Process science is at the heart of efficient businesses but is often overlooked and misunderstood. In the latest episode of Predictable B2B Success, Vinay Koshy chats with Sam Drauschak, cofounder and chief process scientist at Truvle. Sam unravels the complexities of process science, a field dedicated to studying change within systems.
He delves into how this study can lead to replicable business outcomes through a methodological data collection and analysis approach. Drauschak also discusses the transformative Truvle mapping language, which he developed to address inconsistencies in process mapping, striving to make it more human-centric and universally adaptable.
So, if you’re curious about how understanding and refining processes in motion can propel organizations to new heights, this episode is a treasure trove of insights waiting to be discovered.
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About Sam Drauschak
Sam Drauschak started his career with a science background and a passion for process work. Over the last 20 years, he has been dedicated to improving and digitizing process work, pushing the boundaries of process science for digital services. His journey has been a story of progression and growth as he constantly seeks to improve at what he does. Today, Sam Drauschak is at the forefront of innovation in process work, leading the way in the digital transformation of services.
Exploring Process Science and Its Impact on Business Success
The need for process optimization and conscious business practices has never been more significant in a rapidly evolving business landscape. In a recent episode of the “Predictable B2B Success” podcast, Sam Drauschak, the co-founder and chief process scientist at Truvle, delved into the world of process science and its implications for business success. From defining process science to discussing its impact on business operations, this episode sheds light on the critical role of process science in driving operational efficiency and customer-centricity. Let’s explore the key takeaways from this insightful discussion.
Understanding Process Science:
Sam Drauschak’s expertise in process science stems from over a decade of experience in management consulting and his role as the chief process scientist at Truvle, a company focused on reducing wasteful activity and providing innovative tools for businesses. He has developed the Truvle mapping language, a universal process mapping language adopted by large enterprises globally. As defined by Sam, process science involves the study of change in systems and employs a consistent methodology for data collection and analysis, leading to replicable outcomes. This science is crucial in helping businesses achieve operational efficiency and customer-centric practices.
The Value of Process Science:
While no specific statistics show the bottom-line impact of process science on businesses, it is considered a valuable field for achieving business benefits. Sam’s area of strength lies in integrating knowledge from different domains to implement change in organizations successfully. He emphasizes that businesses must adopt a broader integrative approach, understanding that every project involves change management, process science, and process management.
Benefits of Truvle Mapping Language:
The Truvle mapping language developed by Sam addresses the lack of a standard human-centric process language, leading to inconsistencies in process mapping. While discussing the limitations of a single tool, Truvle, in enforcing continuous use over time, Sam suggests that it can help reduce the cost of documentation and make it less intimidating. Truvle is intended to enable a culture where processes are documented consistently and can be easily understood and utilized by others for subsequent iterations, audits, and process improvement cycles.
Customer-Centricity through Process Science:
Sam stresses the crucial role of process science in creating a customer-centric operating model, involving understanding value and value exchange and ensuring that processes serve and produce value for customers. He emphasizes the importance of incorporating customer stories and involving customers in process science to understand and optimize value creation over time.
The Executive Role in Process Management:
Sam highlights the need for a strong process skillset at the executive level, particularly within the chief operating officer role, as a critical element for organizational change and success. Process skillsets are predicted to become increasingly important in the next five years, in part due to the impact of COVID and digitalization on work practices.
Opportunities and Challenges in Process Science:
The discussion also shed light on areas of process science that are often overlooked, such as process mapping and the need for good process data. It was highlighted that there is a lack of consistency and understanding of process management roles and capabilities, indicating that this field is still in its early stages. Despite the challenges, the potential for process science to drive sustainability, customer-centricity, and operational efficiency is undeniable.
The Misconception of Process Science:
A prevalent misconception that Sam highlights is the belief that process equates to bureaucracy and standardization. He stresses the need for a paradigm shift in understanding the role of processes in businesses, especially in a digital world. Sam points out that many businesses struggle with identifying and understanding their processes, hindering their ability to adopt new technologies and tools.
The Role of Automation:
The conversation also emphasized the role of automation in process science, highlighting that it does not necessarily mean replacing human tasks with robots. Instead, automation involves moving decision-making from higher to lower-cost resources. The guest underscored the need for small iterations and room to test and experiment, which are key for sustainable business adaptability.
The Impact of Digitization:
Digitization has increased the demand for process work, especially in industries where processes are no longer tangible. The lack of historical process records poses a significant challenge for companies, making it difficult for new team members to understand and iterate on processes. The Truvle Mapping Language is designed to create a simple and accessible process mapping language that appeals to different stakeholders and ensures consistency in process data.
