Six things we build, shown as the steps they delete.

1. Request arrives by email or in a form
2. Someone reads it and works out who should approve it
3. They forward it on
4. It sits in an inbox
5. Someone remembers to chase it
6. The decision comes back by reply
7. Someone records it somewhere
8. Exceptions and edge cases, decided by a person

8 steps → 1

1. HR emails IT with the new starter details
2. IT creates the account
3. IT assigns licences
4. IT adds them to the right groups
5. Someone raises the equipment request
6. Someone emails the manager a checklist
7. Someone checks on day one whether it all worked
8. Anything the form could not know, handled by a person

8 steps → 1

1. Invoice arrives in a shared mailbox
2. Someone opens it and downloads the attachment
3. They key the values into the finance system
4. They match it against the purchase order
5. They file the document
6. They email the approver
7. Mismatches and disputes, resolved by a person

7 steps → 1

1. Someone remembers it is the first of the month
2. They export from the first system
3. They export from the second
4. They paste both into the template
5. They fix the formatting
6. They email it to the list
7. Reading it and deciding something, still a person

7 steps → 1

1. One team finishes and messages the next
2. The next team asks where the files are
3. Someone digs out the history
4. Someone re-explains the background
5. Work restarts, a day later than it needed to
6. The actual work, done by the people who do it

6 steps → 1

1. Request arrives however the requester felt like sending it
2. Half the information is missing
3. Someone emails back to ask for the rest
4. It waits
5. The requester emails to ask where it is
6. Someone looks it up and replies
7. The request itself, done once, with everything needed

7 steps → 1