Why do companies not see the opportunities? Are they too busy with other things? Or are they blind to the blind spots?
Are your business processes well organized or is there still room for improvement. Gaining insight gives each company more grip and opportunities to grow. A welcome gift for which little needs to be done and up for grabs. Mapping business processes, documenting, sharing and discussing with each other – NOTHING MORE.
Is mapping of processes at your company also not high on the agenda?
Are you like so many other managers and staff not seeing the opportunities and possibilities?
Take a look around you, look at those processes which you for years believe are optimally organized: what data is required or generated in each activity, where does this data come from and for what purpose is it used, who owns this data and what if it is not present, can activities live without this data, where and how is this data logged , how do we share this data with stakeholders (employees, customers, suppliers, third parties, ...), ...
Clear?
Business processes are about more than activities and people. It is the combination of steps and sequence (control flow), data and resources (people/information systems/partners in crime).
Did you consider this combination when looking at your processes! Did you see that some processes require data that is stored in several information systems (or nowhere – only in our heads) and where they need to be enriched? Have you seen who wants to edit this data and/or consult? Have you seen what can go wrong (or already did) when this data – at the time it becomes information – is not available or incomplete/incorrect?
Why is that so? Everyone will point the finger to the business process – the steps to convert input into output. Please note output is what it's about when we talk about "what processes add value for the customer?".
Two easy steps (yes, also a process) already help to improve your "business values" (corporate values and business interests) without taking your business processes on the shovel. These steps have everything to do with understanding these business processes and how they contribute to the realization of your business objectives and the expectations of your customers.
Process Discovery
● Awareness leads to Improved Efficiency
why! Each process (in scope) is examined and modeled (AS-IS) which immediately reveals waste or inefficiencies – redundant work / poor hand-overs.
● Awareness leads to Accelerated Effectiveness
why! AS-IS process models reveal the relation between data, resources and events which allows for making better decisions and faster handling of exceptions.
● Awareness leads to Improved Agility
why! AS-IS process models reveal all existing and related processes which allows for executives and staff to find the best process for the task ahead.
Process Analysis
● Insight leads to Improved Efficiency
why! Exploring processes reveals the real pains and presents ways to resolve bottlenecks.
● Insight leads to Accelerated Effectiveness
why! Discussing issues and weaknesses reveals how work can be done by the right person with the right data at the right time.
If I may give some advice - not that I do better, looking at my situation - but still "Just take some distance from how things run today and check if they can be done differently. If needed, go visit fellow companies or join the association of companies in your area. Do not stick stubbornly to the old, but give innovation a chance."
Also look at my presentation: "Business Process Modeling and Automation - Food for Thoughts".
Tags: BPM, BPMN, DMN, Process Modeling