Business Process Management is the discipline of managing Processes rather than just Tasks. As a policy based approach, BPM views Processes as assets that must be understood, managed and developed to achieve total customer satisfaction. Adding the benefit for an Organization to be able to make important business decisions based on real-time information. Hence, BA has a unique foundation to be more effective, more efficient and more capable of change.
BA follows a continual improvement model based on the teachings of a pioneer of modern day statistical quality control, Edward W. Deming. An iterative method of statistically analyzing all factions within an organization, with various feedbacks from internal and external sources. The Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) method helps to continually improve the Process/System using a measurement’s based approach.
Plan
Essentially, defining the Organizations/Project’s long term goals, through a series of incremental short term Objectives and Processes. However, a more detailed look involves paying attention to multiple assets and how these assets are defined, developed, implemented and monitored throughout the Process.
- Establishing Business and Process Needs.
- Aligning Measurements and Analysis Activities
- Identification of Improvements.
- GAP Analysis.
- Process Action Planning.
- Organizational Planning.
- Establishing and Maintaining Improvement Plan as well as Schedules
- Preparation for Risk Management.
Achieved through setting up a steering committee, consisting of proactive staff members from all concerned departments and monitored by higher executive management. Defining all processes either for the Organization as a whole, or an individual project/service, as well as providing a detailed set of objectives for comparison between the actual performance and the defined plan.
Do
This step involves the practical follow through of the ‘Plan’ phase, including Process Definition, Roll Out, Implementation and Monitoring.
- Identifies Roles and Key Stakeholders, as well as how the Standards or Processes will integrate within an Organization.
- Research and Development is followed through on Process Requirements, Training roles and schedules are defined as well as establishing a Baseline for the complete process set.
- Trainings are conducted and a sample or partial set is defined and selected for implementation ensuring a continual work flow along with unified integration.
- A detailed plan for the implementation as well as development is completed, and the practical implementation of the Process or a subset of it, is ready for integration.
- Detailed monitoring of the Process’s deployment and integration is piloted, Identifying and Tracking any findings during the life cycle of the Process.
- During which, at predefined intervals, Status Reviews are conducted through concerned Staff members, gauging and guiding the implementation.
Check
Various methods are used to review the adequacy and effectiveness of all process improvements. Firstly the upper Management reviews the Organizational Management, at regular intervals, in terms of suitability and value. Audits, both Internal as well as External are performed to identify any conformities and Benchmark our Standard Certifications.
- Customer Satisfaction.
- Conformity to Product Requirements.
- Potential Risks.
- General aspects effecting the IMS.
Act
In this phase, based on the lessons learnt from all three previous steps the necessary actions are taken to ensure that any deviations are not repeated and progress towards the eventual goals can be attained. This is achieved through two main streams.
- Preventive Actions
Firstly being Preventive Actions, where any potential nonconformity occurrences are eliminated by preemptive actions.
- Corrective Actions
Firstly being Corrective Actions, where actions are taken to prevent any reoccurrence of any deviation.
However, it should be noted that these actions are not taken solely based on the results of Reviews and Audits but also includes the critical role of Customer Satisfaction and their feedback. Management plays an essential role in this chapter, understanding the differences and achievements offered through the change in processes, along with providing a continual plan for the next PDCA Cycle.