There are five key steps to improving Efficiency:

1. •

   identify (define) what process needs improving (covered in this Practice Note)

2. •

   measure the problem (see Practice Note: Improving efficiency: Step 2—measure the problem_

3. •

   analyse your information (see Practice Note: Improving efficiency: Step 3—analyse what's causing the problem)

4. •

   improve the process (see Practice Note: Improving efficiency: Step 4—improve the problem)

5. •

   control, ie embed the new process so it becomes business as usual (see Practice Note: Improving efficiency: Step 5—embedding changes)

Management Consultants often refer to this is as the ‘DMAIC framework’.

This Practice Note guides you through the first step—the ‘define’ phase. It explains two different methods that can be used to identify which processes needs improving, ie by:

1. •

   finding out where processes generate waste, as waste is an indicator of an inefficient process

2. •

   establishing whether the way of working delivers what clients want within reason, ie within the range of what the team is willing to do for the clients

It also describes