Business Process Modeling (BPM) – An Overview

In the first blog of our blog series on Business Process Management (BPM), we sought to understand a layman view of BPM, digging into the concept, and presented it in a simplified view for the non-tech geeks. In this series of blogs, we will touch upon the different aspects, approaches, and methodologies pertaining to BPM, and develop an insight into how it contributes to an enterprise’s DT initiatives. 

Next up, in the second blog of the series, we’ll elaborate on BPM in a more advanced perspective, and deduce some of its many significances in the strategic pursuits of an enterprise. So without further ado, let’s get started.

The Concept

A business process is a set of logically related tasks performed to achieve a well-defined business outcome. It is a row of activities creating value by transforming some inputs into more valuable outputs according to a specific business goal. Since BPM is primarily driven by a specific goal, it is a highly customized process model, designed to deliver its set objective.

The process starts with identifying similar procedures for the goal and seeks to assess whether or not it is feasible to implement it on an as-is basis for the other goal. If it isn’t deemed effective, the core objective is classified into different fragments or sub-goals with their relevant business processes.

In case, if there exist no similar or matching processes for secondary or tertiary goals, then new processes are designed, either by modifying the current processes or creating them from scratch.

Lastly, all of the processes for sub-goals are integrated into a set pattern, according to pre-defined business logic and rules – all aimed to achieve the ultimate business goal. This broader process, comprising of various sub-functions, tasks and procedures, a business process model.

However, process modeling frameworks for particularly large and more complex goals involve some other key considerations such as:

• Process modeling requirements
• Process modeling support
• Intricate architectural elements
• Legacy process integration
• Visualization and graphical modeling suite
• Process description language
• Formal support

Business Process Modeling – What’s in it for enterprises

The paradigm shift of business industry towards digitalization has made it no more a matter of choice, but a compulsion for enterprises to adhere to the principles, techniques, and approaches of BMP to scale-up, transform, and optimize their operational functions and strategic pursuits.

While a lot of enterprises – particularly small to medium scale business, and even some large organizations – still consider Business Process Modeling as a redundant process and a dispensable expense, the truth is, BPM has made it way more convenient for enterprises to visualize, understand, design, implement, improve, and leverage their processes.

In addition to that, it also provides the basis for other journey mapping processes, particularly those that are geared towards customers, clients, and stakeholders – customer journey mapping, or process mapping, for instance. And that’s not all about it. There are a lot of advantages and benefits that make Business Process Management a win-win tool for an enterprise, in its strategic growth, development, and success.

• Visualize processes
• Streamline operations
• Improve communication
• Achieve Optimum Performance and Efficiency
• Get a competitive advantage
• Identify errors, issues and hindrances and trouble in real time
• Minimize resource wastage and time loss
• Efficient tracking and accountability
• Minimize the time required for ideation and execution of processes
• Cut down operational costs required for the implementation of new processes
• Achieve a higher degree of agility
• Better process management and control
• Clarity of methods, tasks, operations and their end results

At Infowise, we are serving as a strategic partner, assisting public and private enterprises in their digital transformation endeavors with our scalable, smart and futuristic tools, software and applications. Our product Infowise UltimateForms Power Suite contains more than 15 standalone SharePoint applications developed to give you the power to innovate, automate and scale up your processes. Our products have been designed for optimum interoperability and seamless integration within SharePoint. Altogether, they constitute the structural foundation for digitization and facilitate your digital transformation.