Process and Capacity Analysis Process Analysis What is process analysis? Why is this important? Flowcharts Compiled by: Alex J. Ruiz-Torres, Ph.D. From information developed by many.
What is process analysis? The study of the components, activities, inputs, outputs, results,… related to a process. So what is a process? Definitions: A set of activities interconnected by a common goal A set of activities that transforms a set of inputs into a set of outputs We all do processes all the time. Eating, walking,… are all natural processes.
Why is this important? From a business perspective, processes are the backbone of how organizations function. Our discussion is about business processes (BP), in particular operational processes. BP are defined as a set of activities that Are “well” defined and structured. Create a product /output for a customer – service or physical. Require resources ($, space, people, machines,…) and inputs (information, raw materials, …). Can be measured. Properly designing and then improving BPs is essential for business success Efficiency, profitability and to meet customer needs.
Process Analysis Basics Process analysis requires determining the scope of the BP under consideration. This includes the level of detail and the start + finish points. Are we defining the luggage check in process, or the complete process from when a traveler enters the airport to the point it leaves it (hopefully in an airplane). Defining scope/boundaries is essential. Must identify Customers and outputs. Suppliers and inputs. Activities and resources. Measures of performance (metrics). Entities – what flows.
Process Analysis Basics 5. Entities – what flows. There are many possible types of entities. For example: People: patients in an hospital. Forms: admission application at a university. Materials: food items at a warehouse. Waste: trash collected from offices. Vehicles: trucks at a post office. Containers: Tanks at a chemical plant. Information: inventory information at a supermarket Some analysis will consider multiple types at a time. For example an analysis may consider what happens to both the patients and the samples being processed in a medical clinic.
Process Analysis Basics There are typically multiple processes in a business system. For example: multiple processes at an airport Check in. Security check to terminal. Luggage (check-in to being loaded into the plane). Airplane landing and taxi to gate. Passenger loading. Airplane gate connection and passenger unload. Airplane luggage unload. … Each with different customers, inputs, entities, resources, and measures of performance.
Entity Resources Activities Output Metrics Check in Passenger Airline Agents; Info System Information exchange; luggage collected; payments Passenger with ticket and luggage checked in. Waiting time, customer complaints. Security TSA Agents; scan machines Passengers and carry on luggage scanned Secure passenger and luggage Security failures; Waiting time Luggage to plane Luggage Conveyor System; Airport staff Luggage moves from check in to airplane; inspection Secure luggage in airplane Percent of time luggage makes it to the correct plane Airplane Landing Airplane Control tower staff; Info Systems; Runway; … Airplane request permission to land; tower approves, … Airplane has a safe landing Safe landing; Waiting time for a landing spot
Entity Resources Activities Output Metrics Check in Passenger Airline Agents; Info System Information exchange; luggage collected; payments Passenger with ticket and luggage checked in. Waiting time, customer complaints. Security TSA Agents; scan machines Passengers and carry on luggage scanned Secure passenger and luggage Security failures; Waiting time Luggage to plane Luggage Conveyor System; Airport staff Luggage moves from check in to airplane; inspection Secure luggage in airplane Percent of time luggage makes it to the correct plane Airplane Landing Airplane Control tower staff; Info Systems; Runway; … Airplane request permission to land; tower approves, … Airplane has a safe landing Safe landing; Waiting time for a landing spot
Entity Resources Activities Output Metrics Check in Passenger Airline Agents; Info System Information exchange; luggage collected; payments Passenger with ticket and luggage checked in. Waiting time, customer complaints. Security TSA Agents; scan machines Passengers and carry on luggage scanned Secure passenger and luggage Security failures; Waiting time Luggage to plane Luggage Conveyor System; Airport staff Luggage moves from check in to airplane; inspection Secure luggage in airplane Percent of time luggage makes it to the correct plane Airplane Landing Airplane Control tower staff; Info Systems; Runway; … Airplane request permission to land; tower approves, … Airplane has a safe landing Safe landing; Waiting time for a landing spot
Entity Resources Activities Output Metrics Check in Passenger Airline Agents; Info System Information exchange; luggage collected; payments Passenger with ticket and luggage checked in. Waiting time, customer complaints. Security TSA Agents; scan machines Passengers and carry on luggage scanned Secure passenger and luggage Security failures; Waiting time Luggage to plane Luggage Conveyor System; Airport staff Luggage moves from check in to airplane; inspection Secure luggage in airplane Percent of time luggage makes it to the correct plane Airplane Landing Airplane Control tower staff; Info Systems; Runway; … Airplane request permission to land; tower approves, … Airplane has a safe landing Safe landing; Waiting time for a landing spot
Entity Resources Activities Output Metrics Check in Passenger Airline Agents; Info System Information exchange; luggage collected; payments Passenger with ticket and luggage checked in. Waiting time, customer complaints. Security TSA Agents; scan machines Passengers and carry on luggage scanned Secure passenger and luggage Security failures; Waiting time Luggage to plane Luggage Conveyor System; Airport staff Luggage moves from check in to airplane; inspection Secure luggage in airplane Percent of time luggage makes it to the correct plane Airplane Landing Airplane Control tower staff; Info Systems; Runway; … Airplane request permission to land; tower approves, … Airplane has a safe landing Safe landing; Waiting time for a landing spot
Entity Resources Activities Output Metrics Check in Passenger Airline Agents; Info System Information exchange; luggage collected; payments Passenger with ticket and luggage checked in. Waiting time, customer complaints. Security TSA Agents; scan machines Passengers and carry on luggage scanned Secure passenger and luggage Security failures; Waiting time Luggage to plane Luggage Conveyor System; Airport staff Luggage moves from check in to airplane; inspection Secure luggage in airplane Percent of time luggage makes it to the correct plane Airplane Landing Airplane Control tower staff; Info Systems; Runway; … Airplane request permission to land; tower approves, … Airplane has a safe landing Safe landing; Waiting time for a landing spot
Flowcharts Process flowcharting : a fundamental component of process analysis. A visual representation of a process. There are many types of flowcharts. Some basic elements of a flowchart include actions, direction of flows, inspections, and decision points. These are example symbols used to develop flowcharts: ACTION/ OPERATION CONNECTOR WAIT QUALITY ACTION MOVE DECISION
Flowcharts https://www.pinterest.com/pin/415879346812907720/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Consensus
Flowcharts http://www.conceptdraw.com/samples/flowcharts http://www.conceptdraw.com/How-To-Guide/types-flowchart
Flowcharts Developing flowcharts may take as long as a few minutes to as much as weeks. Involves asking questions to all the resources involved and to its customers. Who does what? what happens then?... Time to develop a flowchart depends on how complex is the process. Number of different actions. Number of decisions and different routes. Level of desired detail (the scope).
Flowcharts Developing flowcharts helps identify: Lack of control points (or too many). Redundant steps (or missing). Bottlenecks (or excess capacity). Starving points (work is not performed for lack of inputs).