"All Roads Lead to Rome"
"All Roads Lead to Rome"
"All Roads Lead to Rome"
Lessons in Process Optimisation from Ancient Engineers
Lessons in Process Optimisation from Ancient Engineers
Lessons in Process Optimisation from Ancient Engineers
Process Optimisation
Content
Information Age
Modern Era
Industrial Revolution
Renaissance
Middle Ages
Late Antiquity
Bronze Age
Classical Antiquity
c. 800 BC - 500 AD
Information
Age
Modern
Era
Industrial
Revolution
Renaissance
Middle
Ages
Late
Antiquity
Bronze Age
Classical Antiquity
c. 800 BC - 500 AD
Information Age
Modern Era
Industrial Revolution
Renaissance
Middle Ages
Late Antiquity
Bronze Age
Classical Antiquity
c. 800 BC - 500 AD
The Roman road network was one of the greatest engineering achievements in history. It was more than just a collection of roads; it was a highly optimised system of logistics and communication that enabled the movement of armies, goods, and information with unprecedented speed and efficiency. It was the circulatory system of an empire, and its design principles hold powerful lessons for modern business process optimisation.
This article explores how the Roman approach to network design can be applied to streamline workflows, eliminate bottlenecks, and unlock hidden value in your organisation.
The Roman road network was one of the greatest engineering achievements in history. It was more than just a collection of roads; it was a highly optimised system of logistics and communication that enabled the movement of armies, goods, and information with unprecedented speed and efficiency. It was the circulatory system of an empire, and its design principles hold powerful lessons for modern business process optimisation.
This article explores how the Roman approach to network design can be applied to streamline workflows, eliminate bottlenecks, and unlock hidden value in your organisation.
The Roman road network was one of the greatest engineering achievements in history. It was more than just a collection of roads; it was a highly optimised system of logistics and communication that enabled the movement of armies, goods, and information with unprecedented speed and efficiency. It was the circulatory system of an empire, and its design principles hold powerful lessons for modern business process optimisation.
This article explores how the Roman approach to network design can be applied to streamline workflows, eliminate bottlenecks, and unlock hidden value in your organisation.
The Modern Challenge:
The Winding, Unpaved Path
The Modern Challenge:
The Winding, Unpaved Path
The Modern Challenge:
The Winding, Unpaved Path
Many business processes today resemble a network of winding, unpaved country lanes rather than a Roman road. Workflows are inefficient, handovers between teams are slow, and bottlenecks create constant delays. Information gets lost, rework is common, and the entire process is slow and costly. This operational friction is a massive, often invisible, drain on resources and a fundamental barrier to achieving peak performance.
Many business processes today resemble a network of winding, unpaved country lanes rather than a Roman road. Workflows are inefficient, handovers between teams are slow, and bottlenecks create constant delays. Information gets lost, rework is common, and the entire process is slow and costly. This operational friction is a massive, often invisible, drain on resources and a fundamental barrier to achieving peak performance.
Many business processes today resemble a network of winding, unpaved country lanes rather than a Roman road. Workflows are inefficient, handovers between teams are slow, and bottlenecks create constant delays. Information gets lost, rework is common, and the entire process is slow and costly. This operational friction is a massive, often invisible, drain on resources and a fundamental barrier to achieving peak performance.
The Ancient Principle:
The Straightest Path to Value
The Ancient Principle:
The Straightest Path to Value
The Ancient Principle:
The Straightest Path to Value
The Romans understood a simple principle: the straightest path is the most efficient. Their roads were famous for their directness, cutting across the landscape to connect two points with the minimum possible distance. This was a deliberate design choice focused on a single goal: maximising the speed and reliability of transport. This same principle applies to business processes. The goal of process optimisation is to identify and eliminate every unnecessary step, delay, and deviation to create the straightest possible path from the start of a process to the delivery of value.
The Romans understood a simple principle: the straightest path is the most efficient. Their roads were famous for their directness, cutting across the landscape to connect two points with the minimum possible distance. This was a deliberate design choice focused on a single goal: maximising the speed and reliability of transport. This same principle applies to business processes. The goal of process optimisation is to identify and eliminate every unnecessary step, delay, and deviation to create the straightest possible path from the start of a process to the delivery of value.
The Romans understood a simple principle: the straightest path is the most efficient. Their roads were famous for their directness, cutting across the landscape to connect two points with the minimum possible distance. This was a deliberate design choice focused on a single goal: maximising the speed and reliability of transport. This same principle applies to business processes. The goal of process optimisation is to identify and eliminate every unnecessary step, delay, and deviation to create the straightest possible path from the start of a process to the delivery of value.
