| -- End Ad Box ---> | | | | help you get the absolute most from your Process |
| In our current business environment, we are | | | | Mapping exercise in the shortest possible time. One |
| surrounded by downsizing, acquisitions and | | | | of the key benefits of BPM is the ability to quickly |
| consolidation. Companies are concentrating on cutting | | | | apply changes to business processes, based on an |
| costs. One result of downsizing is the loss of | | | | ever changing business environment. |
| intellectual capital that was built for years. The | | | | "Move quickly" Gogen Yamaguchi |
| knowledge that terminated employees take with | | | | 4. No expensive software is required |
| them may erode competitive advantage. The | | | | In the Process Mapping and Business Process Mapping |
| decision to cut jobs is more than an economic or | | | | space there are innumerable product vendors vying |
| human resource issue. It is a strategic one. | | | | for your attention. They typically offer 'silver bullet' |
| Identification of work process that will not be | | | | solutions that are simple and easy to use and will |
| needed in the future organization is vital to the | | | | have a guaranteed and almost immediate Return On |
| success of any downsizing strategy. This identification | | | | Investment (ROI). Unfortunately such software does |
| effort also helps protect those processes that are | | | | not exist. The good news is that you do not need |
| key to an organization's future from being affected | | | | expensive software! There are many cheap or even |
| by downsizing. Strategic thinking and operational | | | | free Process Mapping tools out there today. Some |
| implementation must focus on managing the creation, | | | | are better than others, and many are cut down or |
| capture, and communication of knowledge. With | | | | isolated versions of software products (such as |
| knowledge management in place, key know-how will | | | | Metastorm, Tibco, BizAgi). There is also a growing |
| remain even if employees leave the company. | | | | number of full-blown open source systems you can |
| In this challenging global economy, information | | | | use, such as YAWL from Queensland University. All |
| technology can help you drive immediate business | | | | have their strengths and weaknesses, which we will |
| value and streamline operational costs. "The downturn | | | | discuss in a future article. We can help you choose |
| has created a fantastic opportunity for companies | | | | the most appropriate Process Mapping tool for your |
| prepared to go out and grab them, and we've | | | | current and future needs. |
| decided to invest faster in our software | | | | "If the only tool you have is a hammer, you tend to |
| development and marketing to take advantage of | | | | see every problem as a nail." Abraham Maslow |
| the recession" said Webmart CEO Simon Biltcliffe. | | | | 5. People get motivated |
| While deep downturns in the market are destructive | | | | There is nothing like the ability to grasp a concept |
| and many people lose their jobs, now is not the time | | | | that you once thought was complex or hard to |
| to cut resources to innovative efforts | | | | motivate people. Process Mapping, because it is |
| Process Mapping now offer a simple and direct | | | | simple and yet very beneficial, almost always |
| process mapping service that can transform your | | | | generates that 'so that's what you mean' feeling in |
| processes into HTML documentation, live usable | | | | people. Often those people are the most important |
| prototypes for testing, and development | | | | people. These are the ones at the top, with the |
| specifications, in a very short time. All you need to | | | | budget and the strategic plan, and the opens at the |
| do is provide a simple description of your business | | | | coalface who will be most affected, and often |
| process to be mapped, with the steps involved, the | | | | threatened, by any changes. We discuss the |
| roles, the data to be captured and used, and the | | | | approaches to dealing with these groups effectively |
| business rules. This can be as simple as a written | | | | in a future article. We are able to provide you with |
| document, perhaps with a Visio diagram. | | | | the right documentation and tools from your Process |
| 1. Kick-start Business Process Management (BPM) | | | | Mapping exercise to give both groups something |
| If you have a need to start a Business Process | | | | they want. |
| Management or Process Improvement initiative, | | | | "Motivation determines what you do. Attitude |
| Process Mapping is the best place to start. Once | | | | determines how well you do it." Lou Holtz |
| started, the growth of your initiative can grow either | | | | 7. Easy to understand |
| 'down' into improvement and automation, or 'up' into | | | | A process is a fairly simple concept, and it is simple |
| process modelling and Enterprise Architecture. Both | | | | to explain to others. We all know what a process is, |
| are a natural and organic extension of Process | | | | and applying this concept to a business activity is |
| Mapping. For most initiatives, starting is the greatest | | | | vary easy to do. It is also often illuminating. Such |
| hurdle. Once started, the rest often flows easily. It | | | | understanding brings process participants into the |
| can be very daunting to start with a 'fresh page', and | | | | Process Mapping initiative, allows and encourages |
| having an initial set of Process Maps is an invaluable | | | | them to get involved, and above all gives them a |
| base to start from. In our expensive experience with | | | | strong feeling of ownership. One of the best |
| Business Process Management and Business Process | | | | moments early in my BPM career was of a railway |
| Automation, we have found that Process Mapping is | | | | worker of 30 years who had no use for computers |
| the first, most important, and above all the most | | | | at all. He saw a Process Map we had built to |
| significant step. | | | | document his work for the first time, and stated |
| "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single | | | | confidently after a minute: "Yup, that’s about |
| step." Lao-tzu | | | | what we do". Such understanding brings process |
| "The first step is the hardest" Madame De | | | | participants into the process mapping exercise, allows |
| Vichy-Deffand | | | | and encourages them to get involved, and above all |
| "He who would learn to fly one day must first learn | | | | gives them a strong feeling of ownership. |
| to stand and walk and run and climb and dance; one | | | | "All truths are easy to understand once they are |
| cannot fly into flying." Friedrich Nietzsche | | | | discovered; the point is to discover them." Galileo |
| 2. You can do it now! | | | | Galilei |
| You can start immediately. Process Mapping can start | | | | 6. Permanent benefit |
| with short discussions and simple maps, created in | | | | The benefit does not fade. The documentation |
| Visio for example. No expert knowledge is required, | | | | produces as part of a Process Mapping exercise |
| and no long and expensive training. We can help you | | | | serves a large number of purposes. These can be for |
| get your first Process Mapping exercise started | | | | documentation and explanation, or even to create |
| today. Within couple of days you could have your | | | | prototypes and specifications for future development |
| first process mapped and ready! | | | | projects. The uses are as wide or as focussed as |
| "Seize the day, and put the least possible trust in | | | | you wish. Above all, the use does not 'wear out' and |
| tomorrow." Horace | | | | the Process Mapping exercise can be continued at |
| 3. Quick to do | | | | any time. We can help you make the most |
| The results can be seen very quickly. Typically a | | | | immediate benefit and the best long-term benefit |
| process can be mapped in a few hours, days at | | | | from your Process Mapping exercise. |
| most. It does not take teams of analysts, merely | | | | "The excellent becomes the permanent." Jane Adams |
| someone who both understands the business itself, | | | | Don't sit back and wait; the winners will be those |
| and the idea of process. With our many years of | | | | that position themselves to take advantage of the |
| experience in Business Process Management we can | | | | upturn! |