Mapping

Contents 1 Applications 2 Procedures 3 Instructions

A technique used to make comparisons between two or more enterprise engineering deliverables and/or business objects. Typically, this technique is applied to check for completeness of the business reengineering solutions generated against customer needs and satisfiers.

This technique can also be used to compare various redesign options or alternative solutions against the set of problems driving the redesign effort. When combined with benchmarking results, this technique can "map" various performance data to particular activities and initiatives. Other applications are left to the discretion of the reader.

Applications

• To cross reference customer needs to solutions, as a check to ensure that all customer needs are satisfied by the proposed solutions.
• To cross reference problems and their causes to solutions as a completeness check.
• To cross reference customer satisfiers to solutions to ensure that there are no weak links in the redesign.
• To compare alternatives against each other and to problems and their causes.
• To compare graphically any enterprise engineering business object (deliverable) to another.

Procedures

1. Collect information regarding the business objects (e.g., customer's needs, satisfiers, problems, etc.) being compared.
2. Create a matrix or table to capture the relationships between the objects.
3. Examine each object, and create the relationship (e.g., "Customer need number 1 satisfied by solutions number 2 and 3."
4. Highlight any discrepancies.
5. Resolve any loose ends (e.g., problems not met by the solutions, etc.).
6. Identify next steps.

Instructions

To provide robust reengineering results, it is important that the following completeness checks are performed:

• all customer needs are met by at least one solution
• all satisfiers must be included in the redesign and that at least one solution addresses each satisfier specifically
• all problems (and their root causes) can be solved through at least one solution

From the results of analyzing the current situation, develop a set of lists for needs, satisfiers, and problems (see Customer Needs Analysis, Root Cause Analysis, Problem Analysis, and Customer Satisfier Analysis). During a workshop in which solutions are being developed, make a final list of the solutions being proposed (see Workshops and Solutions Development). Compare the set of lists in accordance with the checks described above. (Figure 1 depicts this process.) Be sure that all objects are covered.

Create a summary table or presentation (if appropriate) of all key relationships, explaining the mapping. If there are problems, needs, and/or satisfiers which are not covered, continue with an appropriate set of techniques to brainstorm additional solutions (see Brainstorming, Lateral Thinking, and/or Nominal Group Technique). All differences should be covered before the final solution set can be recommended to management. Benchmarking may also be required to uncover additional possible solutions to meet particularly tricky problems or complex needs or satisfiers. Results of benchmarks can also be compared, using this technique.

When there are competing alternative solution sets (e.g., low cost/low impact, high cost/high impact, etc.), use this technique to compare each of the key objects (e.g., needs, problems, etc.) to the alternatives. The results can be summarized in a table similar to the one shown in Figure 2 below. Note that the "consumer reports" style of evaluation of coverage was used to graphically depict the degree to which each alternative solves the problem. Other graphically oriented techniques can be used to highlight the results of the mapping. For example, if additional relationships between needs, etc. was required, Quality Function Deployment (QFD) can be applied.