Start with the work.
Then decide what changes.

The Operations Audit examines your people, decisions, information, and technology. Choose one area of the business or an assessment across departments.

Explore the Operations Audit

Understand the work.
Find what can improve.

  1. 01 Observe

    Observe the work

    Watch how people do the work, including what happens when a record is missing or a difficult decision comes up.

  2. 02 Trace

    Trace the dependency

    Find where work waits, who people ask for help, and what information they need to make a decision.

  3. 03 Classify

    Classify the decision

    Identify which decisions need personal judgment and which tasks need better information, clearer authority, or a repeatable process.

  4. 04 Specify

    Specify the first test

    Define the proposed change, who owns it, what must stay protected, and how to measure it before committing to a build.

Look beyond
the process map.

01

Watch how people
do the work.

Exceptions show where people need to improvise, check, or repeat a task.

We inspect
Exceptions, workarounds, waits, rework, and informal checks.
02

Keep decisions with
the responsible person.

The person responsible for the outcome needs the information and authority to make the decision.

We inspect
Decision owners, approval limits, source records, and escalation paths.
03

Do not build before
the test is clear.

Define which part of the work a process, tool, or model should improve.

We inspect
The starting measure, first test, safeguards, and review point.

Decide who or what
should handle the work.

01

Personal judgment

Keep decisions that affect trust or carry substantial risk with the person responsible for the outcome.

02

Team ownership

Give the team the information and clear limits it needs to make its own decisions.

03

A repeatable process

Use a process or existing tool for work that follows repeatable steps.

04

A build worth making

Consider a custom build once you understand the repeated work and can limit the risk.

05

Stop or look again

Pause when the evidence is weak or the proposed change adds more complexity than value.

Technology that extends
your team's expertise.

Give people better information, clear responsibilities, and tools that fit their work.