The Business Process Management perspective : change scope

The Business Process Management perspective focuses on the distinct aspects of business analysis when it is performed in the context of business process improvement.

The business process management system in the following ways:

  • Analyzes how the organization does work to deliver value to customers and stakeholders.
  • Focuses on value delivery to the entire organization.
  • Performs its function through a process point of view.

A business process management initiative is used to deliver value to the enterprise by implementing process improvements.

Business process management may be used to improve a single process or all the processes in the organization.

Business analysts usually focuses on how the processes in an organization can be improved in order meet the objectives of the organization.

The business Process management life cycles usually include the following activities:

Designing: this is the used to identify and describe the gaps between the current and future state processes. The gap between these states can be used to identify and compare the two states and figure out how to transition from the current state to the future state.

Modelling: this is used to graphically represent both the current and future states.

Execution and Monitoring: this activity is similar to the modelling activity but the processes are actually performed in this step not just represented. These processes produce some data and that data is used to make recommendation for future improvements.

Optimizing: The results of the execution and monitoring activity is used to change the models and designs so that all process inefficiencies are removed.

The Business process management system has some components, which are :

1 Breadth of Change: Stakeholders need to have a thorough understanding of the organizational processes so that those processes may be changed to meet the needs of both the organization and its customers.

These business processes may need to be broken down from larger, complex processes into smaller sub-processes which would allow the business analysts to understand and optimize each process.

2 Depth of Change: Business process management systems are used to support the analysis and understanding of the organization’s processes. Business process management structures are used to describe the general processes that can be used in a specific organization or industry.

The business analysts are usually involved in continuous improvement activities which are common tasks in business process management initiatives.

3 Value and Solutions Delivered: Business process management systems are used to improve operational performance and to reduce costs and risks.

Business analysis efforts usually start with identifying the business need and these needs are called the business process management drivers.

Examples of common business process management drivers include the following:

  1. Increase in quality.
  2. Core system implementation.
  3. Emerging competition.
  4. Post merger and acquisition rationalization.
  5. Increased agility.
  6. Increase in productivity.
  7. Innovation and growth.
  8. Compliance initiatives.
  9. Speed or faster processes.
  10. Next generation process automation
  11. Standardization initiatives.
  12. Major transformation programs.
  13. Establishment of a BPM Centre of Excellence.
  14. Cost reduction initiatives.
  15. Risk management.

4 Delivery Approach: Business process management initiatives can be delivered in ways that would improve the organizational processes.

Business process management systems can be implemented in many ways including the following :

  1. Business process re-engineering: this technique is used to redesign the organizational processes.
  2. Evolutionary forms of change: this technique sets a process objective and then incremental changes are made to fulfill that objective.
  3. Substantial discovery: this technique is used for organizational analysis in an organization with undefined processes.

5 Major Assumptions : There are some assumptions that are made about the business process management discipline and they include the following :

  1. All business process management initiatives have executive management support.
  2. Business process management systems are tightly connected to the organizational strategy but do not address the development of strategy.
  3. Business process management initiatives are useful and can be used in the whole organization.