The MPX Solution:
Paving the Road to Efficiency
The MPX Solution:
Paving the Road to Efficiency
The MPX Solution:
Paving the Road to Efficiency
At MPX, our Business Analysis & Process Optimisation services are designed to help you build your own network of Roman roads. The process begins with a deep, collaborative analysis of your existing workflows to identify inefficiencies, bottlenecks, and areas of waste. We don't just look at the individual steps; we analyse the entire value stream to understand how workflows (or fails to flow) through your organisation.
Using data-driven insights, we help you redesign your processes to be more direct, efficient, and aligned with your strategic goals. This is about challenging the status quo—"but we've always done it this way"—and facilitating informed decision-making to create a culture of continuous improvement.
At MPX, our Business Analysis & Process Optimisation services are designed to help you build your own network of Roman roads. The process begins with a deep, collaborative analysis of your existing workflows to identify inefficiencies, bottlenecks, and areas of waste. We don't just look at the individual steps; we analyse the entire value stream to understand how workflows (or fails to flow) through your organisation.
Using data-driven insights, we help you redesign your processes to be more direct, efficient, and aligned with your strategic goals. This is about challenging the status quo—"but we've always done it this way"—and facilitating informed decision-making to create a culture of continuous improvement.
At MPX, our Business Analysis & Process Optimisation services are designed to help you build your own network of Roman roads. The process begins with a deep, collaborative analysis of your existing workflows to identify inefficiencies, bottlenecks, and areas of waste. We don't just look at the individual steps; we analyse the entire value stream to understand how workflows (or fails to flow) through your organisation.
Using data-driven insights, we help you redesign your processes to be more direct, efficient, and aligned with your strategic goals. This is about challenging the status quo—"but we've always done it this way"—and facilitating informed decision-making to create a culture of continuous improvement.
A 3-Step Guide to Finding Your "Winding Paths"
A 3-Step Guide to Finding Your "Winding Paths"
A 3-Step Guide to Finding Your "Winding Paths"
1. Map the Process
Get your team in a room with a whiteboard and physically map out a core business process from start to finish. Use sticky notes to represent each step. Pay close attention to the spaces between the steps—this is where the delays and inefficiencies often hide.
1. Map the Process
Get your team in a room with a whiteboard and physically map out a core business process from start to finish. Use sticky notes to represent each step. Pay close attention to the spaces between the steps—this is where the delays and inefficiencies often hide.
1. Map the Process
Get your team in a room with a whiteboard and physically map out a core business process from start to finish. Use sticky notes to represent each step. Pay close attention to the spaces between the steps—this is where the delays and inefficiencies often hide.
2. Identify the Bottleneck
In any process, there is one single step that limits the speed of the entire system. Improving anything other than this bottleneck will not improve the overall performance. Find that single constraint and focus your initial improvement efforts there.
2. Identify the Bottleneck
In any process, there is one single step that limits the speed of the entire system. Improving anything other than this bottleneck will not improve the overall performance. Find that single constraint and focus your initial improvement efforts there.
2. Identify the Bottleneck
In any process, there is one single step that limits the speed of the entire system. Improving anything other than this bottleneck will not improve the overall performance. Find that single constraint and focus your initial improvement efforts there.
3. Question Every Step
For every single step in your process map, ask two simple questions: "Does this step add value for the customer?" and "Is this step absolutely necessary?" You will be surprised at how many steps exist only because of historical habit.
3. Question Every Step
For every single step in your process map, ask two simple questions: "Does this step add value for the customer?" and "Is this step absolutely necessary?" You will be surprised at how many steps exist only because of historical habit.
3. Question Every Step
For every single step in your process map, ask two simple questions: "Does this step add value for the customer?" and "Is this step absolutely necessary?" You will be surprised at how many steps exist only because of historical habit.
The principles of efficient design are timeless. By applying the same focus and discipline as the Roman road builders, you can transform your inefficient internal processes into a high-speed network that delivers value to your customers with unparalleled speed and reliability.
Contact MPX to learn how our process optimisation experts can help you pave the way to a more efficient future.
The principles of efficient design are timeless. By applying the same focus and discipline as the Roman road builders, you can transform your inefficient internal processes into a high-speed network that delivers value to your customers with unparalleled speed and reliability.
Contact MPX to learn how our process optimisation experts can help you pave the way to a more efficient future.
The principles of efficient design are timeless. By applying the same focus and discipline as the Roman road builders, you can transform your inefficient internal processes into a high-speed network that delivers value to your customers with unparalleled speed and reliability.
Contact MPX to learn how our process optimisation experts can help you pave the way to a more efficient future.