To be used in conjunction with “The Process Audit” by Michael Hammer (HBR April 2007, Reprint R0704H).

How Mature Are Your You can evaluate the maturity of a business process and determine how to im- are assessing. If a statement is largely true (at least 80% correct), color the cell
GREEN: YELLOW: RED:
prove its performance by using this table. Decide how the statements defining green; if it is somewhat true (between 20% and 80% correct), shade the cell yel-
PROCESSES? the strength levels, from P-1 to P-4, for each enabler apply to the process that you low; and if it is largely untrue (less than 20% correct), mark the cell red.
largely somewhat largely
true true untrue

P-1 P-2 P-3 P-4 P-1 P-2 P-3 P-4

Design Purpose The process has not been designed on an end-to-end The process has been redesigned from end to end in The process has been designed to fit with other enter- The process has been designed to fit with customer and
basis. Functional managers use the legacy design prima- order to optimize its performance. prise processes and with the enterprise’s IT systems in supplier processes in order to optimize interenterprise
rily as a context for functional performance improvement. order to optimize the enterprise’s performance. performance.

Context The process’s inputs, outputs, suppliers, and customers The needs of the process’s customers are known and The process owner and the owners of the other The process owner and the owners of customer and
have been identified. agreed upon. processes with which the process interfaces have es- supplier processes with which the process interfaces
tablished mutual performance expectations. have established mutual performance expectations.

Documentation The documentation of the process is primarily func- There is end-to-end documentation of the process de- The process documentation describes the process’s in- An electronic representation of the process design sup-
tional, but it identifies the interconnections among the sign. terfaces with, and expectations of, other processes and ports its performance and management and allows
organizations involved in executing the process. links the process to the enterprise’s system and data ar- analysis of environmental changes and process recon-
chitecture. figurations.

Performers Knowledge Performers can name the process they execute and Performers can describe the process’s overall flow; how Performers are familiar both with fundamental business Performers are familiar with the enterprise’s industry
identify the key metrics of its performance. their work affects customers, other employees in the concepts and with the drivers of enterprise performance and its trends and can describe how their work affects
process, and the process’s performance; and the re- and can describe how their work affects other interenterprise performance.
quired and actual performance levels. processes and the enterprise’s performance.

Performers are skilled in problem solving and process Performers are skilled in teamwork and self-manage- Performers are skilled at business decision making. Performers are skilled at change management and
Skills improvement techniques. ment. change implementation.

Behavior Performers have some allegiance to the process, but Performers try to follow the process design, perform it Performers strive to ensure that the process delivers the Performers look for signs that the process should
owe primary allegiance to their function. correctly, and work in ways that will enable other people results needed to achieve the enterprise’s goals. change, and they propose improvements to the process.
who execute the process to do their work effectively.

Owner Identity The process owner is an individual or a group informally Enterprise leadership has created an official process The process comes first for the owner in terms of time The process owner is a member of the enterprise’s se-
charged with improving the process’s performance. owner role and has filled the position with a senior allocation, mind share, and personal goals. niormost decision-making body.
manager who has clout and credibility.

Activities The process owner identifies and documents the The process owner articulates the process’s perform- The process owner works with other process owners to The process owner develops a rolling strategic plan for
process, communicates it to all the performers, and ance goals and a vision of its future; sponsors redesign integrate processes to achieve the enterprise’s goals. the process, participates in enterprise-level strategic
sponsors small-scale change projects. and improvement efforts; plans their implementation; planning, and collaborates with his or her counterparts
and ensures compliance with the process design. working for customers and suppliers to sponsor inter-
enterprise process-redesign initiatives.

Authority The process owner lobbies for the process but can only The process owner can convene a process redesign The process owner controls the IT systems that support The process owner controls the process’s budget and
encourage functional managers to make changes. team and implement the new design and has some con- the process and any projects that change the process exerts strong influence over personnel assignments and
trol over the technology budget for the process. and has some influence over personnel assignments evaluations.
and evaluations as well as the process’s budget.

Infrastruc- Information Fragmented legacy IT systems support the process. An IT system constructed from functional components An integrated IT system, designed with the process in An IT system with a modular architecture that adheres
ture Systems supports the process. mind and adhering to enterprise standards, supports the to industry standards for interenterprise communication
process. supports the process.

Human Functional managers reward the attainment of func- The process’s design drives role definitions, job descrip- Hiring, development, reward, and recognition systems Hiring, development, reward, and recognition systems
Resource tional excellence and the resolution of functional prob- tions, and competency profiles. Job training is based on emphasize the process’s needs and results and balance reinforce the importance of intra- and interenterprise col-
Systems lems in a process context. process documentation. them against the enterprise’s needs. laboration, personal learning, and organizational change.

Metrics Definition The process has some basic cost and quality metrics. The process has end-to-end process metrics derived The process’s metrics as well as cross-process metrics The process’s metrics have been derived from inter-
from customer requirements. have been derived from the enterprise’s strategic goals. enterprise goals.

Uses Managers use the process’s metrics to track its perform- Managers use the process’s metrics to compare its per- Managers present the metrics to process performers for Managers regularly review and refresh the process’s
ance, identify root causes of faulty performance, and formance to benchmarks, best-in-class performance, awareness and motivation. They use dashboards based on metrics and targets and use them in strategic planning.
drive functional improvements. and customer needs and to set performance targets. the metrics for day-to-day management of the process.

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