Chapter 7: Using IS to improve processes Flashcards
What are 4 characteristics of processes?
1)Stability of flow (structured/dynamic)
2)Scope (operational, managerial, strategic)
3)Objectives (Effectiveness, efficiency)
4)Location in value chain
What are the 5 categories of value chain?
1)Inbound logistics
2)operations
3)Outbound logistics
4)Sales & marketing
5)Customer service
What are the 5 ways to apply process concepts and characteristics to processes?
1)Ask good questions about objective
2)Standardize structured processes and keep dynamic processes fluid
3)Don’t confuse process and IS
4)Ensure processes work together
5)Continually improve your own processes
What is process improvement?
Process better achieves its objective based on its measures
What are the characteristics of a good process objective?
clear/specfic. (can be 1+ obj)
What are the 2 broad options to improve process objectives?
1)Class objective, make unstated assumptions explicit, match objective to strategy
2)Process measures and KPIs
What are the 2 classes of objectives?
Effective or efficient
What are process measures?
Measures (quantities assigned to attributes) for each objective
What are KPIs?
Key performance indicators: Measures selected by managers to assess process performance
What are the best KPIs characteristics?
Reasonable, accurate, consistant
What are 5 ways IS can improve processes?
1)Improve an activity
2)Improve data flow among activities
3)Improve control of activities
4)Use automation
5)Improve procedures for using IS
How can you improve control of activities?
Control limits behavious (reduce freedom of end users)
What are the 6 ways process management principles improve processes?
1)Improve activity
2)Remove unproductive ressources
3)Improve feedback
4)Remove bottleneck
5)Redesign structure
6)Outsource activity
What is bottleneck?
When 1 activity reduces the performance of overall process
What does Six Sigma do?
Seek to improve process outputs by removing causes of defects and minimizing variability in the process
What are 3 ways teams diagram process improvement?
1)BPMN
2)¨as-is¨diagram
3) ought-to-be¨ diagrams
How can IS hinder a process?
If IS prevents/restricts the flow (Information silo)
What is information silo?
Data needed for a process activity is unavailable bc it is stored in an isolated, separated IS
What are 2 ways to fix information silo?
1)Duplicate the data to make it available
2)Store single copy of data in a shared database and connect the business processes to that database
Why do information silos exist?
When all data is under the same rook, it causes delays and falls behind
