Companies start many independent projects (e.g. Balanced Score Cards, Corporate Process Model, Six Sigma) with limited BPM alignment. The BPM framework, introduced in my previous blog post, can help you in creating an aligned BPM project portfolio. The BPM framework can also help you to define a BPM platform in which BPM deliverables of the different projects can be reused within other projects.
Experience shows that the BPM journey has 2 phases:
In the first phase the corporate BPM process model is created within BPM projects, publicized via the intranet and used within process oriented training programs. The results of BPM projects are ad-hoc utilized for the optimization of the business processes depending on the used BPM governance methodology.
In the second phase the corporate BPM process model is being reused by BPM projects like Balanced Score Cards (process monitoring), Six Sigma (process optimization), workflow (process automation) and business transformation programs, this is the moment when the ROI of BPM is capitalized.
After the first phase the discussion starts whether BPM delivers the promised ROI. At that time the BPM roadmap and the BPM strategy must be clear, so the organization understands that the benefits of BPM will be generated during the roll-out of the complete BPM roadmap over the next 3-5 years.
The Enterprise BPM framework can help you to create a successful BPM roadmap. The following figure gives an overview of the different BPM projects and the required BPM methodology.
Every BPM project should use a company specific but standardized BPM methodology and BPM platform to support the execution of the BPM projects and to make sure that the results of the BPM projects are documented and can be aligned with other BPM projects. The BPM platform should be able to support all the BPM modeling techniques. The BPM platform should also be able to relate all the used BPM models to the business processes which makes cross BPM project analysis possible, using BPM reporting tools.
The BPM platform of SAP is a combination of the SAP enterprise modeling applications by IDS Scheer and the SAP platform (SAP Solution Manager, SAP Netweaver Business Process Management). The SAP / BPM platform of IDS Scheer (ARIS) makes alignment between the different BPM projects and the SAP execution platform possible.
A successful BPM platform should be able to support all the different BPM projects with a BPM methodology, BPM reporting capabilities and the link towards the execution platform. The selection of the correct BPM platform and the timing of the BPM roadmap will enable a successful execution of the BPM roadmap.
Right so rather than doing BPM we now first have to do a custom BPM methodology. We go one more level abstract so that we need to decompose one level deeper to get something productive.
If you excuse my directness, but this is utterly unaffordable and unproductive and is not needed at all to run a business eficiently. You cant replace people with a flowcharted business machine ….
The projects included within this overview are projects which have been implemented at customer sites.
A BPM roadmap assessment is instrumental to determine the priorities and the timelines of the projects and the associated ROI.
The success of BPM is dependent on the acceptance of the people to use the BPM platform to analyse the interdependencies between the different projects and activities.
So we can agree that you can not replace the people by a ‘flowcharted business machine’.
