--- title: What is Process Excellence? The Difference between Operational Excellence and Process Excellence description: Whilst the terms are often used synonymously, Process Excellence is a more specific area of focus, under the wider umbrella of Operational Excellence. --- - [**PRO**QIS.com](https://www.proqis.com/) - [**PRO**QIS DIGITAL](http://www.proqisdigital.com/) - [**Careers PRO**QIS.com](https://proqis.com/careers) - [Get in Touch](http://proqis.com/contact) - [BTOES Annual Conference](http://btoes.com/) - [Follow us @BTOESInsights](https://twitter.com/BTOESInsights) - - - - [BTOESInsights](https://twitter.com/BTOESInsights) [![Subscribe](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/480025/5d873dce-ed40-4bb4-a155-8f9b6a7167d5.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/480025/5d873dce-ed40-4bb4-a155-8f9b6a7167d5) - [Home](https://insights.btoes.com) - [BTOES Annual Flagship Conference](https://btoes.com/home) - [BTOES Awards](https://btoesawards.com/) ## Proqis Digital Virtual Conference Series View our schedule of industry leading free to attend virtual conferences. 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[View All Courses Now](https://insights.proqistraininginstitute.com/) [![](https://insights.btoes.com/hubfs/BTOES%20top%20banner-1.png)](https://btoes.com/) [![](https://insights.btoes.com/hubfs/BTOES%20Awards%20top%20banner.png)](https://btoesawards.com/) # Process Excellence vs. Operational Excellence Whilst the terms are often used synonymously, Process Excellence is a more specific focus under the umbrella of Operational Excellence ## **The Global State of Operational Excellence: Critical Challenges & Future Trends** 130 pages of the most comprehensive study of critical challenges and future trends within Operational Excellence. ## [![RESEARCH REPORT 20212022](https://insights.btoes.com/hs-fs/hubfs/RESEARCH%20REPORT%2020212022.png?width=282&name=RESEARCH%20REPORT%2020212022.png)](https://insights.btoes.com/download-research-report-2018/19-the-global-state-of-operational-excellence-critical-challenges-future-trends)   ![What is Process Excellence - Operational Excellence Definitions](https://insights.btoes.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Screenshot%202017-08-13%2022.13.12.png?width=640&name=Screenshot%202017-08-13%2022.13.12.png "What is Process Excellence - Operational Excellence Definitions") *Image credit: [AeroDNA](http://www.aerodna.com/infrastructure/process-excellence/)* ## **What is Process Excellence?** Process Excellence is often confused with Operational Excellence - in fact, many online sources will conflate the two to the point that finding a seperate definition for Process Excellence can sometimes seem impossible. However, Process Excellence, as the name suggests, can be defined as focusing more heavily on the **analytical, strategic aspects of Operational Excellence.** [***ARTICLE: What will Process Excellence look like in 2025?***](https://insights.btoes.com/business-transformation-operational-excellence/article-what-will-process-excellence-look-like-in-2025) ## **Process Excellence and Process Documentation** **Process Excellence, alongside Process Documentation, seeks to ensure:** - Standardization and co-ordination of expectations across different processes within the same organization or department. - Allows a business to continue best practise in the event that Key Subject Matter Experts are unavailable. - Helps employees across the board to understand the current state of all processes, and also to measure the performance of the future state of the project. ## [WATCH NOW: Improving Operational Throughput to Provide an Excellent Customer Experience](https://insights.btoes.com/business-transformation-operational-excellence/btoes17-session/operational-throughput-customer-experience) ## [![Using process excellence to improve operational throughput](https://insights.btoes.