Contributed on February 6, 2014

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Business Process Management – What is it, and why all the buzz?

Description

Learn about:

– The definition of BPM and the history behind its emergence
– Applying BPM method and technology to best advantage
– Using BPM modeling notation to facilitate collaboration between business and IT
– Practical, real world examples of "BPM applied"

Transcript

BPM
What is it, and why all the buzz?
Vivecca Yong Tim

Barry Valentine

Marketing Manager

Bonitasoft Engineer

Agenda
BPM Definition
BPM Standards and BPMN 2.0
Practical BPM Example

Conclusion

What is BPM?
Implementing BPM can be hard
•

Business process management (BPM) is the discipline of managing
processes (rather than tasks) as the means for improving business
performance outcomes and operational agility.
•

•

Gartner IT-Glossary

Business process management (BPM) is a set of tools and
methodologies to model, automate, monitor and optimize the processes of
an organization.
•

Bonitasoft Definition

Historical BPM Perspective
•

BPM Ancestors
–
–
–
–

•

Workflow Automation (1981 – 1989)
Business Process Reengineering (1990 – 1998)
Business Process Automation (1999 – 2004)
Business Process Management (2004)

BPM Differences
–

–
–
–

BPM has Multiple Use Cases
• More than just human workflow automation
BPM Supports Process Design as it Exists
BPM Integrates Business Requirements in Enterprise IT Ecosystem
• Leverages IT Capabilities
Single BPMN Standard Promotes Interoperability

The BPM Paradox
Implementing BPM can be hard

Processes
are
everywhere

BPM
solutions
are
available

BPM should
be
everywhere, in
all kinds of
organizations

BUT THIS IS NOT THE CASE ….

Complex
to use by
project
teams

Why?

Expensive

BPM
solutions are
used today
by big
companies
for missioncritical
projects

Not
intuitive
for end
users

Complex
to deploy

…But the Situation has Improved
Implementing BPM can be hard

• Availability of more mature standards
• Tools don‟t require a lot of technical expertise to be
effective
• Automated processes are easier to deploy
• Solutions are more cost effective

What is a Business Process Management
Solution (BPMS) ?

A set of software tools to implement Business
Process Management in an organization
Sometimes called Business Process
Management Suite, or Business Process
Management Software System

Why Implement a BPMNS?
Implementing BPM can be hard

• Promotes collaboration and the rapid deployment of
process applications
• Provides access to
– Process monitoring
– Process improvement
– Continuous improvement via the Process Lifecycle

Process Monitoring:
Answer Questions Such as…
How efficient is the
process?

How can we make
improvements to save
time/money?

What is the current state of all the
processes in my organization?

Are there bottlenecks?
Where are they?

Process Improvement: If you…
Implementing BPM can be hard

• Want to better understand what is happening in your
organization
• Have customer complaints about the current process
• Are encountering numerous errors in the current process
• Need better collaboration between stakeholders
• Want to speed up process execution

Enable the Process Improvement Lifecycle
Implementing BPM can be hard
Design

managers; analysts; other
stakeholders

managers; analysts;
IT; other
stakeholders
Optimization

process
administrator(s)

Monitoring

Modeling

Execution

IT, managers; analysts,
system admins

process actors; end
users

What is a Process?
Implementing BPM can be hard

• The following questions help to define a process:
– What is the business scenario covered by the process?
– How can you breakdown your process in a set of discreet steps?
– What business event starts the process?

• A process can also:
– Cut across company organization boundaries / departments
– Integrate and communicate with other processes

Process vs. State
Implementing BPM can be hard
Traditional Development View
Data oriented/State oriented

BPM View
Process oriented :
• Actions
• Events
• Decisions

BPM Notational Standards
Implementing BPM can be hard
• Business Process Model and Notation (BPMN): A standard process modeling
notation
• Business Process Execution Language (BPEL): Organization for the Advancement
of Structured Information Standards (OASIS) standard executable language for
specifying actions within business processes with web services
• Web Services Flow Language (WSFL): An XML language for the description of
Web Services compositions as part of a business process
• Business Process Markup Language (BPML): BPM Initiative (BPMI) standard
language for modeling business processes

More about Business Process Modeling Notation
(BPMN)
Implementing BPM can be hard

•

A standardized graphical notation for modeling business processes
–
–
–

standard graphical elements
standard semantics
standard execution

•

Provides organizations with a standardized way to define, exchange and
collaborate on processes

•

Proposed by the Object Management Group (UML, CORBA…)
•
•

v1.0 released in 2004
current version v2.0 released in 2011

BPMN Core Elements
Implementing BPM can be hard

BPMN 2.0 Example
ImplementingPools can be hard
Activities
Lanes & BPM
Gateways

Flows

Events

The elements of „good BPMN‟
Implementing BPM can be hard

• Completeness

– Essential elements captured, starts and ends are defined

•

Clarity
– The models makes it clear what is happening

•

Share ability between business and IT
– Keeps the business users and IT on „the same page‟
regarding what the process is meant to achieve.

•

Structural constancy
– The model is structured like other models in your
organization

BPMN Reference:
“BPMN Method & Style”
by Bruce Silver

End-to-end process development
Implementing BPM can be hard
•

Process design
–
–
–
–

•

What does the process look like?
Who are the actors?
Result is a flow diagram
Developed with input of stakeholders

Process development
– How does the process happen? What systems does it connect to?
– Result is a fully developed flow diagram
– Complete model with exceptions, how and when steps are initiated and
completed – technical

Process Automation
Implementing BPM can be hard
• Application development
– How does a user interact with the process?
– Design and personalize forms
– Result is a fully designed application

• Process deployment
– How does the process run?
– Result is executable software

Practical BPM – Invoice Approval

Practical BPM – Invoice Approval
Implementing BPM can be hard
• What does each instance of the process represent?
– A submitted invoice that must be either approved or rejected.

• Who are the actors?
– A requestor
– A level 1 approver (always involved)
– A level 2 approver (involved if amount > $5k)

Practical BPM – Invoice Approval
Implementing BPM can be hard
• How does it start?
– With a requestor creating
and submitting an invoice

Practical BPM – Invoice Approval
Implementing BPM can be hard
• How does it end?
– The request is either approved or
rejected
– The requestor is notified

Practical BPM – Invoice Approval
Implementing BPM can be hard
• What business rules are
required for invoice approval?
– Level 1 approval is always
required
– If amount is > $5k, then Level 2
approval is needed
– If either approver rejects the
invoice, it is considered
rejected.

Practical BPM – Invoice Approval

Conclusion
Implementing BPM can be hard

• BPM has matured since its earlier conceptions
– The barriers of high cost and complexity have fallen

• There are many reasons to adopt BPM
– Greater efficiency
– Process Improvement
– Standardized way to describe/document processes

Conclusion – A Last Word
When implementing BPM,
avoid common pitfalls and be sure to…

– Demonstrate the value delivered
– Understand BPM before you implement it
– Remember the ROI

Questions?
Email: Barry.Valentine@bonitasoft.com

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