In this article, which is the first of T&L’s process improvement series, discusses the benefits of using process simulation tools during process improvement workshops.

I have personally conducted many process mapping and process improvement workshops using traditional process mapping techniques and workshop exercises and have found them to be somewhat successful.  The real challenge with using traditional facilitation techniques to conduct a process improvement workshop is that it often takes many iterations and often people attending these workshops have limited opportunity to actively participate in developing the solution. Sure we all have left a workshop feeling like a lot was accomplished, good ideas were discussed, key issues were addressed and people agreed on certain solutions. However, the real question is whether everyone attending the meeting inrerpret the solution the same way. Therefore, using a simulation tool that allows people to visually see how workflows through each part of the process is better off than having people to put posters on the wall to go through a series of exercises, such as discussing the order activities process flow data elements.

Process simulation tool allows you to visualize the workflow during the process, where bottlenecks are occurring, where re-work is occurring, where throughput is accelerated and where it is slowing down. Then when people see the dynamics of the workflow the discussion is focused around the process issues. I think the real great thing about using process simulation software during facilitation is to see how engaged people become when they have an opportunity to test their solutions and visually see how that impacts the process.

Since I have started conducting workshops using simulation software, more successful process improvement initiatives are achieved and no surprise to the solution to those who attended the workshop.

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