesign: The Implementation Guide for Managers [Hardcover]

Arthur R. Tenner (Author), Irving J. DeToro (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0201633914 | ISBN-13: 978-0201633917 | Publication Date: September 15, 1996 | Edition: 1

* Reengineering and Total Quality Management promised dramatic improvements in profit, efficiency, and quality, but a number of TQM initiatives ended in failure as a result of an incorrect or incomplete implementation process. Here is a book that will help put the odds on your side by giving you specific skills and experience-based advice for successfully planning and implementing process design. * Comprehensive in scope, this book integrates the three major approaches to process redesign -- benchmarking, continuous improvement, and reengineering -- showing how to combine them for maximum effectiveness. It explains the circumstances for which each approach is appropriate and describes how to apply each specific technique effectively. The book also points out the many potential pitfalls that can impede even the most well thought out program. * You will find detailed and methodical coverage of such topics as defining processes, measuring performance, reducing cycle times, team building, benchmarking, the critical success factors for reengineering, and much more. Numerous examples from many different industries demonstrate concepts and techniques in action, illustrate common mistakes, and provide a model for successful implementation that you can apply to your own organization. * The information is presented in an accessible format, with guidelines, checklists, worksheets, discussion questions, and clear graphics to help you absorb essential information quickly and apply it successfully.

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

Total quality management was the dominant business strategy of the 1980s and reshaped many corporations around the world. In spite of the successes achieved by some, it eluded just as many, mostly because these companies were unable to tie quality to results like increased revenues, profits, or market share. The road to total quality management became littered with the companies that gave up or got lost along the way.

Similarly, reengineering, a technique for achieving quantum leaps in performance, became one of the hottest business topics of the early 1990s. But what are the results? Michael Hammer and James Champy, authors of the best-selling Reengineering the Corporation, estimated in early 1994 that well over half of the radical change programs they advocated faded into oblivion (Stewart, Thomas A. 1994. "Rate Your Readiness to Change." Fortune, February 7, 106.). Yet numerous CEOs continue to hoist the reengineering banner in campaigns to achieve radical improvement.

In recognition of the difficulty of leading an effective change effort, we've written a book to help increase the chances of success in improving organization-wide performance. This book is built on our experience, first as practitioners and then as consultants. It is designed for leaders at any level who are committed to drastically improving their organization's performance through redesigning its processes. This book goes beyond "the quick-read books" on total quality management and reengineering by providing a step-by-step guide on what to do.

Our principal objective is to offer specific and comprehensive guidance on how to achieve world-class performance by systematically improving processes. We set the stage with fundamental information to help you understand the concepts. We then provide details on specific techniques and share our experience with a variety of companies through extensive examples.

Part I describes the organizational culture, leadership, and strategic elements that serve as the foundation for improvement. This section is organized as a brief text on the fundamental principles of process management and direction setting.

Part II provides guidance on how to analyze performance. This section presents instructions and worksheets for identifying core processes and for prioritizing changes required in products, services, and processes. Tools and techniques are explained for documenting processes and measuring performance.

Part III is the heart of the book. It describes how to improve processes, beginning with chartering improvement teams. This section details continuous improvement and two more aggressive approaches: benchmarking and reengineering. We build on our earlier book, Total Quality Management: Three Steps to Continuous Improvement, and explain benchmarking in accordance with that subject's leading authority and a valued associate, Robert C. Camp.

The book features extensive checklists and graphics to clarify key points. Discussion questions are offered at the end of each chapter to stimulate reader's thinking about the possible application of the tools, techniques, and approaches to their own organization.

0201633914P04062001

From the Back Cover

Reengineering and Total Quality Management promised dramatic improvements in profit, efficiency, and quality, but a number of TQM initiatives ended in failure as a result of an incorrect or incomplete implementation process. Here is a book that will help put the odds on your side by giving you specific skills and experience-based advice for successfully planning and implementing process design.

Comprehensive in scope, this book integrates the three major approaches to process redesign -- benchmarking, continuous improvement, and reengineering -- showing how to combine them for maximum effectiveness. It explains the circumstances for which each approach is appropriate and describes how to apply each specific technique effectively. The book also points out the many potential pitfalls that can impede even the most well thought out program.

You will find detailed and methodical coverage of such topics as defining processes, measuring performance, reducing cycle times, team building, benchmarking, the critical success factors for reengineering, and much more. Numerous examples from many different industries demonstrate concepts and techniques in action, illustrate common mistakes, and provide a model for successful implementation that you can apply to your own organization.

The information is presented in an accessible format, with guidelines, checklists, worksheets, discussion questions, and clear graphics to help you absorb essential information quickly and apply it successfully.

0201633914B04062001

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 352 pages
• Publisher: Prentice Hall; 1 edition (September 15, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0201633914
• ISBN-13: 978-0201633917
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 7.5 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #394,861 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Process Redesign - Initial Impressions, February 8, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Process Redesign: The Implementation Guide for Managers (Hardcover)

I have worked with several similar text books from Rummler & Brache and Hammer but have found this one to offer the most practical help.

I thought it was very useful in defining the differences between core and sub processes and in helping novices begin flowcharting.

In some areas it is clearly a summary of other people's principles and practices.

For someone starting out in this field I think this book is a useful tool.

18 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Comprehensive and full of excellent info & ideas, May 27, 2001

By 

Linda Zarate "IT Ops Consultant" (Azusa, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Process Redesign: The Implementation Guide for Managers (Hardcover)

I got this book based on a friend's recommendation because I was struggling with a process design application called iGrafx Process (also available from Amazon).

I learned that there is much more to process design than basic models based on entry, task, validation and exit criteria. For example, performance measurements and performance efficiency were two areas where this book strengthened my understanding of process design and implementation. They also and enabled me to effectively use iGrafx Process to its fullest.

Other chapters that taught me a lot addressed improvement planning, continuous improvement and process benchmarking. I was able to immediately incorporate the knowledge gained into processes that I was developing, and it made a significant difference in the quality of my work.

The best chapter, in my opinion, was in installing the improved processes. I gained a lot of knowledge and techniques for overcoming barriers and how to objectively measure the degree of improvement. This was reinforced by material that is provided in the appendices, including case studies and an excellent description of Six-Sigma analysis.

Overall, this is a valuable book to anyone who designs or implements new processes, or reengineers existing ones. Most of my work is new design and implementation, so that was the context in which I read the book. If I were assigned to a reengineering project this would be the first book to which I'd turn for guidance and information. It earns a solid five stars and a permanent place in my professional library.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book for Beginning Process Engineers, September 18, 2006

By 

Mitchel Martin - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Process Redesign: The Implementation Guide for Managers (Hardcover)

This is a very thorough book that leads you through the entire redesign process. I especially liked Chapter 10, "Document Processes", as it is a good place to start the book. This is a very good book for process redesign training - not too detailed to bore training participants, but thorough enough to provide the trainees with a solid process redesign foundation. Packed with useful information and very, very good illustrations - examples that bring the point home. After reading this book, a good follow up is "Business Process Improvement Workbook" by Harrington, Esseling and van Nimwegen ....