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Screenshot%202017-08-02%2021.42.59.png?width=640&name=Screenshot%202017-08-02%2021.42.59.png "Using process excellence to improve operational throughput")](https://insights.btoes.com/business-transformation-operational-excellence/btoes17-session/operational-throughput-customer-experience) ## Operational Excellence vs. Process Excellence Whilst the goal of Operational and Process Excellence do intertwine, **Process Excellence focuses more heavily on the journey** than the destination. Operational Excellence is a final state to be attained, whereas process excellence looks more analytically at stages in production or process, including methods such as process mapping, modelling and more. **Process Excellence requires constant monitoring,** and suggests that there is never a final stage to reach - as long as a process exists, there are ways to improve it, streamline it, and encourage more beneficial outcomes. It's easy for **Operational Excellence projects to fail when teams believe they have 'reached their destination' with the project, and fall back into old habits.** With Process Excellence, the journey is never over. [***Read More: What's 'Next' After Lean Six Sigma?***](https://insights.btoes.com/article-whats-next-after-lean-and-six-sigma) ### *"A statement from a college football coach that comes to mind. When asked to comment on the “extraordinary” last second play that won th* ### *e game the coach responded that it was nothing special, they practice it every day. He said and extraordinary play is simply an ordinary play executed flawlessly and an extraordinary time."* ### **- Ron Prince, VP Process Management, Macy's** # Process Excellence Articles on BTOES Insights [![BTOES AWARDS LONG Graphic](https://insights.btoes.com/hs-fs/hubfs/BTOES%20AWARDS%20LONG%20-%20NO%20DATE%20(1).png?width=1920&name=BTOES%20AWARDS%20LONG%20-%20NO%20DATE%20(1).png "BTOES AWARDS LONG Graphic")](https://btoesawards.com/) [![1-51](https://insights.btoes.com/hs-fs/hubfs/1-51.png?width=1920&name=1-51.png "1-51")](https://btoes.com/) [![BTOES Awards Logo Base (5)-2](https://insights.btoes.com/hs-fs/hubfs/BTOES%20Awards%20Logo%20Base%20(5)-2.png?width=1200&name=BTOES%20Awards%20Logo%20Base%20(5)-2.png "BTOES Awards Logo Base (5)-2")](https://insights.btoes.com/operational-excellence-assembly) [![BTOES Awards Logo Base (4)-2](https://insights.btoes.com/hs-fs/hubfs/BTOES%20Awards%20Logo%20Base%20(4)-2.png?width=1200&name=BTOES%20Awards%20Logo%20Base%20(4)-2.png "BTOES Awards Logo Base (4)-2")](https://insights.btoes.com/business-transformation-assembly) [![GTW Conference](https://insights.btoes.com/hs-fs/hubfs/GTW%20Conference.png?width=741&name=GTW%20Conference.png "GTW Conference")](https://insights.btoes.com/virtual-conference-page) [![RESEARCH REPORT NO DATE](https://insights.btoes.com/hs-fs/hubfs/RESEARCH%20REPORT%20NO%20DATE.png?width=1920&name=RESEARCH%20REPORT%20NO%20DATE.png "RESEARCH REPORT NO DATE")](https://insights.btoes.com/download-research-report-2018/19-the-global-state-of-operational-excellence-critical-challenges-future-trends) [![2-54](https://insights.btoes.com/hs-fs/hubfs/2-54.png?width=1920&name=2-54.png "2-54")](https://insights.btoes.com/business-transformation-operational-excellence/premium-video-content) [![Proqis Live Conferences](https://insights.btoes.com/hubfs/Proqis%20Live%20Conferences.png "Proqis Live Conferences")](http://proqis.com/events-forward-schedule) [![Untitled design-1](https://insights.btoes.com/hubfs/Untitled%20design-1.png "Untitled design-1")](https://insights.btoes.com/media-pack-form-page) [![portallogo\_copyblue\_no\_background.png](https://insights.btoes.com/hs-fs/hubfs/BTOESsavedategraphic/portallogo_copyblue_no_background.png?width=585&height=101&name=portallogo_copyblue_no_background.png "portallogo_copyblue_no_background.png")](https://insights.btoes.com) Welcome to BTOES Insights, the content portal for Business Transformation & Operational Excellence opinions, reports & news. **[Submit an Article](https://insights.btoes.com/operational-excellence-insights/form/contribute-to-btoes-insights)** ## Follow Us - - - - [mailto:Info@proqis.com](mailto:Info@proqis.com) - ## Subscribe to our Free Newsletter *Insights from the most progressive thought leaders delivered to your inbox.* Subscribe Now ## Subscribe to our Newsletter Insights from the world's foremost thought leaders delivered to your inbox. ### Be A Hero! 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