Discover insights on process hierarchy in business management, including functional and end-to-end structures, as discussed by an experienced consultant in recent client meetings. Explore effective governance strategies.
A new podcast episode of Caspar Jans was published on Feb 28, 2025 with the original title:
S04E02: Process Hierarchy & Politics
Overview:
In this episode, the host explores the process hierarchy in business management, emphasizing the importance of having both a functional and an end-to-end hierarchy. These approaches help effectively govern and integrate business processes while addressing process ownership challenges across functions.
Core content:
- A process hierarchy involves two structures: a fully functional decomposition and an end-to-end process hierarchy, aiding in effective process management.
- The functional hierarchy starts at the highest level of domains and decomposes into sub-domains, essential for process ownership.
- End-to-end processes traverse functional boundaries, making their governance and assignment of ownership more complex and politically charged.
- Discussions across different client meetings showed that while core ideas may remain the same, conclusions and details can vary significantly based on specific organizational needs.
Learnings:
- Understanding different process hierarchies is crucial for effective governance and management of business processes.
- Identifying the most impactful process is essential for successfully assigning ownership in end-to-end processes.
- Each organization’s processes might have variations based on geographical or product line differences, requiring tailored approaches.
- Effective communication and consideration of organizational politics are vital when dealing with cross-functional processes.
The original content was published in English.