AN ASSESSMENT TOOL TO
DETERMINE THE HEALTH OF

"YOUR BUSINESS PROCESS"

The following eight questions are a quick tool for self-evaluation of your processes and operations. Take the quiz and score each question for your organization to see how you stand compared to world-class organizations you may find as your competitors.

1. What percentage of your customers expresses complete satisfaction with their purchase of your product after the initial installation and adjustment period?

    [ ] 85% or more of your customers express complete
        satisfaction -- 15 points
    [ ] 70-85% of your customers express complete satisfaction -- 5 points
    [ ] Don't know -- 0 points

your score ______

2. Does management review process metrics (performance measures) that track Customer Satisfaction such as defects per unit, cycle time, etc. on a regular basis in order to prioritize improvement actions?

    [ ] On a weekly basis -- 15 points
    [ ] On a monthly basis -- 5 points
    [ ] Rarely -- 0 points

your score ______

3. Do you have an aggressive defect reduction program in place?

    [ ] Yes, to reduce defects by 50% or more per year -- 15 points
    [ ] Yes to reduce defects by 21-50 % per year -- 5 points
    [ ] Yes, to reduce defects by 10-20 % per year -- 3 points
    [ ] No (or defect reduction plan is to reduce defects by 10% or less
        per year) -- 0 points

your score ______

4. Process metrics are tracked, maintained and reported by:

    [ ] All major internal operations and all major suppliers -- 15 points
    [ ] All major internal operations -- 10 points
    [ ] By QA and accounting -- 3 points
    [ ] Are not tracked, maintained or reported -- 0 points

your score ______

5. How widespread is the understanding and use of performance metrics in your organization?

    [ ] Widespread use from management to engineering and
        associates/operators. Employees have a solid understanding of
        metrics and use them to daily drive business activities from design
        to manufacturing to accounting. -- 15 points
    [ ] Use and understanding of metrics is shared by some of the
        management and a few specialist groups who work to improve
        processes -- 5 points
    [ ] Few of the management understand and use metrics. Understanding
        outside of the management circle is vaguely understood -- 0 points

your score ______

6. Your process owners, associates and process engineers complete process improvements (process mapping, process redesign or an adoption of relevant technology)

    [ ] Regularly, especially when it can improve your competitive edge
        or improve your cost structure -- 15 points
    [ ] Occasionally, to respond to customer complaints or internal
        problems -- 5 points
    [ ] Rarely, we figure out how to make the process work the
        way it is -- 0 points

your score ______

7. Are you on track to make your defect reduction and process improvement goals?

    [ ] Regularly make the goals -- 15 points
    [ ] Occasionally, usually respond to customer complaints or
        internal problems -- 5 points
    [ ] Rarely, we seem to have too many other things to do -- 0 points

your score ______

8. You describe your relationship with major suppliers as:

    [ ] An active partnership where they contribute to the design process
        and are involved in exchanging data to improve process quality
        and on-time delivery -- 15 points
    [ ] A reactionary relationship where suppliers receive and use feedback
        to improve process quality and on-time delivery -- 5 points
    [ ] As vendors who supply material where the primary focus is on
        price -- 0 points

your score ______

Total score _____