Business Process Management (BPM) solutions provide a holistic approach to building business efficiency, performance and effectiveness, while focusing on a strong integration with technological solutions. This provides innovative and flexible systems–both technological and physical–to help improve business processes continuously.
The BPM model that I use, which is incorporated into my own core business practices, focuses on a three-step planning process of Analysis and Assessment, Project Planning and Action.
Analysis and Assessment
This phase identifies what your general goals and plans should be, in accordance with the primary products or services that you provide. This includes developing business or project plans, and establishing short and long term goals. During this phase, I gather as much information as possible about your needs, industry, competitors, market forces, pricing, and marketing efforts that will help to make your project a success.
Analysis effectively determines your company’s requirements and current state of operations. Both the “best practices” and “worst practices” are identified, and all issues and suggestions are noted and clarified. During process optimization, I develop new ways to address any deficiencies, and ways to improve on existing systems to make processes function better.
I will also help to identify your customer’s specific needs relative to your project or business, and establish some preliminary project plans in accordance with meeting those needs. In many cases, your customer may also be an internal member of your team. In such as case, some business optimization may be needed to improve internal processes that do not necessarily have a direct impact on external parties.
This can also often lead into management assessment, which concentrates on identifying management patterns and effectiveness, and outlining any workflows and systems that are currently in place which serve the needs of your company, your clients, and your business or project stakeholders. This includes defining and classifying effective team and group structures, and developing preliminary organizational practices to enhance and improve upon operations.
Project Planning
While the first phase focuses on gathering information and concept planning sessions, project planning occurs when all of the ideas are finalized and ready to be implemented. Since the information gathering phases may suggest multiple projects, or several phases for projects, the project planning phase is used to consolidate the information into a manageable, workable plan.
When planning projects, I use a proprietary planning method called SMART Project Management, which helps to guide the development of your project, and gives you the tools you need to continue with future project development easily and efficiently.
Project planning includes establishing a process optimization plan, which is the method of developing new practices for your company to improve upon your existing practices. As I develop project plans that allow products and services to move forward in a company, I also develop new plans to refine the processes that your company uses on a regular basis. If needs analysis identifies what goals a company should have, and management analysis identifies what methods are currently in place, then process optimization is the act of refining and recreating those methods to suit the needs in the best possible way.
Action
In the end, my goal is not to simply provide a one-off solution and then walk away, but to empower you and your staff with the skills necessary to build on the solution in a way that keeps you competitive.
If my primary goal is to simply develop a project plan, then all that’s left for you do is to take action on that plan. However, many of the project plans I provide also require me to be involved at various stages during the project to help review and assess your own performance. Not only will I help you move forward with a workable plan, but I also help you become more efficient, and more self-sufficient in the process by keeping you on the right track as you work through your business goals.