INFS1000 Lec 7 Business Process Management

Question 1

What is a BUSINESS PROCESS?

Answer 1

“a STRUCTURED NETWORK OF ACTIVITIES supported by (1) resources, (2) facilities, and (3) information that interact to achieve some BUSINESS FUNCTION.”

*Turns input into higher value output.

Question 2

What are the 4 characteristics of a well-designed BP? What are the 2 outcomes of a well-designed BP?

Answer 2

1. COMPLETE: includes all activities necessary to achieve the business goal.
2. MINIMAL: no unnecessary activities (cost efficiency).
3. WELL - STRUCUTED: logical sequence.
4. EMBEDDED: connect with other BP’s in effective and efficient ways.

OUTCOME:
Increased effectiveness: more value for customer
Increased efficiency: less cost for company

Question 3

Why is BUSINESS PROCESS MANAGEMENT (BPM) important?

Answer 3

Every business has BP’s, which can be very COMPLEX, and can CHANGE OVER TIME.

Question 4

What is BUSINESS PROCESS MANAGEMENT, which ORGNAIZATIONS do it apply to, and what are the 4 stages of BPM?

Answer 4

Systematic process of (1) creating, (2) assessing, and (3) improving BP’s.

Applies to all organizations: not-for-profit, government departments.

1. Create MODEL for current BP’s
2. Create SYSTEM COMPONENTS: alter / create new IS’s to support new BP’s.
3. IMPLEMENT new BP’s: training
4. Create POLICY + PROCEDURES to assess new BP effectiveness on an ongoing basis.

Question 5

What are the 3 scopes of BP’s?

Answer 5

1. Functional processes: problem is that it leads to isolated “silos” (e.g. marketing campaign management).
2. Cross-functional processes (e.g. ERP)
3. Inter-organisational processes (e.g. SCM)

Question 6

What are the ARCANE SYMBOLS of BPMN? (6)

Answer 6

EVENTS:

1. Start
2. End
3. Timer

ACTIVITIES:

1. Normal activity
2. Activity with sub-process

GATES:

1. • AND gate (joined decision).
2. x OR gate (mutually exclusive decision).

ARTEFACT:
1. Data object: e.g. document / email

CONNECTIONS:

1. Solid process flow
2. Dotted message flow

POOL and SWIM LANES

Question 7

What are the 2 circumstances a dotted MESSAGE FLOW connector will be used?

Answer 7

1. To connect model with external party.

2. To pass data object between 2 activities which are not in sequence. (DO NOT USE IF IN SEQUENCE).

Question 8

What are the 3 BPMN layouts?

Answer 8

1. Simple layout
2. Swim lane: visualises WHO does which activities.
3. Database interaction (exam + project!): models message flows between model and database. New activity “Process Prospect Database”

Question 9

How does IS support BP’s?

Answer 9

IS can support a single activity to the whole BP by (1) automating, or (2) providing data.