toss Improving Work Efficiency: Revisiting (opens in new tab)
The Toss Research Platform team argues that operational efficiency is best achieved by decomposing complex workflows into granular, atomic actions rather than attempting massive systemic overhauls. By systematically questioning the necessity of each step and prioritizing improvements based on stakeholder impact rather than personal workload, teams can eliminate significant waste through incremental automation. This approach demonstrates that even minor reductions in repetitive manual tasks can lead to substantial gains in team-wide productivity as an organization scales. ### Granular Action Mapping * Break down workflows into specific physical or digital actions—such as clicks, data entries, and channel switches—rather than high-level phases. * Document the "Who, Where, What, and Why" for every individual step to identify exactly where friction occurs. * Include exception cases and edge scenarios in the process map to uncover hidden gaps in the current operating model. ### Questioning Necessity and Identifying Automation Targets * Apply a critical filter to every mapped action by asking, "Why is this necessary?" to eliminate redundant tasks like manual cross-platform notifications. * Distinguish between essential human-centric tasks and mechanical actions, such as calendar entry creation, that are ripe for automation. * Address "micro-inefficiencies" that appear insignificant in isolation but aggregate into major resource drains when repeated multiple times daily across a large team. ### Stakeholder-Centric Prioritization * Shift the criteria for optimization from personal convenience to the impact on the broader organization. * Rank improvements based on three specific metrics: the number of people affected, the downstream influence on other workflows, and the total cumulative time consumed. * Recognize that automating a "small" task for an operator can unlock significant time and clarity for dozens of participants and observers. ### Incremental Implementation and Risk Mitigation * Avoid the "all-or-nothing" automation trap by deploying partial solutions that address solvable segments of a process immediately. * Utilize designated test periods for process changes to monitor for risks, such as team members missing interviews due to altered notification schedules. * Gather continuous feedback from stakeholders during small-scale experiments, allowing for iterative adjustments or quick reversals before a full rollout. To scale operations effectively, start by breaking your current workload into its smallest possible components and identifying the most frequent manual repetitions. True efficiency often comes from these small, validated adjustments and consistent feedback loops rather than waiting to build a perfect, fully automated end-to-end system.
