[.ca] Process Redesign: The Implementation Guide for Managers (ISBN 0201633914)

Satisfactory:
I use this book to teach business process management for the MBA class. It does not have the depth or rigor of a textbook, but does a decent job of addressing the major issues.

Process Redesign - Initial Impressions:
I have worked with several similar text books from Rummler & Brache and Hammer but have found this one to offer the most practical help. I thought it was very useful in defining the differences between core and sub processes and in helping novices begin flowcharting. In some areas it is clearly a summary of other people's principles and practices. For someone starting out in this field I think this book is a useful tool.

Excellent as an implementation guide:
Extremely useful as a practical implementation guide

Comprehensive and full of excellent info & ideas:
I got this book based on a friend's recommendation because I was struggling with a process design application called iGrafx Process (also available from Amazon). I learned that there is much more to process design than basic models based on entry, task, validation and exit criteria. For example, performance measurements and performance efficiency were two areas where this book strengthened my understanding of process design and implementation. They also and enabled me to effectively use iGrafx Process to its fullest. Other chapters that taught me a lot addressed improvement planning, continuous improvement and process benchmarking. I was able to immediately incorporate the knowledge gained into processes that I was developing, and it made a significant difference in the quality of my work. The best chapter, in my opinion, was in installing the improved processes. I gained a lot of knowledge and techniques for overcoming barriers and how to objectively measure the degree of improvement. This was reinforced by material that is provided in the appendices, including case studies and an excellent description of Six-Sigma analysis. Overall, this is a valuable book to anyone who designs or implements new processes, or reengineers existing ones. Most of my work is new design and implementation, so that was the context in which I read the book. If I were assigned to a reengineering project this would be the first book to which I'd turn for guidance and information. It earns a solid five stars and a permanent place in my professional library.