What is

BPM?

BPM Defined
Business Process Management is a means to study,
identify, change, and monitor business processes.
Business Process Management is a
generic term, that encompasses the
techniques, structured methods, and
means to streamline operations and
increase efficiency.
BPM techniques and methods enable
you to identify and modify existing
processes to align them with a desired
(improved) future state.
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BPM is not

The automation of manual tasks

Re-engineering the Enterprise
Change Management
Six Sigma
A management methodology
Workflow or BPM technology

But the techniques and tools can be used to support any

of theseif you want them to!
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Principles of BPM:
Organise around outcomes not tasks
Correct and improve processes before
(potentially) automating them
Establish processes and assign
ownership
Standardise processes across the
enterprise
Enable continuous change
Improve existing processes, rather than
build radically new or perfect
processes
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Typical Business Drivers

Perceived or Expected Benefits:

Reduce staff and office overhead numbers

Process business critical activities faster
Reduce the number of errors and exceptions
Reduce overall IT costs
Reduce duplications
Increase visibility into operational efficiencies
and bottlenecks
Reduce business risks
Improve customer service and retention

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The Mandate
BPM changes things.
You need the authority, the will, and the
ability to change things; this means
aligning any project with enterprise goals
And
You need the support of those whose
daily work and activities you will change,
as well as the support of the
management that owns the overall
process

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BPM & Ethics

BPM changes things.
Our projects will commonly impact the day to day work
activities of individuals and groups
Often reducing human involvement in a process

Our projects will typically utilize confidential and secure data

Our projects will commonly have an impact on the enterprise
as a whole (increased profit/efficiency)

As such every BPM project needs to consider and be

aware of the ethical issues that will occur on a daily
basis
Process consultants often face difficult or conflicting
ethical situations
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Business Analysis
No business process improvement or change activity
can be undertaken without the use of business
analysts and/or business analysis techniques
You must never attempt to change a business process
without first analyzing the business impact of the
change in detail
Most people think they understand the techniques of
analysis (e.g., requirements gathering), but few
actually do
Most projects failures do not stem from technology
Rather, a lack of insight, stakeholder support or planning -- all
things that are the focus of business analysts!
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Methods
In analysis work - consistency of methods of collection
and delivery are essential
There are many different types of methods
The use of any method is typically much more effective
than none - or a loose hybrid
This presentation introduces you to three potential
approaches for both business and technology process
analysis
Business Process Analysis
Structured Analysis
Object-oriented Analysis
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1. Business Process Analysis

Most common starting point is when something is not right in the
organisation
A meta problem: there are duplicative processes and information
across departments
A business problem: exception rate is too high
A micro problem: some user interface screens are confusing

Business Analyst needs to

evaluate the situation from various angles and identify core issues
review any documentation, interview workers
flowchart/document current process
recommend improvements

When to use: When you have already clearly identified a specific

process or process for improvements
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2.Object-Oriented Analysis
Centered around understanding of Objects and Classes
Class - A class describes the characteristics of a thing (attributes,
behaviors, properties, etc.)
Object - An instance of a class

modeling techniques linked to UML (Unified modeling Language)

and software engineering
Analysis focuses on use cases
Makes use of Sequence Diagrams, Class Models, and Activity
Diagrams
When to use: When you wish to improve a specific business
applications performance and usability

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3. Structured Analysis
Views a System as a collection of processes
executed according to certain logic (or illogic!)
Focuses on data flows
Models Data and Processes separately
Makes use of Data Flow Diagrams, Relationship
Diagrams, and Flowcharts
When to use: When you wish to improve your existing
IT investment infrastructure and gain greater process
efficiencies in the enterprise

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Flowcharts Defined
What is a flowchart?
A graphical representation of the sequence of
activities, steps, and decision points that occur in a
particular, discrete process.

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Flowchart Example

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Why Flowchart?
To explain the sequence of a process graphically
To improve communication and obtain business-user
validation
To identify bottlenecks and loops
To assist with problem analysis
To provide a blueprint for development
To identify variations in process activity

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Charting vs. Modeling

Flowcharting creates a graphical representation of the
sequence and key elements of a business process
Process modeling extends this by
Mapping dependencies and related flows
Adding data intelligence to the steps
Enabling simulation of flows to check for efficiencies and
bottlenecks
Enabling reuse of mapped chart elements
Supporting future monitoring of improved processes

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Advantages of Modeling
There are seldom single process flows - processes
tend to have interdependencies
These are difficult to capture in a regular flowchart
Multiple processes and systems are the hallmark of most BPM
projects

The granular level of detail in a model supports

eventual automation analysis
Cross-dependent processes can be acknowledged and
inter-related
The needs of different stakeholders can be managed
holistically (from business to technical)
Models can potentially become managed objects in a
ECM/BPM repository with version and access controls
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Modeling Tool Options

