Work Reengineering Is Different

Work Reengineering differs from other process improve­ment methodologies in several important respects. First, as you may note in the definition above, Work Reengineer­ing is willing to address any aspect of the process or environment to achieve its objectives. Policies and proce­dures, organization and structure, people and culture, systems and technology are all subject to review and change in Work Reengineering's quest for improvement.

Computerization, the much heralded productivity enhancer of the 1980s, typically accepts as given the existing process, organization, and business environment. Only the technol­ogy was changed in most systems/information technology projects of the last decade. As a result, many potential process enhancements were overlooked by a Data Process­ing staff focused on computerizing what "was," not imple­menting what "could be."

Second, unlike most Total Quality Management initia­tives, Work Reengineering is typically approached from a project perspective with process improvement goals and objectives and a limited time frame firmly in mind. This project orientation keeps Work Reengineering focused on getting real results. Thus, the delusional measurements associated with some TQM efforts—i .e., number of employ­ees trained or number of teams formed—are avoided.

Work Reengineering also seeks to attain dramatic, step-change increases in performance, not the incremental change advocated by proponents of continuous improve­ment. Using ideas such as stretch goals, out-of-the-box thinking, and target visioning, Work Reengineering seeks the optimal solution to operational problems without re­gard to what exists today. Not for the faint of heart, Work Reengineering recognizes the risks but seeks the rewards associated with rapid and substantial change. Thus, it is well-suited to situations which warrant dramatic improve­ment in a relatively short period of time.

The Work Reengineering Tool Set

These improvement objectives are typically accomplished through the creative application of a variety of industrial engineering principles, information technologies, and ad­vanced management practices.
Borrowing from traditional industrial science, eastern manufacturing philosophies, and a variety of other sources, Work Reengineering employs a variety of principles and techniques to achieve its goals. Nearly 30 such principles have been documented including:

• Mistake Proofing
• Visual Control Systems
• Outcome Orientation
• Process Standardization • Visible Process Flow
Demand Pull Processing Statistical Process Control Employee Involvement
• Work Flow Balancing • Synchronized Scheduling

As the concept of Work Reengineering has matured, com­prehensive methodologies have begun to emerge incorpo­rating elements such as process analysis, benchmarking, opportunity identification, stretch targeting, process re­design, and implementation activities. A number of helpful tools have also been incorporated such as process mapping, stakeholder analysis, problem solving techniques, and value-added analysis.

Work Reengineering Complements TQM

While Work Reengineering differs from Total Quality Management, it is not in conflict with TQM. In fact, the two can and have been used to complement each other very effectively. For instance, Work Reengineering can be employed to generate significant improvements to a pro­cess before initiating a long-term TQM effort. Work eengineering can pave the way for TQM providing tools for process improvement and addressing some of the cul­tural aspects of change.
Nothing in Work Reengineering conflicts with the basic tenets or principles of Total Quality Management. In fact, several of the tools and techniques employed by Work Reengineering are the same as those used by TQM. The use of employee involvement teams and statistical process control are two prime examples.

Work Reengineering can also be used to "jump start" an existing TQM process that has been less than successful in generating significant results. Given the similarities in the methodologies and tools utilized, this can be done effectively without any appearance of a change in manage­ment direction or decreased commitment to TQM. While other projects might be seen as "program of the month," Work Reengineering is a natural extension to the activities and tasks associated with a TQM program. In this case, Work Reengineering serves to focus Total Quality efforts providing a project structure and an emphasis on the achievement of measurable results.

Work Reengineering: Something Old or Something New?

There are some who say that Work Reengineering is nothing more than a re-packaging of industrial engineer­ing concepts and Total Quality Management practices. Others, emphasizing the stretch targeting, out-of-the-box thinking and radical change elements of the process, be­lieve it is something entirely new.
Really, it is both. Work Reengineering unabashedly steals the best tools and techniques from a variety of sources incorporating these in a new methodology that generates tremendous positive energy for change and improvement. Breaking down old paradigms, tapping into employee knowledge and experience at all levels, and focusing on achieving meaningful results that are measurable at the bottom line, Work Reengineering is a powerful manage­ment tool for the 1990s.