What goes wrong when you ignore that process redesign?

The most common reason fails: Redesigning the process for the ideal case while ignoring exceptions. Every process has a 'happy path' (the ideal sequence when everything goes well) and exception paths (what happens when things go wrong, inputs are incomplete, decisions are contested, or requirements change). Process redesigns that optimize the happy path while ignoring exceptions produce faster processes that break catastrophically when exceptions occur — which they always do. Effective process redesign accounts for the most common exceptions and builds handling mechanisms into the process rather than relying on ad hoc workarounds.

The fix: Map the end-to-end process for one type of work your team produces. Document every step from initiation to completion, including: (1) Active time — how long does each step take when someone is actively working on it? (2) Queue time — how long does the work sit waiting between steps? (3) Handoffs — where does the work move from one person or team to another? What information is transferred at each handoff? What information is lost? (4) Decision points — where does the process branch? What determines which branch is taken? (5) Rework loops — where does work return to a previous step for correction? How often? Calculate the process efficiency ratio: active time divided by total elapsed time. In most organizations, this ratio is below 20% — meaning more than 80% of elapsed time is spent waiting, not working. Each wait point is a process redesign opportunity.

The underlying principle is straightforward: Changing how work flows through the organization changes outcomes. Process redesign modifies the sequence, timing, dependencies, and handoffs through which work moves from initiation to completion. Well-designed processes produce consistent outcomes efficiently. Poorly designed processes produce inconsistent outcomes wastefully — not because the people within them are careless but because the process itself creates bottlenecks, errors, delays, and rework. Process redesign is the most tangible form of systemic change: unlike incentives or information flows, processes can be directly observed, mapped, and modified.