The Path Forward for Process Science:
The discussion ultimately led to the conclusion that the ultimate goal of process science is to establish a standard process language and a foundation for comparing process data in different industries. Sam provided contact information for further discussion, underlining the importance of understanding that everything in motion can be defined as a process, and understanding these processes is crucial for businesses to create value for customers.
Key Takeaway:
The key takeaway from this episode is the critical role of process science in driving operational efficiency and customer-centricity. By integrating process science into their operations, businesses can better understand their processes, create customer value, and navigate the shift to sustainable, conscious business practices. Process science holds the potential to not only optimize operations but also contribute to the long-term success and sustainability of businesses, making it a crucial area of focus as we transition into an increasingly digitized business landscape.
The Power of Process Science: Unveiling the Path to Predictable B2B Success
Theme 1: Process Science and Business Success
Sam defines process science as the systematic study of change within systems, leading to replicable outcomes through consistent data collection and analysis methodologies. Its impact on business success is significant, providing a structured approach to managing change, improving efficiencies, and driving customer-centric experiences. The actionable takeaways from this theme are:
- Embrace process science to study and optimize change within your business systematically.
- Implement a consistent data collection and analysis methodology to drive replicable results and efficiencies.
Theme 2: The Truvle Mapping Language and Its Role in Business Process Improvement
Truvle’s co-founder, Sam Drauschak, highlights the significance of the Truvle mapping language in addressing the lack of a standard human-centric process language in the industry. He emphasizes that understanding and mapping processes are crucial for businesses to create customer value. The actionable takeaways from this theme include:
- Recognize the importance of a standardized process mapping language to foster consistency and understanding across different stakeholders in your business.
- Use the Truvle mapping language to create a culture of consistent and easily understandable process documentation, facilitating process improvements and audits.
Theme 3: Process Science and Customer-Centric Operating Models
Sam Drauschak emphasizes the pivotal role of process science in creating a customer-centric operating model. Understanding value, value exchange, and involving customers in the process science are key components that lead to optimized value creation over time. The actionable takeaways from this theme are:
- Integrate customer stories and involvement in process mapping to optimize value creation and understand the changing needs of your customers.
- Use process science as a tool to build and enhance customer-centric operating models, aligning your business with evolving customer requirements.
Theme 4: The Future of Process Skill Sets in Business
The episode also highlights the increasing importance of process skill sets in the wake of COVID-19 and digitalization. Sam Drauschak points out that embracing process science and cultivating process expertise, especially at the executive level, is pivotal for organizational change and success. The actionable takeaways from this theme are:
- Invest in cultivating process skill sets, especially at the executive level, to navigate uncertainties and successfully lead organizational change.
- Recognize the impact of digitalization and COVID-19 on work practices and strategize the integration of process expertise to adapt and thrive in the evolving business landscape.
Theme 5: Challenges and Opportunities in Process Science
Sam Drauschak also highlights various challenges and opportunities in process science. These include the lack of approachable language and resources for mapping processes, the need for good process data, and adopting automation as an iterative process. The actionable takeaways from this theme are:
- Address the challenge of process mapping by adopting accessible and inclusive language and resources for mapping and documentation.
- Approach automation as an iterative process, emphasizing small iterations and room for testing and learning to ensure sustainable business adaptability.
Sam Drauschak’s insights in this episode of Predictable B2B Success shed light on the transformative power of process science in business. By embracing a systematic approach to change management, leveraging the Truvle mapping language, and prioritizing customer-centric operating models, companies can position themselves for sustainable success in an evolving digital landscape. The actionable takeaways in this episode offer a roadmap for businesses to harness the power of process science and steer towards predictable B2B success.
Some areas we explore in this episode include:
- The role and impact of process science in business
- The development and utilization of the Truvle mapping language
- Integration of process science for successful organizational change
- The impact of process science on creating a customer-centric operating model
- The importance of process skillsets at the executive level
- The future of process management in the wake of COVID and digitalization
- Areas of process science that are often overlooked
- The broad and encompassing nature of processes in business
- Misconceptions about process science and its role in businesses
- Automation and digitization’s influence on process work
- And much, much more …
Listen to the episode
Related links and resources
- Check out Truvle
- Learn more from Brandee Sanders – Data Science Process: How to go From Pilot to Pipeline to Drive Growth
- Learn from Joel Klettke – How to Use The Science of Customer Stories to Drive Revenue Growth
- Learn from Ken Babcock – Business Process Documentation: How to Save Time And Drive Growth
- Learn from Merit Kahn – Complex Sales Process: How to Design a Powerful Process That Drives Growth
- Learn from Warren Coughlin – How to Use People Process And Performance to Set a Growth Agenda
- Learn from Tom Williams – What is B2B Sales and How to Create a Successful Sales Process
- Learn from James Muir – How to Close a Sale: A Powerful Yet Proven 2 Step Process
Connect with Sam Drauschak
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