ITAC Business Process Mapping Workshop

The Challenge

Inventory, monitoring and analysis work in the MPB affected areas is presently delivered through several different funding envelopes: Forests For Tomorrow (FFT), Federal funding, base funding, the Forest Investment Account (FIA) and a few smaller miscellaneous funding sources. Coordination of projects is problematic across these various envelopes, from inception, through approval, tracking and delivery. As well, there is no single clear set of selection criteria with which to review proposals and prioritize activities in a consistent manner. In addition, there are a number of other challenges as follows:

• Capacity/resources are stretched and workload and expectations are high;
• Program alignment is required across the different funding envelopes;
• A delivery model for inventory in MPB areas has not yet been developed: should this be FIA, a "hybrid" delivery model or other?

A business process mapping exercise, sponsored by the Chief Forester and involving ITAC members and FIA representatives, was conducted November 15 as the first step in meeting these challenges.

Objectives of Business Process Mapping

This work has mapped out the current business situation with respect to inventory and analysis, covering how the various 'envelopes' of FFT, FIA, Federal funding and base interrelate (please see Inventory Session Notes on this website). The results from this one-day workshop compliment the higher level business process mapping that is already being conducted across Ministry business areas and has followed the Ministry's accepted methodology outlined in the Continuous Improvement Initiative.

The objectives of this workshop were as follows:

• Map the current situation, identify gaps & areas for improvement;
• Identify all relevant MPB related business drivers;
• Identify & confirm selection criteria in conjunction with business area priorities;
• Identify roles & responsibilities; and
• Determine next steps for improvement.

Results

A set of process maps showing the current situation has now been delivered together with a summary of gaps and overlaps and identification of areas of opportunities and improvement. Until now, nobody has had a clear picture across these envelopes in order to manage projects as efficiently as possible and meet the expectations and targets in the Service Plan. Determining how the various 'envelopes' interrelate, or don't, should help us to determine where things need to align better in future in order to:

• Set project priorities and activity priorities;
• Review and approve projects based on an integrated set of criteria; and
• Insure there are no overlaps/duplications or gaps as MPB inventory and analysis related work proceeds.

These findings will be used as the basis for design of a streamlined business process, based on well defined business criteria and using a set of consistent criteria with clear roles and responsibilities. Building this improved process is scheduled for February 2006 and will include ITAC members and other key stakeholders.