Modeling recommendations

• The identification of business process stage
• Combining actions in a function
• Separation of a function
• ABC costing

The identification of business process stage

For use a model of existing or development business process it is necessary for modeling correctly. Before modeling must first identify the business process, i.e. to determine it begins and ends (process boundaries), a result (process goals) and the role of its participants (resources of a process) that from the beginning of the business process by interacting progressively reach the process targets.

The following diagram shows an example of an incorrect identification of the functions of interaction with the customer:

Disadvantages of such a model:

• It is impossible to understand the goals of the process;
• No continuity of the process;
• Disrupted function execution sequence;
• Different periodicity of functions performing.

Let's try a little change the model:

List of changes:

• Identified three procedures (a gray figures): Сustomer engagement, Sale and Contract Follow-up, each function refers to the its procedure;
• Event "Customer call" transformed into the "Incoming call acceptance" function;
• The Sale procedure follows the event (a red figure) "Customer agrees to sign a contract", which is a boundary of procedures;
• Performance of functions of the Contract Follow-up procedure depends on various conditions.

This sample identification is not complete and correct, it serves to illustrate the results of step. For detailed information on how to identify the business processes of the organization can be found in specialized literature on Business Process Management or to receive consultation online from www.bpsimulator.com.

Combining actions in a function

If the actions are performed by one person continuously, you can combine them into a single function. For example, application procedure:

Both actions can be combined into a single function because they individually have no value for a process:

Examples of when combining may be unacceptable:

Yet another example:

Separation of a function

Another kind of errors that can be found only by instrumental - failure to comply an agreement on the level of detail of a business process model. For Example:

If the operating time on the preparation of an act cannot be more than an hour, why the answer comes just a day (24 hours)?

Only at this detail level can be seen where most of the time is spent on the task.

ABC costing

When conducting Activity-based costing analysis is necessary to clarify from a consultant what kinds of costs should be included in the calculation of the cosr of process. This affects the model:

In this case the licenses of software refers to the capital costs, however such resources should not be included in a model.