The process owner is the person responsible for the output and performance of a process, with the authority to make changes to it. The role is defined independently of the title on the organization chart.
Three elements are required for ownership to be functional: the boundaries of the process must be clear, performance indicators must be defined, and the owner must have resource and decision-making authority. If any one of these is missing, ownership remains on paper.
Because processes cut across several departments, process ownership often extends beyond functional management boundaries. That is why it is important to define in advance the relationship between horizontal responsibility and the vertical hierarchy.
Related terms: Process Approach · Key Performance Indicator (KPI) · SIPOC
Related training: Process Management, Process Mapping and KPI Design