How can you select the right business process modeling technique for IT services?

1 Your objectives

The first step is to clarify what you want to achieve with BPM. Do you want to document your current processes, design new ones, or improve existing ones? Do you want to focus on the functional, structural, or behavioral aspects of your processes? Do you want to communicate your processes to different stakeholders, such as customers, employees, or managers? Depending on your objectives, you may need a different level of detail, abstraction, and notation for your BPM.

2 Your audience

The second factor is to consider who will use, read, or interact with your BPM. Different audiences may have different preferences, expectations, and backgrounds. For example, technical staff may prefer a BPM technique that uses formal logic, symbols, and code, such as Business Process Model and Notation (BPMN) or Unified Modeling Language (UML). On the other hand, non-technical staff may prefer a BPM technique that uses natural language, diagrams, and colors, such as flowcharts or swimlane diagrams.

3 Your resources

The third factor is to evaluate the resources you have available for BPM. This includes the time, budget, skills, and tools you can allocate for your BPM project. Some BPM techniques may require more resources than others, depending on the complexity, scope, and quality of your BPM. For example, if you have limited resources, you may want to use a simple and intuitive BPM technique, such as mind maps or checklists. However, if you have more resources, you may want to use a more sophisticated and comprehensive BPM technique, such as event-driven process chain (EPC) or value stream mapping (VSM).

4 Your context

The fourth factor is to consider the context of your IT services and how they relate to your business environment. This includes the industry, market, culture, and regulations that affect your IT services. Some BPM techniques may be more suitable for certain contexts than others, depending on the nature, scope, and requirements of your IT services. For example, if your IT services are highly dynamic, adaptive, and collaborative, you may want to use a BPM technique that supports agile and lean principles, such as Kanban or Scrum. However, if your IT services are more stable, predictable, and standardized, you may want to use a BPM technique that supports quality and compliance principles, such as Six Sigma or ISO 9001.

5 Your evaluation

The final factor is to test and compare different BPM techniques for your IT services. You can use various criteria to evaluate the effectiveness, efficiency, and suitability of each BPM technique. For example, you can assess how well each BPM technique meets your objectives, satisfies your audience, matches your resources, and fits your context. You can also measure how each BPM technique impacts your IT service performance, quality, and customer satisfaction. Based on your evaluation, you can select the right BPM technique for your IT services or combine multiple techniques to achieve the best results.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?