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Many organizations assume their operational processes are efficient because they have standard operating procedures and experienced staff conducting them. Further, organizational leaders often assume that since they are not made aware of any challenges, the organization is running as efficiently as possible. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Here are 8 questions to help you decide if processes within your enterprise, department, or team may need to be evaluated and re-engineered:
1.   When was the last time the organization took a systemic look at its business processes? If it’s been longer than the last 18-24 months, you should     consider re-examination of your processes.
2.   Can the organization point to a single place – internal website, repository, etc. – where all business processes are properly organized and             documented with process models and SOPs? If so, are these documented materials up-to-date?
3.   Does your organization have staff younger than 30 years of age who execute difficult or confusing processes? Younger staff members are            invaluable to developing more efficient processes and utilizing more modern technology tools.
4.   Has anyone ever asked the customers and stakeholders if the organization is meeting their needs and expectations? Maintaining frequent, regular      communications with these key individuals, understanding their needs, and documenting their observations is crucial to your business’s success and growth.
5.   Are the organization’s IT support tools three-years old or older? Technologies are changing faster than ever and organizations must regularly         assess how technology can best support their business/service delivery.
6.   Has anyone ever asked or questioned why a process or activity takes place? If so, was their question taken seriously? Listening and taking people’s     process observations seriously will keep you from losing workers and support quick identification of process efficiency
7.   Can the organization point to key business processes and clearly articulate who does what, when? Or does the organization just move/act along a      process chain without a clear understanding of why steps are taken, and which ones are truly necessary?
8.   Do different staff across an organization supporting a single process clearly understand what their colleagues do in support of that process?          Process efficiency, especially for complex processes, requires teamwork. The entire team must operate in unison for the process to be efficient and     successful.
Fundamentally, organizations that take a regular, critical look at their business processes and work to make them more efficient on an ongoing basis will adapt those processes to meet evolving customer and stakeholder needs. Answering these questions honestly will help you decide if your business processes could use a fresh look.