Business Process Elements: Activities

"Business process improvement (BPI) is a systematic approach to help an organization optimize its underlying processes to achieve more efficient results. ...
An organization is only as good as its processes. To be able to make the necessary changes in an organization, one needs to understand the key processes of the company. Rummler and Brache suggested a model for running a Process Improvement and Management project (PI&M), containing the following steps:
1. Identify the process to be improved (based on a critical business issue): The identification of key processes can be a formal or informal exercise. The management team might select processes by applying a set of criteria derived from strategic and tactical priorities, or process selection is based on obvious performance gaps. It is important is to select the process(es) which have the greatest impact on a competitive advantage or customer requirement.
2. Develop the objective(s) for the project based on the requirements of the process: The focus might be on quality improvement, productivity, cost, customer service or cycle time. The goal is however always the same; to get the key process under control.
3. Select the members of the cross-functional team: A horizontal (cross-functional) analysis is carried out by a team composed of representatives of all functions involved in the process. While a consultant or in-house staff person can do the job, the quality of the analysis and the commitment to change is far greater with a cross-functional team.
4. Document the current process by creating a flowchart or "organization map": Describe the process regarding the Organizational level, the Process level and the Job/ Performer level according to Rummler. Develop a cross-functional process map for the process.
5. Identify "disconnects" in the process: “Disconnections” are everything that inhibit the efficiency and effectiveness of the process. The identification should be categorized into the three levels: The Organizational level, the Process level and the Job/ Performer level.
6. Recommend changes (organizational, in the process or in its execution): Categorize and prioritize the main problems and possibilities, evaluate alternative solutions. Develop a cross-functional process map for the recommended process.
7. Establish process and sub-process measures: The process measures should reflect the objectives of the project.
8. Implement the improvements." [Business process improvement. Wikipedia]
The opportunity flow chart example "Replacing engine oil" was created using the ConceptDraw PRO diagramming and vector drawing software extended with the Cross-Functional Flowcharts solution from the Business Processes area of ConceptDraw Solution Park.

"Data flow diagrams are one of the three essential perspectives of the structured-systems analysis and design method SSADM. The sponsor of a project and the end users will need to be briefed and consulted throughout all stages of a system's evolution. With a data flow diagram, users are able to visualize how the system will operate, what the system will accomplish, and how the system will be implemented. The old system's dataflow diagrams can be drawn up and compared with the new system's data flow diagrams to draw comparisons to implement a more efficient system. Data flow diagrams can be used to provide the end user with a physical idea of where the data they input ultimately has an effect upon the structure of the whole system from order to dispatch to report. How any system is developed can be determined through a data flow diagram model.
In the course of developing a set of levelled data flow diagrams the analyst/ designers is forced to address how the system may be decomposed into component sub-systems, and to identify the transaction data in the data model.
Data flow diagrams can be used in both Analysis and Design phase of the SDLC.
There are different notations to draw data flow diagrams (Yourdon & Coad and Gane & Sarson), defining different visual representations for processes, data stores, data flow, and external entities." [Data flow diagram. Wikipedia]
The DFD (Yourdon and Coad notation) example "Process of account receivable" was created using the ConceptDraw PRO diagramming and vector drawing software extended with the Data Flow Diagrams solution from the Software Development area of ConceptDraw Solution Park.