Question: Process Design
Operations management involves various activities, such as process design, selection, management of information technology, work systems, planning and development, and quality assurance (Slack, Chambers, & Johnston, 2016). Designing refers to the development of a plan of action for a product or service while the process is any function of the organization that uses input resources to transform them into output. At the start of process design, it is vital that an individual gains and understands the objectives and nature of the desired processes. Changes in the design or the process has related consequences on the operations of an organization. Therefore, the individuals tasked with developing and implementing the process design should ensure that the customer is an important stakeholder. Furthermore, process design is an important factor in the determination of workflow, the equipment needs, and how to implement the requirements for a particular operation within an organization. Primarily, various techniques are used, such as flow charts, simulation, and scale models.
Moreover, the process design of goods and services should be done in such a way as to generate efficiency (Subramanian & Ramanathan, 2012). It should be designed to account for all possible output. In addition, process design can constrain output efficiency. For instance, in the service and manufacturing industries and the difficulty in separation of service and product design respectively, it is essential that individuals concerned consider the effect of the two on costs. Design activity uses technical, market, and time data to transform resources that are error-free, timely, reliable, flexible, and cost-effective to satisfy the needs of customers (Stevenson & Hojati, 2007). Process design, therefore, uses a system of mapping to identify various activities, symbols derived from systems analysis, charts to display the information to concerned stakeholders. However, since process design is only part of operations management, how does it integrate with other functions to deliver quality and satisfactory products and services for consumers?
References: Slack, N., Chambers, S., & Johnston, R. (2016). Operations management (8 Ed.). London, UK: Pearson Education.
Stevenson, W. J., & Hojati, M. (2007). Operations management (Vol. 8). Boston: McGraw-Hill/Irwin.
Subramanian, N., & Ramanathan, R. (2012). A review of applications of Analytic Hierarchy Process in operations management. International Journal of Production Economics, 138(2), 215-241.