Process analysis

Process analysis means looking closely at each step of a job to see where the time goes and where things slip. You write down how the work really happens, not how you think it happens, then look for the slow bits, the double handling, and the steps that only one person knows. We work with a six-person cafe with a catering arm where orders came by email, phone, and form and were copied onto a whiteboard. Looking at each step showed the copying was where orders went missing. Now orders are gathered into one sheet with a daily prep list, and there were no missed orders in the first two months. Phone orders are still typed in by staff, because that step needs a person on the line.