| Business process modelling is usually implemented | | | | manager's control. Each functional department is given |
| when looking at changing processes, implementing new | | | | objectives that together should work towards the main |
| processes or identifying problems with an existing | | | | objective for the business as a whole. The problems |
| process. To understand business processes and the | | | | lie with coordinating the work of the different units and |
| importance of business process modelling it is | | | | that is where problems arise. |
| important to understand the two ways of viewing an | | | | The business process approach and business process |
| organisation. Organisations can be viewed functionally | | | | modeling attempts to tackle these problems. By |
| and as sets of business processes. | | | | modeling the business processes organisations can |
| The functional view is characterized by the traditional | | | | see where the problems are. These problems usually |
| organisation structure where the business is grouped | | | | come about as processes evolved instead of being |
| by function, for example, accounts, sales and | | | | designed in a rational way and they were often |
| production. The advantage of grouping an organisation | | | | affected by changes in conditions, takeovers and |
| in this way is that it allows the functional areas to | | | | reorganizations. This led to mismatches where |
| develop specific expertise, makes it easier to provide | | | | processes passed between functions and processes |
| defined career paths and makes it easier to define a | | | | containing outdated and redundant content. |
| management structure. | | | | How business process modeling can reveal the |
| The danger with this structure is staff only focus on | | | | problems Business process modeling uses diagrams |
| their role within the function and so become unaware | | | | and models to help gain an understanding of how |
| of cross-functional interaction. This can lead to staff | | | | processes operate across the organization. Mapping |
| focusing on functional goals rather than the goals of | | | | the process allows you to see the bigger picture and |
| organisation. | | | | realise how the role played by one part of the |
| The business process view of an organisation sees | | | | organisation in the process has an impact on other |
| the organisation as a collection of business processes | | | | parts of the organisation involved in the process. When |
| that cut across the various functions of the | | | | you have a model of the existing process it makes the |
| organisation. The process approach focuses on the | | | | interactions more visible and makes it easier to see |
| end goal of the process. | | | | where an existing process needs to be updated to |
| Why many organisations are beginning to focus on | | | | reflect changes or identifying problems with an existing |
| their processes To understand why businesses are | | | | process and look at possible improvements. With a |
| focusing more on their processes, it is useful to know | | | | new process, the model can show how the process |
| how a business evolves. When a business grows, it | | | | will affect other areas and allows various scenarios to |
| gets harder to manage and to overcome this it splits | | | | be tested before the live implementation of the |
| into functional areas, with each area under a | | | | process. |