During the implementation phase of a BPI project, you need to think about the changes that need to occur in order for the new improved process to work as designed. Will the finance department have an objection to a particular change for any reason? Will another department affected by a transfer have any concerns? Will a stakeholder disagree with a proposed change? Business process improvement causes change in any organization, and not everyone likes change.

Impact analysis, a key component of the implementation phase in any BPI project, gives you a tool to identify all the issues that may arise that could create obstacles to your implementation. Develop the impact analysis by walking through the newly enhanced process map and identifying any activities that require organizational change. Create a table in Microsoft Word or Excel that includes the following information for any potential problem areas you identify:

  1. Reference number
  2. process change
  3. Rational
  4. impacted area
  5. Impacted population/group
  6. Change management
  • Changes in the process: This is where the change that needs to occur is described. For example, remove three of the current approval levels. You must decide whether to include changes that only affect external groups (outside the sponsor’s scope of control) or all groups.
  • Rational: State why the change is important to the business. For example, reduces cycle time by speeding up the approval process.
  • Impacted area: List the departments or business areas affected by the change. For example, purchasing, legal or company-wide.
  • Impacted population/group: List the population or groups affected by the change. For example, purchasing manager, suppliers or customers.
  • Change management: This is one explanation for the anticipated setback you expect with the proposed change. For example: Purchasing may not be comfortable with a low number of approvals and may want to set a dollar limit on purchase approvals, or Customers are not used to being told “no” even though their request falls outside of the guidelines from the Department.

You can do this step at the end of your work or while you’re building the new process map, but I like to take notes while you’re building the new map because you’re listening to the project team discuss potential issues and this helps you remember everything. .

Sponsors appreciate the impact analysis because they often have most of the responsibility for agreeing on the necessary changes, and this summary gives them the information they need to do their job.

Copyright 2010 Susan Page