You're doing what?. Determine how you are doing what you are doing now. A risk assessment can facilitate this understanding. It also can help identify what is most important.
If you fail to plan, you plan to fail. Devise a plan. Understand the results you are trying to achieve for whom, when and why, including the return on investment. Management must be committed to the plan.
Eliminate the waste. Are two people, or multiple departments, taking the same actions for no good reason? Are one person's action's wasteful? Seek comments from people close to the process. Cut unnecessary or duplicative action. Focus freed resources on productive activities. Remember, however, not to eliminate necessary duplication. It may be critical to controls.
Document the efficiencies. Document the efficient process in a clear manner. This not only facilitates further refinement of the process. It is an integral component of training and audit.
Train, audit and measure. The most pristine process is useless if it is not implemented. Train key people regarding the process. Audit compliance. Trust but verify. Measure results. Refine and improve. Help your processes help you.
THE BOURNE FIRM