Project of the Month
"Process Modeling: More than just a tool for software transitions!"
Efficient process modeling for transparency and optimization of the entire business process
Process documentation is often conducted as part of a new software implementation. However, it is frequently observed that capturing, documenting, and discussing the overall process can provide significant value even without a specific software project.
KEY FIGURES
- Creation of transparency
- Optimization of the overall process
- Simplified onboarding / Reduced training time for new employees
- Reduction of lead times
- Decrease in error rates
- Increase in employee satisfaction
- Lower process costs
- Improvement in customer satisfaction
INITIAL SITUATION
- Lack of transparency and insufficient documentation lead to inefficient workflows.
- Processes tend to improve on their own, but usually only within specific areas.
- Employees focus on their own tasks and lose sight of the overall process.
- Improvements beneficial to one area can negatively impact other areas or the entire process.
- Inefficient processes, often developed outside the systems, increase error rates.
- Employees aim to do the right thing but often don’t understand why certain aspects are more complicated, even though simplifying them could positively impact the overall process.
APPROACH
Process Documentation:
- Capture workflows from order receipt to invoicing using BPMN, Makigami, Swimlane diagrams, and color coding.
- Adapt to customer needs, considering existing documentation formats where applicable.
Analysis:
- Coordination with key process stakeholders to ensure accuracy.
- Identification of weaknesses, redundant activities, manual interventions, and media breaks.
Optimization:
- Development of an optimized process based on analysis and interviews.
Adjustment:
- Consideration of the constraints imposed by the existing systems.
- Avoidance of custom programming to ensure compatibility with future updates.
- Finding the best possible compromise.
Communication:
- Ensuring that all process participants are represented and clearly understand the overall process.
CUSTOMER BENEFITS
- Significant improvement in process quality and efficiency.
- Foundation for software selection and implementation: Detailed process documentation is a valuable resource for choosing and implementing new software.
- Creation of requirement specifications: This approach provides the basis for drafting requirements and dramatically improves communication with software vendors.