Why we always start with a diagnostic

One of the most common mistakes organisations make is assuming that poor performance must be caused by poor process design. As a result, they move straight into process mapping workshops and future-state design sessions without first understanding what is really driving the problem. Sometimes the design is the issue, but often it isn’t.

We regularly see organisations experiencing performance challenges where the process itself is fundamentally sound. The real issues sit elsewhere:

  • No clear process ownership

  • Poor quality measures

  • Lack of governance

  • Inconsistent adherence to the agreed process

  • Insufficient capability or capacity

  • Local workarounds and variations

  • Lack of continuous improvement activity

In these situations, redesigning the process may create a lot of activity but very little improvement. This is why we always start with a diagnostic. The purpose of a diagnostic is not simply to understand how a process work, it is to understand how the wider process management system is operating.

We want to understand things like: How the process performs today, whether the process is genuinely fit for purpose, how performance is measured, how decisions are governed, who owns the process, where variation exists and how improvements are identified and implemented. 

Only once we understand the root causes of poor performance can we determine whether process redesign is actually required. Sometimes the outcome of a diagnostic is a major redesign programme but it could also be a new performance framework, or clearer governance and accountability, or a leadership intervention, capability development, or a continuous improvement approach. The point is that the solution should follow the diagnosis, not the other way around.

Just as a doctor would not prescribe treatment before understanding the cause of the symptoms, organisations should not redesign processes before understanding the causes of poor performance.

Good process management starts with understanding the whole system, not just the process map.

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