Peter Schooff posted this question…
What is the best method for capturing business processes?
My process for capturing business processes goes something like this.
Starting with the person responsible for the business process, I interview them and document the process in Visio [or something similar].
When capturing a process, I identify the steps. I identify the activities performed within the step. I uncover who is performing those activities. And, I identify the information they need to perform this activity and if they will be creating information as a result of the activity.
Next, I will interview the other people in the process to confirm or fine tune my ‘document’. At the end of this step, I should have the process clearly documented.
Even so, my next step calls for someone to walk the process through all of its steps to uncover things that can happen within a process that is not widely known.
This document will be my baseline for the process.
Now that I have a well defined baseline, it is time for some metrics. Find some metrics that you can objectively measure and measure your baseline process. This will be your starting baseline for process improvement.
I have to assume that your objective is to improve your processes – why else would you go to all this trouble?
You are now in a position to improve the process and you can measure it to see if you have succeeded.
Don’t forget that BPM is a discipline – it is something that you do. BPM is not something that you do once and forget it. It is an ongoing activity.
Start now to get ahead of your competition…
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