Reach Your Destination Quickly and Safely

What does an optimal process actually look like? As always, the Latin gives us an answer. The word process comes from procedere and means "to go forward". It means a course or development in which something is created. A process is set in motion by input and the desired output is a result that offers measurable added value. Ideally, the process always follows the same rules and the result is the same every time it is repeated. An important component here is the traceability and binding documentation of all activities. Only in this way can processes be viewed across departmental boundaries and resources used sparingly - duplication of work is avoided and errors reduced.

"Zero-defect principle"

Reducing errors is a good keyword. Because a process has a lot to do with quality. There is even a separate ISO defined by the German Society for Quality (DGQ) for this. The basic idea behind ISO 9001:2015 comes from the "zero-defect principle" of Philip Crosby, a leading quality guru. The better a process is planned, the fewer errors are to be expected. There is therefore great interest in constantly and systematically improving processes - because this keeps process costs down. This brings us to another important component: risk-based thinking. Risks and opportunities must be determined in all processes, among other things on the basis of key figures.

Digitize processes

An essential part of the transformation of companies is to digitize processes - preferably completely, from start to finish. Without media disruptions, without manual intervention. Only then is the basis for automation and standardization in place. It is crucial to fundamentally review and adapt processes as part of this process - simply replacing people with technology does not work.

This review includes uncovering procedural errors. One error is "one size fits all". This certainly applies to some areas that are heavily regulated, such as financial closing. But not for areas in which companies have their own IP. Another prejudice is that a bad process is worse than having no process. Here I would clearly say: both should be avoided, because the result is the same. Too many long meetings, no responsibilities, duplication of work, old, slow or poorly integrated IT systems - all this leads to inefficiency and frustration. My favourite quote in this context is from a former CEO of a telecommunications company: "If you digitize a shitty process, then you have a shitty digital process."

How is it better?

Finally, the question of how to do it better. A process should be set up in such a way that it really makes work easier and solves a problem. Preferably without anyone noticing: low-touch, lean and intuitive. There is still a lot to do before this is achieved. Current studies show that many companies fail to convert their processes to AI - precisely because the preparatory work has not been done properly. AI cannot then be fully integrated into existing systems and processes and therefore cannot develop its full potential. Optimizing processes and making them more efficient - with the help of SAP - should therefore be a top priority. It is seen as the most important lever for value creation and the fastest way to implement changes in the company. And there will certainly be a few more of these in the future.