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i business process management
Business processes can be defined as a group of
recurring activities that contribute significantly to the growth and
development of a business.
Managing these activities efficiently to ensure maximum business benefit
is known as business process management. If you think that this deals
with mundane tasks, you are mistaken; large organizations with good
business process management have managed to include even abstract
activities such as innovation in their process management cycle.
Planning or strategizing for the future is part of a business process.
The first step in understanding business process management is to become
familiar with the range of activities that qualify as business
processes. Only then can they be documented and subsequently managed.
The first step in implementing a business process in an organization is
to understand its lifecycle. Key questions include: “When is the process
triggered?” “What business activities does it impact?” “What steps does
it involve?” “What are the key parameters against which it is measured?”
Depending on the process, other questions may be relevant as well as
these.
Once you’ve answered these key questions and documented your answers,
you will have the outline of a defined business process. All business
activities are composed of multiple business processes. Business process
management makes sure that these processes are working together for the
benefit of the organization.
Key Points In Setting Up Business Processes
First, remember that these processes will be managed by people. A
business process should not be absolutely rigid nor should it be too
flexible. There should be room within the process for innovation,
refinements, improvements, and unforeseen contingencies. Management
gurus consider an organization successful when it has captured the DNA
of a business process within its working framework.
In the long run, simple documentation and automation makes business
process automation work. If you are using software to automate a
business process, you should be sure to properly train employees in the
software. Rather than change the way the company works, the software
should conform to the process you already follow. Automation should
complement the business process. It is essential to remember that
business process management is supposed to save an organization time and
resources, and it should be implemented with that in mind.
Adherence to a business process throughout the organization is necessary
in order to achieve full impact. A well-developed business process that
is not integrated throughout the company is like making a bird with
wings but asking it not to fly. The successful implementation and
following of a set business process will save time and money in the
organization and increase efficiency. Following business processes will
also increase employee productivity, as there will be no need to go back
to the drawing board every time a familiar situation comes up.
Management in business process management is an ongoing activity. Once a
business process has been set and automated or semi-automated, it is
critical that the process be reviewed regularly to evaluate its
effectiveness. A mechanism must be implemented to periodically review
the process and maintain feedback from users of the process. This will
help in implementing any needed changes and improving the process on an
ongoing basis. A mature organization is an organization that has managed
to implement the managing of business processes effectively.
Business process management as an activity has been established for
quite some time. If you are keen on ensuring that you can harness the
complete benefits of business process management in your organization,
you can benchmark it against some of the leading standards such as ISO
9001:2000, SEI CMM, and Six Sigma. Some industries offer
industry-specific business process management certifications.
Benchmarking allows you to go full steam ahead in business process
management and provides you with excellent ammunition to increase the
value of your organization in front of your customers, suppliers, and
employees.
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