Business Process Improvement (BPI) is a systematic approach to helping an organization optimize its underlying processes to achieve more efficient performance and results. BPI attempts to reduce variation and/or waste in processes, so that the desired outcome can be achieved with better utilization of resources.

The steps in a BPI project usually include:

As a process change management consultant, I spend a large portion of my time interviewing personnel at all levels of an organization to understand the current state of a process and the organization's appetite for change. During every interaction I am constantly watching body language, identifying power dynamics, building trust and gauging the level of resistance or openness to change. Effective interviewing techniques are critical to the success of every process change management project. The following are my top 5 tips for anyone charged with improving and therefore changing, a business process.