Business Process Modeling: A guide to understanding & improving processes for better results.

Overview

Business Process Modeling is the practice of creating visual representations of a company’s business processes.

It solves the problem of inefficiency and lack of clarity in business operations by providing a clear and detailed overview of how tasks are completed.

This is important because it enables businesses to identify areas of improvement and streamline their operations, resulting in increased productivity and profitability.

Two well-known global brands that have used this strategy are:

• McDonald’s – They used business process modeling to improve their drive-thru service by identifying bottlenecks in their process and implementing changes to reduce wait times.
• Amazon – They used business process modeling to optimize their warehouse operations by mapping out the flow of products and identifying areas for automation.

How to

The following are the roles and responsibilities involved in the business process modeling process:

• Process Owner – The person responsible for the process being modeled.
• Process Analyst – The person responsible for analyzing the process and creating the model.
• Process Participants – The people involved in the process being modeled.

The steps involved in business process modeling are:

1. Identify the process to be modeled.
2. Gather information about the process from process participants.
3. Create a flowchart or diagram of the process.
4. Analyze the process to identify areas of improvement.
5. Implement changes to improve the process.
6. Monitor the process to ensure continued efficiency.

Best practices

• Involve process participants in the modeling process to ensure accuracy and buy-in.
• Keep the model simple and easy to understand.
• Regularly review and update the model to ensure it reflects current processes.
• Use standardized symbols and notation to ensure consistency.
• Focus on the end-to-end process rather than individual tasks.
• Ensure the model is accessible to all relevant stakeholders.

Examples

Here are two potential examples of how small businesses can use business process modeling:

• A restaurant can use business process modeling to improve their table turnover rate by mapping out the flow of customers and identifying areas for improvement.
• A small e-commerce business can use business process modeling to streamline their order fulfillment process by identifying bottlenecks and implementing changes to reduce processing times.