End User
Focus

Drawing
Tools
BPMS
EA
modeling

Infrastructure
Focus

Development
Tools

System to
System focus
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Human to
Human focus
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Examples of Vendors
Microsoft Visio
Apple
iGrafx

End User
Focus

IBM

Lombardi
IDS Scheer
MEGA
AllFusion
Infrastructure
Focus

Rational

System to
System focus
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Human to
Human focus
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Model to Execution
Execution means implementing the
model in an ECM or BPM system
The promise of powerful modeling tools
is to create a process model, then to
automate its execution

The reality is far more complex tools

for moving from modeling to execution
are evolving slowly
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Standards and Protocols

BPMN
XPDL

(Business Process

(XML Process

Modeling Notation)

Definition Language)

BPEL
(Business Process
Execution Language)

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BPMN
BPMN consists of four basic elements:

BPMN
(Business Process
Modeling Notation)

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Flow Objects
Event
Activity
Gateway
Connecting Objects
Sequence Flow
Message Flow
Association
Swimlanes
Pool
Lane
Artifacts
Data Object
Group
Annotation
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Reality of BPMN
BPMN has been designed to be understood by
business analysts to technical developers
BPMN is a good standard - but it does not always
translate to BPEL (execution) - interim work will likely
be required
All standards are open to interpretation - business
analysts address different issues to technical
developers

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Technology
Maybe none at all (often)
In the context of this course:
BPM
Workflow
ECM (Enterprise Content
Management)
ERP (Enterprise Resource
Planning) / Business Applications

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Contemporary BPMS Architecture

Design &
Simulation
Services

Rules
Engine

Process
Registry

Monitoring
Services

Orchestration
(Workflow)
Engine

Content / Data
Repositories

Integration
Services

Note: Not all tools provide all these services or implement them in the same way
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Design & Simulation

Tools to capture and design
business process models
Designed to be used in the first
instance by business analysts
Good design tools enable primary
flowcharting, and secondary detailed
modeling activities
Advanced UIs also allow for
processes to be simulated so that
existing and proposed process
enhancements can be tested and
modified in advance of go-live
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Analysis and Activity Monitoring

Sometimes called Business Activity
Monitoring, or BAM
Data is created whilst executing a
business process
The data can be analyzed and displayed
via dashboards or reports
Processes need to be monitored!
Who has what
Where it is
When they got it

Identifies bottlenecks and areas of weak

or no activity
Provides reporting
Enables process analysis
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Process Registry
Contains the process models and rules
Also contains metadata about
processes
Supports re-use of process
components
Web Services (SOA) compatible
approach
Traditional challenges of component re-use apply
Granularity and componentisation
Management complexity
Governance

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Orchestration (Workflow)
Engine
Core component for BPM
Sometimes called Process Engine or
Process Server
Parses and implements rules governing
transitions between tasks
Updates the state of each process
instance
Offers or delivers tasks as needed to
workers or applications to do the work
Provides reporting and alerts on
demand

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Integration
BPM application will seldom access just
one source of information
Hence the need to link the Orchestration
Engine with other sources of data and
services
The process definition needs to be
comprehensive enough to understand
and address the application
Invocation can be either push or pull
May require variety of integration
techniques:
EAI
ESB
BPM to BPM
Brute force
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Rules Engine
Business rules describe the policies and
practices of an organisation. For example a
business rule might state that no credit
check is to be performed on return
customers
Rules engines:
Driven by defined rules, rather than processes
Separates business rules from application code
Evaluate the information provided by the process and control
changes in complex flows
Business processes often have complex flow controls.

Allow the separation of rules from business processes

This composite approach provides more flexibility and is more
adaptable to change
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Content Repository
ECM repository containing mainly
unstructured data (documents
and files)
Manages information created in
the business process
Manages information used by the
business process
Manages metadata that may drive business processes
E.g., content of a certain document type prior to a particular date
is processed differently than other document types
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Relationship Between
BPM & ECM
Both BPM and ECM:
Have notions of workflow
Involve business processes
Involve use of resources
Involve tasks

Work on the basis of the right information, to the right

person, at the right time
Have a reputation for being expensive

ECM almost always involves processes

But not all BPM deals with ECM (unstructured content)
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For more information AIIM BPM Certificate Program

BPM Strategy

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BPM as a Practice

BPM as a Project

34

BPM Master

What Is BPM

Strategy

Role of ECM
& BPM

Business Case

BPM as a
Practice

BPM as a
Project

Specialist

Business
Analysis

Process
Improvement

Flowcharting 101

Process
Modelling

BPM Approaches

BPM
Technologies

BPM Tools
Overview

Intro to EAI

Collaboration
And BPM

Practitioner

Ethics
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Planning the Project

Improvement
Methodologies

Monitor
Processes

Manage
Change

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Case Studies
35

BPM Futures

Build
Business
Case

Build
Project Team

Gather
Requirements

Continuous
Improvement

Implement
Change

Design
Processes

Master

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