| All businesses cope with a growing level of | | | | scope of the project, testers might execute a series |
| competition. Over time, competitors create methods | | | | of "what if" scenarios. For example, a tester might |
| for producing products at lower cost with reduced | | | | ask, "what would happen to the product's cycle time |
| cycle times. What's more, the marketplace for any | | | | if only 70% of the contributing employees were |
| given product has expanded over the last decade; | | | | available?" |
| competitors and end customers are now located | | | | Executing Variable Changes |
| across the globe. This hyper-competitive environment | | | | At some point, variables that produced favorable |
| requires that companies become more efficient in all | | | | results in the Modeling stage will be implemented in a |
| of their existing processes. If they fail to do so, they | | | | production environment. There is an enormous level |
| risk losing their edge. | | | | of complexity involved. A single change in one |
| Business process management (BPM) is a | | | | variable can cause a ripple effect throughout an |
| methodology that improves a company's | | | | entire process. While such effects can be identified |
| effectiveness in delivering products to its end | | | | by modeling, they are often difficult to replicate by |
| customers. Organizations use BPM to uncover ways | | | | relying solely upon human intervention. In most cases, |
| to make their existing processes more efficient. In | | | | software is used with human input, but even that |
| this article, I'll describe the steps involved throughout | | | | approach can be problematic. |
| the methodology's life-cycle. | | | | Tracking Results |
| Exploring The Design | | | | Any variable changes must be monitored in order to |
| The Design stage of business process management | | | | determine their effect. Software is usually necessary |
| is focused on identifying all inputs that influence a | | | | because entire processes - along with each variable |
| given process. This might include not only the raw | | | | within them - must be tracked with an eye toward |
| materials used to produce a product, but also the | | | | potential problems and defects. The level of tracking |
| people involved along the way. In certain industries, a | | | | that each organization needs will be exclusive to their |
| process's design might include raw materials, key | | | | objectives and resources. Based on budget |
| employees, service level agreements, procedures for | | | | constraints and other resource limitations, many |
| escalating problems, and other factors that contribute | | | | companies may choose to ignore certain data points. |
| to the production of a given product. | | | | Other companies may wish to evaluate all |
| The goal of this stage is twofold. First, a design must | | | | variable-related information; process mining and |
| be created for all processes within the organization. | | | | similarly robust tools can help accomplish this. |
| Second, theoretical designs are created that can | | | | Business process management is an ongoing |
| potentially lead to process improvements. If the | | | | methodology. Once theoretical designs have been |
| current design is inaccurate or it omits variables, the | | | | created, modeling has been performed, and variable |
| value of any improvements that are based upon the | | | | changes have been implemented, tracking is done |
| theoretical design will be questionable. | | | | with the goal of perpetual optimization. The objective |
| Modeling | | | | is to produce an ongoing string of process |
| Modeling involves using software to integrate the | | | | improvements that help the organization deliver its |
| theoretical designs into existing business processes. | | | | products or services to its clients more effectively. |
| Occasionally, it is done to study the effects of a | | | | Ideally, those improvements should make the |
| single variable change. Most times, it is performed in | | | | company more efficient and thereby, help it maintain |
| order to analyze the influence of multiple variable | | | | a competitive edge in its space. |
| changes on a single process. Depending upon the | | | | |