PD013

Faster Process Approval vs. More Rigorous Risk Assessment

Business Context. New or redesigned processes often require formal risk assessment before approval, but thorough assessment can significantly delay initiatives that leadership wants implemented quickly.

Process TRIZ Resolution. Rather than applying the same risk assessment depth to every process change, organizations should triage changes by risk level, fast-tracking low-risk changes through a lightweight review while reserving full assessment for high-risk ones.

Applicable TRIZ Principles

Principle 3 (Local Quality) applies different levels of risk assessment based on the change's risk category.

Principle 1 (Segmentation) separates the approval pathway into fast-track and full-review tracks.

Principle 35 (Parameter Changes) adjusts assessment depth proportionally to the estimated risk of the change.

Expected Outcome

Faster approvals for low-risk changes

Preserved rigor for high-risk changes

Reduced approval backlog

Better risk-proportionate governance

Decision Indicators

All process changes wait in the same approval queue regardless of risk.

Low-risk changes take as long to approve as major redesigns.

Approval backlogs delay time-sensitive improvements.

Risk assessments feel like a formality rather than genuine analysis.

Business teams bypass formal approval to avoid delay.

If several of these indicators are present, the contradiction is likely active and the Process TRIZ resolution above should be evaluated.