All successful organizations rely on effective processes to achieve goals, serve customers or stakeholders and adapt to changing demands. From strategy to daily operations, the way that workflows are organized can have a major impact on overall performance. This is called process management.
Understanding process management can help professionals thrive in the workplace and drive meaningful organizational changes and improvements. Boise State’s Master of Science in Organizational Performance and Workplace Learning (OPWL) equips students with the tools to become leaders and innovators who positively impact process management. Read on to learn more about process management, including benefits, best practices and what it looks like in action.
What is process management?
Process management is a methodology that organizes, standardizes and improves how work is performed across an organization to achieve strategic goals more effectively and efficiently. It focuses on productivity and outcomes by streamlining workflows, reinforcing team culture, utilizing technology and establishing frameworks to help complete necessary tasks using available resources.
Process management is considered key to any successful organization.
Why is process management important?
Process management is important because it helps improve and drive an organization forward by establishing operational efficiencies that deliver long-term value. By creating more efficient workflows, organizations can progress while reducing unnecessary costs and risks. Process management can’t exist on its own — it requires support and participation from an entire organization. When teams work together for continuous improvement, sizable goals become more achievable with increased communication and proper use of resources.
Process management benefits include:
- Increased productivity
- Reduced operating costs
- Identifying and solving problems before they escalate
- Better communication and collaboration
- Reduced compliance, audit or security risks
- Greater value for customers and stakeholders
- Support for organizational growth and scalability
Because of these many benefits, process management is a critical workplace skill all organizational performance professionals should be familiar with.
Getting started: The process management lifecycle
Organizations may customize their approach based on specific needs, but most process management initiatives follow this repeatable five-stage lifecycle:
- Discovery, planning and strategy: Identify existing processes, establish objectives or metrics and evaluate current performance. Gather information about challenges and opportunities for improvement.
- Design, development and analysis: Develop a plan or framework for improving processes and evaluate possible solutions. Use process mapping and workflow analysis to help identify issues and create more effective systems.
- Deployment and integration: Once launched, implement and integrate recommendations into daily operations. Allow time for communication, training and stakeholder engagement to ensure team buy-in.
- Maintenance and monitoring: Routinely monitor process performance using metrics, analytics and feedback. Address issues as they arise.
- Reevaluation and optimization: Evaluate results and identify areas of improvement. Continue to evolve processes as organizational needs change.
The process management methodology is ongoing as you evaluate successes and challenges and then implement improvement strategies over time.
Best practices for efficient process management
Successful organizations typically use process management to:
- Document all processes
- Align processes with business objectives or initiatives
- Involve stakeholders in the process
- Collect and use data to guide strategy
- Audit and update workflows
- Maintain compliance and quality standards
- Adopt new process management tools for streamlining complex tasks, workflows and operations
Process management in action
What does process management look like in action? Process management is used in nearly all areas of an organization and can be applied to systems like:
- Employee onboarding
- Manufacturing operations
- Customer service and support
- Vendor and purchase operations
- Asset management
- Strategic planning
- Content creation and management
Because this methodology is so varied, skills needed for successful process management include:
- Analytical thinking
- Process mapping
- Problem-solving
- Communication
- Change management
- Conflict management
- Data analysis
These skills are particularly relevant for students of the Organizational Performance and Workplace Learning program who want to learn how to help leaders improve effectiveness and growth of an organization or lead an organization themselves.
The OPWL program offers online research and development labs that allow students to participate in faculty-led research and build a portfolio of practical experience. The Process Management Lab connects students with real nonprofit organizations. Students learn to use process management best practices to improve or build the internal infrastructure these organizations need to fulfill their missions and meet objectives.
Careers in process management
Professionals with process management expertise may choose to pursue roles such as:
- Business analyst
- Financial analyst
- Process manager
- Process strategy and optimizations manager
- Business operations manager
- Improvement specialist or manager
- Quality assurance manager
- Chief process officer
Frequently asked questions about process management
What is the goal of process management?
The goal of process management is to improve workflow and efficiency to achieve better, repeatable results.
What is the difference between process management and project management?
Process management is a broad term for building and establishing workflows to create reproducible outcomes — and it’s ongoing. Project management focuses on specific initiatives with clear beginning and end dates. The two systems often overlap with one another, but they ultimately focus on different things.
What industries use process management?
Process management is used across nearly all industries, including:
- Accounting and financial services
- Healthcare
- Education
- Manufacturing
- Information technology
- Content creation and management
What is Six Sigma?
“Six Sigma” is a data-driven process management methodology used to improve quality by reducing inefficiencies in organizational processes. It uses one of two popular frameworks: define, measure, analyze, improve and control (DMAIC) or define, measure, analyze, design and verify (DMADV).
Learn more about the Organizational Performance and Workplace Learning program
Earning an online Master of Science in Organizational Performance and Workplace Learning from Boise State University can open doors to new opportunities and a brighter future — and we’re here to support you every step of the way. Whether you’re exploring if an online degree is right for you or need help transferring credits, connecting with a student success coach is the perfect first step.
Ready to learn more? Attend one of our online information sessions or contact a student success coach today.