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ExcellenceQuality
Introduction
Processes are the fundamental building blocks of all organisations, and both process understanding andprocess improvement form the lifeblood of total quality organisations. Processes transform inputs, whichcan include actions, methods and operations, into outputs. They are the steps by which we add value, andit should be the aim of customer focused, total quality organisations, for these outputs to satisfy or exceedthe needs and expectations of their customers.Everything we do is a process, whether it is documented or not, and in each area or function of anorganisation there are many processes taking place. These processes interact with other processesthroughout an organisation, as outputs from one process form the inputs to another. As shown in thediagram below, each process is therefore part of a larger process and organisations large and small can beseen as complex networks of interconnecting processes, the highest level being the organisation itself.Whereas the outputs of an organisation go to its “external customers", the outputs of internal processes ofthe organisation go to “internal customers”. If the needs and expectations of each internal and externalcustomer are consistently met or exceeded, then it can be said that it is “total quality”.
Process Understanding & Improvement
www.dti.gov.uk/quality/process page 1 of 9 
 
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ExcellenceQuality
The key roles of process management
Effective process management requires 4 key roles:•The process sponsor•The process owner•The process manager•The process worker
The Process Sponsor
is the person who provides direction and ensures that there is sufficient resourceavailable to improve a process. He or she is normally at a senior level in an organisation.
The Process Owner
usually sits outside the process, and is directly and personally accountable for theend-to-end process. He or she is the final arbiter for the process and should drive any processimprovement initiatives and activities.
The Process Manager
works inside the process and is responsible for discrete parts of it. He or sheensures day-to-day production performance, directly manages process workers and supplier relationshipsand provides the process owner with metrics, reports and improvement ideas.
The Process Worker
works inside the process with responsibility for specific delivery to agreed standards.He or she may manage small teams of less experienced workers and provide the process manager withmetrics, reports and improvement ideas.
The elements of a process
There are many elements to a process and it helps if these can be defined to aid clarity around theprocess, so that a common understanding may be obtained. The elements that are defined are theprocess’:•Title•Purpose•Scope•Inputs•Outputs•Controls•ResourcesThe
Process Title
should be simple and comprise a verb and a noun,
e.g 
, design new product.The
Process Purpose
should always begin with “Is to….”,
e.g 
, Is to bring a new product to market basedon the latest innovative thinking, within an agreed timescale.The
Process Scope
defines precisely where the process starts and ends, and what is specifically includedand explicitly excluded,
e.g 
, the process starts with writing a project plan and ends when the customeraccepts the final product; all manufacturing is included, but all packaging design is excluded.
www.dti.gov.uk/quality/process page 2 of 9 
 
The
Inputs
of a process are the things that are transformed by the process in to the end product or servicerequired by the customer of the process. Inputs can be tangible,
e.g 
, written data, or intangible, e.g, verbalrequests.The
Outputs
of a process can be products or services and should conform to the specifications agreed inadvance with the recipient,
i.e 
, with the customer, internal or external. Outputs can also be tangible,
e.g 
,product, or intangible,
e.g 
, advice.Process
Controls
may be imposed either externally or internally, e.g, customer specifications, legislativerequirements and copyright laws are all externally imposed, whereas internal quality checks andorganisational procedures are derived from within the organisation.Process
Resources
are all the things that a process must routinely have to be able to convert the inputsinto outputs. Resources may be tangible, e.g, people, a PC, software, or intangible, e.g, skills andexperience.
Process Classification Framework
A key activity when managing processes is the identification of the processes in the first place.The Process Classification Framework was developed by the American Productivity and Quality Center(APQC) International Benchmarking Clearinghouse, with help from several international organisations, inclose partnership with Arthur Andersen & Co. Its purpose is to help organisations identify their processesand provide a common framework to facilitate inter-company learning, and reach out across functional andindustry boundaries to communicate and share information.It supplies a high level generic view of business processes often found in multiple industries and sectors,e.g, manufacturing and service companies, healthcare, government, education and others. It representsmajor processes and sub-processes, rather than functions, through its structure and vocabulary. It does notlist all the processes within any specific organisation, nor is every process listed in the framework presentin every organisation.
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ExcellenceQuality
PROCESS
OutputsInputsControlsResources
www.dti.gov.uk/quality/process page 3 of 9 
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