Process Modeling
Process Modeling
As improbable as it sounds, most companies and the analysts they employ do not understand and apply the business process modelling exercise correctly. Commonly, the mistake is fundamental and can be traced back to the definition of what a process is in business terms. Most professionals would brush this notion off as common knowledge, yet most of them get it wrong.
Often, a business process is explained as the activities a business has to perform to achieve its objective. This is, in fact, not correct. This would rather refer to the business functions. The business functions solely focus on what a business needs to do, disregarding how it is done, who does it, or when or in what order it needs to be done. It isolates the different activities. A business process on the other hand describes the order in which business functions need to be carried out in order to achieve a specified objective. This discrepancy would explain why most process modelling exercises go awry. It also makes it clear that you have to have defined business function models before you can start your business process modelling. Creating this model will then allow you to view the whole string of events that happen in a business in its entirety, allowing you to follow the path of activities and streamline processes where necessary.
So why is this so important in business? Surely it will be evident if a process is flawed? Not necessarily. Growing businesses often divide their activities by function, making a larger company easier to run. Departments will be created that focus on a specific function only, such as marketing or finance. The problem is that these functions, while vital to the business, do not mean anything on their own. They all need to operate together. This means that there are processes that cross over between departments. In the isolated management of departments, actions might be taken to optimise their functionality. If the processes that spill over aren’t considered, however, these actions might actually hinder the process from flowing freely between departments. Process modelling helps you identify and correct these instances, helping you improve efficiency and optimise your resource allocation in your business.
Business Modelling Associates have the experience to help you solve complex strategic questions and apply the correct approach to growing your business into the most efficient form it can be with expert advice and advanced, yet user-friendly technology. Visit businessmodelling.com to find the right solutions for your business, such as professional process modelling solutions.
