Business Process Modeling

Business Process Modeling tells us the order in which Business Functions ought to be carried out in response to some Trigger in order to arrive at a business Outcome. This outcome may be a Preferred Outcome or a Non-Preferred Outcome.

The Integrated Modeling Method (IMM™) shows you how to model Business Processes in a way that makes them:

unambiguous and easy to understand
easy for the business to perform
able to be tuned and executed in the fewest possible steps

IMM™ also makes it clear why, before you do Business Process Modeling, you ought to build the Function Catalogue.

The essential stages in Business Process Modeling are:

Build the Function Catalogue.
Identify what Business Processes the business requires to be modeled.
For each Process:
- Identify and define the Process Objective – no objective means no Process!
- Identify and document all Triggers that could start this process.
- Identify and document the Preferred Outcome(s).
- Identify, document and rank all Non-Preferred Outcomes.
- Identify the Business Functions needed to take the process from the Trigger(s) to each of the Outcomes.
- Identify and map the precedence between Business Functions.
- Draw the Business Process.

All you will ever need to know about business process modeling is contained in the IMM™ Business Process Modeling eBook from our Online Store.

2 Responses to “Business Process Modeling”

Putcha V. Narasimham May 24, 2012 7:40 am
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Dear John Owen:

Good and crisp text (sorry the diagram is too small and enlargement has smudged).

I am glad to find non-preferred outcomes. I suppose they would include possible byproducts, undesirable outputs (like effluents in chemical processes, noxious wastes).

I have not found Process Facilities and Consumables and Feedback from receiver processes. They need to be identified for a full description of a process.

Good wishes,

kenablersys@yahoo.com
- John Owens May 31, 2012 1:40 am
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  Hi Putcha
  
  Thank you for your feedback.
  
  Non-preferred outcomes are not undesirable outcomes like the ‘noxious wastes’ that you referred to.
  
  They are acceptable outcomes that harm neither the customer nor the business and leave both in a healthy state.
  
  They are called ‘Non-Preferred’ simply because they do not end up at the Preferred outcome, say, of “Order Accepted”.
  
  Knowing and modelling Non-Preferred outcomes prevents ‘Noxious’ outcomes. These are outcomes that can harm the business and its relationship with the customer, for example, leaving a process uncompleted with neither the customer nor the business knowing where it stands and what happens next.
  
  Incidentally, I have replaced the ‘fuzzy’ diagram with a new crisp example. Have a look and see what you think.
  
  Regards
  John