Concepts & Case Studies

Small Business Process Analysis

Most organizations do not have a data problem - they have a process problem. Data is created by workflows: who does what, in what order, using which tools, with which handoffs and rules. When those workflows are unclear or inconsistent, metrics become noisy, dashboards become disputed, and leadership spends time debating numbers instead of making decisions.
This module explains (and demonstrates) how I approach process analysis with a client: map the work, quantify friction, prioritize fixes, and define a practical measurement system.
A process analysis engagement answers four questions:
1. What is the current process (as it actually runs)?
  Not the SOP - the real sequence of steps, tools, handoffs, and “workarounds.”
2. Where is the friction and what does it cost?
  Wait time, rework, duplicate entry, approval delays, quality defects, and tool switching.
3. Which improvements have the highest ROI and lowest risk?
  Prioritize by impact, effort, and controllability, not by opinion.
4. How will we measure success going forward?
  Define KPIs and instrumentation so the process stays healthy after changes.
- Process map (current state) with handoffs, systems, and failure points
- Quantified cycle time and bottleneck analysis
- Prioritized improvement backlog (impact vs. effort)
- Future-state process outline and governance (roles, rules, cadence)
- Measurement plan (definitions, metrics, and reporting layer)
This approach connects operations and reporting. Instead of “building a dashboard,” we first ensure the business is producing reliable inputs—and then we build analytics that leadership can trust and act on.

Process Analysis — Interactive Flow Explorer

Click a step (or use Guided mode) to see what it controls, what commonly breaks, and the smallest guardrails that stabilize the flow. This is intentionally illustrative.

Interactive process map

The map shows one clean “start → decision → execute → quality gate → close → learn” story, including a parallel prep/unblock split.

Tip: Click a step to update the panel. In Guided mode, use Back/Next to advance and you’ll also see what changed between steps.

Guided mode: start at Intake, then follow the route down the page. Each step adds a specific control point.

Step details

Select a step
Choose any step on the map to see what it does and how teams keep it stable.

Why it matters (one line)

Talk through your process See case study examples

What you’d walk away with

A plain-language current-state map with decision gates, handoffs, and parallel work made explicit
A “stabilize-first” shortlist (the smallest changes that reduce ambiguity, rework, and delays)
Clear roles + control points (who decides, who approves, what “done” means at key steps)
A practical improvement backlog sized for shipping in small increments

This module is illustrative; an engagement is tailored to your teams, tools, and operational constraints.

How to Use This Process Analysis Module

This interactive module demonstrates how I run a typical process analysis engagement—mapping the workflow, quantifying friction, and converting findings into a prioritized action plan.

Step 1 — Map the process (Tab: “1) Map”)

Review the current-state workflow steps and edit them to match reality.
Update owner/tool fields and adjust Processing time, Waiting time, and Rework %.
Use the Friction dropdown to flag the nature of problems (Wait, Rework, Handoff, Waste).
Add steps as needed to reflect handoffs and “workarounds” that aren’t in official documentation.

Step 2 — Quantify the impact (Tab: “2) Quantify”)

The module calculates cycle time (processing + waiting), value-add ratio, and bottlenecks.
Update assumptions (monthly volume, labor rate, cycle time target) to estimate the operational cost of rework and delays.
Use the bar view to see which steps contribute most to cycle time.

Step 3 — Prioritize improvements (Tab: “3) Prioritize”)

The improvement backlog is generated from the flagged friction points and bottlenecks.
Review recommended actions and prioritize based on impact, effort, and confidence.
This becomes the basis for a practical implementation plan (what to do first, what to measure, and what to defer).

Step 4 — Executive-ready output (Tab: “4) Outputs”)

The Executive Summary consolidates process context, quantified findings, and top actions.
Use Export Summary to capture a shareable version for stakeholders or for follow-up planning.

Tip: This module is a demonstration. In a real engagement, estimates are replaced with observed data and a measurement plan (definitions, ownership, cadence) so improvements stick.