A quick search on Google for BPM got exactly 15,900,000 hits. There are a huge range of definitions or perspectives on what those three letters mean. Business Process Management, Business Process Modeling (with 1 or 2 ‘L’s), Business Process Mapping. A couple of interesting finds were that BPM is the national time clock in China, and possibly more relevant, BPM-Focus is an energy drink sold exclusively in Ireland by Coca Cola.
Not wrong, just different
These different interpretations of BPM are not wrong – they are just different. Clearly there is some miscommunication and ambiguity between people who genuinely mean the same thing. But there are very different interpretations based on the need or use of the ‘process model’. Incidentally, the term process model means just as many different things to different people.
The risk is that when these individuals discuss processes and process models they naturally assume that the others in the conversation have exactly the same understanding. Everyone leaves the meeting thinking that they are in complete agreement, but then are horribly confused when they act differently.
Many people will recognise this from the HSBC Different Points of View advertising at airports;
"The more you look at the world, the more you realise that people
look at things from a different perspective”
4 Audiences - 4 hats
We have identified 4 different audiences that talk about process - but each means something different. And to make things simpler, or more graphic we have given them different coloured hats:
Green hats:
End users (or business users) want to use the process model for staff training and moment of need support when they are unsure how to conduct a task. The process model needs to include (or link to) detailed work instructions, forms, templates, systems and performance metrics. In this respect the process model acts as a powerful knowledge management resource. The process model is the starting point for all manner of business performance improvement initiatives.
Now that hat may be on ‘sideways’ as in service based organisations the average age of employees is under-30 – Gen Y or the iPod generation. These are the frontline staff who touch the customers day in day out.
White Hats:
The IT department want to understand the business users’ view of the operation to ensure that the IT systems they build and maintain truly support the business users, at minimum cost. They want to ensure that there is integrity of information as it flows around the systems.
Blue Hats:
The IT system providers such as SAP, Oracle or Salesforce.com want to ensure that the configuration of their system is managed accurately and that it hangs together end-to-end i.e. passes System Testing and User Acceptance Testing. In short, that it meets the users needs.
Red Hats:
The risk and compliance officers want to be able to demonstrate to auditors that end users are following a documented process, and that the correct risk control points have been identified and are effectively managed from a governance, ownership and auditing standpoint.
The Final Word
So what are the conclusions or takeaways from this?
• There are 4 audiences – with different needs & perspectives
• Each audience needs to respect and accommodate all 4 views
• A 4 audiences need to collaborate and therefore need a common understanding of process and how they are modeled
• That common model may need some compromises but has to be understood by all 4 audiences. Therefore it has to use a language business (90% of the audience) will understand
• Need for governance and cross linkage critical or the 4 audience will diverge
This argues for one multifaceted process model, which links to related systems and information which supports all 4 audiences. If that’s correct, it confirms why there’s a B in BPM.
So the next time you think that you are in ‘violent agreement - step back, look up and take a look at the hat the other person is wearing.