I am surrounded by Business Process Management lately – figuratively and literally.
Staring tomorrow AIIM starts its seminar series on BPM. I will be speaking in DC tomorrow, September 10 on a variety of issues concerning Business Process Management.
As many of you may already be aware, Dan Keldsen and I have recently completed our survey of the BPM market, and will be publishing the AIIM Market IQ on BPM in early October, and holding a webinar on the report's findings on 9/26/08 (register for webinar). We are covering over 80 data points our research uncovered concerning how organizations are addressing process efficiency and outsourcing through workflow and BPM software.
But I am also truly surrounded by BPM – physically just around the corner – from our offices here in Post Office Square, Boston. There is a construction site here in which a 10,000 square foot office space is going to be completed in just 15 days. (read article). The construction site is marked by a sign heralding and tracking the event, along with workers wearing T shirts urging the project on. Why the big deal? Typically, such a project would take 10 - 12 weeks to complete. But, this construction team has promised to complete the work (or process in BPM speak) in a fraction of that time. The significance to the general public is the green side of the project. By collapsing this project to 15 days the team is reportedly consuming far less energy resources. As a "green thinking American" I find this laudable, but as a BPMer, I am also interested in how this team claims they are accomplishing this feat, as an exercise in process efficiency. According to the article, the team expended much more time and effort executing front-end planning, leading to careful orchestration and a rigid, well-timed work schedule. Ah - interesting I thought, this is very much what I will be discussing at the seminar, and in the Market IQ webinar. While BPM software is an enabler it is only an enabler. BPM projects require a significant up-front planning effort, which should lead to a rule-based carefully timed and orchestrated process cycle (in the words of the construction team "work schedules"). This is true apparently of any type process, whether building an office complex or processing a loan request. Why the effort, because the end results potentially bring about many benefits, including reduced costs and "greener" processes. (A listing of the benefits targeted and achieved by over 300 companies is forthcoming at the seminar, webinar and in the Market IQ.)
While the technology components of a BPM solution may not be applicable to every process, the basic tenets of BPM, the re-engineering and process analysis methodologies, are universally applicable. Those that are BPM and workflow practitioners are undoubtedly already aware of this. Those who are new to the discipline, take heed.
So if you find yourself in any of the seminar locations on the seminar date, please drop by and discuss this with me, and learn more. And, if you happen to be in Post Office Square Boston, come cheer the construction team on as a fellow BPM enthusiast.
