Delivering Process Excellence for a Large Retail Bank

Desired Capabilities

Deep Process Knowledge
Operational Risk Assessment
Project Management
Knowledge Management
Training Design & Delivery
Ability to Function in a Broad, Matrixed Organization

The Situation

Spinnaker was engaged to update existing process documentation (Process Map, Failure Modes & Effects Analysis (FMEA), and Process Overview) and to develop an extended set of enhanced documentation (Continuous Improvement Log, Critical to Quality (CTQ) Tree, and Monitoring & Control Plan) for 16 Level 2 (L2) processes. The updated documentation would also be leveraged to support the client's annual audit process. Lastly, governance routines would be established for each L2.

The Challenge

After a few years with low focus on process maintenance, the client's L2 process documentation was outdated and insufficient per their expanded documentation standards. With limited process excellence resources at their disposal, the leadership team determined that bringing in Spinnaker was the best approach for closing the gap and establishing a sustainable, well-managed environment.

Meaningful Outcomes

Designed Value Chain Mapping to identify the interconnected processes necessary to deliver value for the customer
Catalogued the L2-L3 Process Hierarchy along with all systems used in the processes for the Customer Experience and Marketing & Profitability teams
Established templates so future process documentation would be captured at the same consistently high standard
Developed a full suite of L2 and L3 process documentation for the Customer Experience and the Marketing & Profitability teams
Created a document repository to ensure that we left behind an easily navigated way for the teams to access and update process documentation and related artifacts
Created materials and delivered Process Owner training, ensuring each associate knew the role they were to play on a go-forward basis

I'm throwing down the gauntlet to our internal process team to see if you can produce at the quality and speed of Spinnaker! Senior Risk Partner during a Sprint meeting

Our Approach

We began with a process complexity estimation to rank the level of effort (LOE) required for each update. Next we used the estimation in conjunction with an internal audit schedule to prioritize the most important processes. We established a sprint board and groomed our recommendations with the client team.

During our first set of processes, we identified and escalated a few emerging themes:

Process Collections: Groups of L3 processes without a unifying L2
Altitude Misalignment: Processes with scope so broad, they are difficult to manage as single processes
Missing Intent Processes: Teams that develop product intent but had only execution process documentation

We recommended a redefined approach:

Decoupling the documentation for the audit process from the enhanced documentation requirements
Developing a RACI for altitude change recommendations - to be followed for the 2023 audit cycle
Documenting the intent processes
Extending the scope of work to include L3 processes

Spinnaker aligned in pairs of 2 process consultants and focused first on L3 documentation. The team partnered closely with product managers, product owners, and risk partners to complete all documentation ahead of the audit sessions. Each team tackled 2-4 L2 processes in parallel, to stay on pace with the full body of work.

Upon completing the audit documentation, we worked with the product teams and risk partners to build out enhanced documentation for all processes. These documents were leveraged to create a framework for continued governance routines.

In parallel, Spinnaker produced and delivered additional resources to promote sustainability of a well-managed process environment. These included: process hierarchies, value chain maps, training materials, and process owner training sessions.