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.

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.

?Key Performance Indicators

• 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

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.

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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.