I am reading "Process Discovery" by Lombardi that I have downloade from www.bpminstitute.org. Here are my notes and comments on the paper that I share with you:
Note: Process Discovery:
Prioritizing the target processes for BPM project through stockholders conversation about
"goals,
responsibilities,
problems and
Processes"
Comment: this is a name anyway but I don't like it to me process discovery is more of a finding out processes that we do in our business operation and they are not known to us. Is that possible? Yes since many of the processes are grown just in a natural way and not in a systematic way and they are not documented. I have seen this in a health care case study. To be honest nobody knows what's going on in the process it is just something in the head of the physicians and other involved parties.
Let say process prioritization in my term "process discovery" in Lobardi term. Then is this an important task in a BPM project?
Yes for sure. BPM projects can be very huge and risky and go to the south if there is no prioritization in place.
I guess the introduction of the paper has been written by someone else because the definition of the "Process Discovery" in the rest of the paper is something that you more expect form the name:
" Describe your company's key processes" and find out information about them.
The challenges on the way to do this task are:
" 1: Getting More People Involved"
Processes are usually cross departmental and spread around the organization . Don't stick to couple of key people to discover them.
In another part of the paper it is mentioned that "Daily Workers" might have the best information that you are looking for.
That is definitely true, especially for natural grown human-centric processes.
"2: Getting the Right Information"
Workflow information is not the only thing you want you need " key activities, responsibilities, problems affecting performance and key goals that this process affects"
"3: Prioritization"
Find out the answer of "What first" or "What next" question.
"4: Leverage"
Turn the documented process to executable ones.
One important point that is mentioned in the paper in this section is process implementation is not your last step. BPM is an iterative approach and you have to always do the steps from discovery to implementation to be always successful in the project.
Problem with current options :
In the eye of writers of this paper the problems with current systems are:
Business Process analysis (BPA) tools:
1) They are complicated and complex for business users.
2) Significant Investment required
3) No clear consensus on key problems
Comment: I am not sure how true is this one about IDS Sheer's tool I am reading a book that describes some of the features and capabilities of ARIS methodology and they seem good to me. I have not tried the tool yet. I hope I get the chance to do that and then I'll let you know. However some of the features that they have like "Process Portfolio Quadrant". Btw, we are planning to use URN to implement this :)
4) Integration with process execution engines is also hard
BPMN Process Modelers:
1) too complex for most users:
Comment: I don't think BPMN is complex!
2) They don't provide collaboration option
3) Do not help with prioritization
Office Tools: (Vision, Power Point, etc)
1) Do not enforce a consistent structure to the information
2) inconsistent and unstructured output
Comment: I was looking at Visio 2007 process modeling tool the other day there are some enforcement and checker mechanism in place and at least it enforces the BPMN. However that's true there is not much of a semantic behind Visio templates. I have to look at Visio 2007 in more detail though.
What Lombardi offers?
They offer their application as SaaS which is good from some perspectives. (e.g. collaboration) It is a Wiki based software I assume.
One of the downsides for SaaS especially when it comes to processes that can be the competitive advantage of business and they might not trust to SaaS. Btw, I have to read about trust issues in SaaS a bit if anyone has a good source I appreciate it.
I have submitted a request to evaluate Lombardi's Blue print.
I'll update you if I get the chance to do it.
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