Re: What is a Business Process Expert?

Question

Hello all,
Maybe we should open the discussion a bit beyond a "Human Centric" BPX. The main theme after all IS "The Business Process". There are hundreds, possibly thousands of Business Processes depending upon whether you categorize as micro or macro processes. Any one of these either on a micro/macro level function with or without human beings and may utilize machines that assist or automate value added activities/processes which produce higher value service or products in the age old scenario [input > process > useful output & waste output].
When we talk about Expert or Expertise, we are talking about precise know-how, and narrow domain knowledge wether depth or breadth knowledge.
Referring back to a post by Luis Rincones, regarding ideas and concepts leading to BPX, automation of the business process should be the KEY focus of a BP engineer. Back in the late 80's early 90's, we referred to these BP engrs. as "Knowledge Engineers" and their principal goals were to interview "Experts" in order to extract expert knowledge (sometimes 20+ years of experience) and understand not only the flow of the process, but more importantly the RULES which govern all exceptions and variations encountered within the process, as well as "rules of thumb" in case the RULES don't apply.
This is something which if we are truly to orient our Enterprise SOA architecture towards the goals of BPX mentioned above, will require a common "Rule Based Engine", which lives across all domains of knowledge, Objects, & environments, and works together with the design & development environment for the xAPP (I like to refer to them as "Expert Applications") and thereby enable not only the integration and homogenization of input data (via the technology stack), but also integrate the application of logic via a common rule based engine. In this way, E-SOA can also be enabled on the "useful" outbound process enabling services (actions) which mediate/manage/automate the process back to prescribed operating parameters.
Of course, people can not be eliminated from the process. Lexus factory in Korea back in 2002 operated with approx. 60 or so people, 150 robots, and produced >300 units per day. People were mostly involved in QA and deviation functions.
Automating the Business Process optimizes the output:input ratio and should minimize the waste:useful output ratio. By doing so, the ROI, ROA, and operating margins are maximized and competitive advantage gains against other not so able competitors.
Any one else has a few words on this?

Answer 1

You raise a very important and interesting question regarding whether there is any framework for narrowing down the domain of a Business Process Expert.
There are many frameworks out there:
http://www.bpmg.org/8omega.php
http://www.prosci.com/tutorial-design-mod1.htm
http://www.intel.com/technology/itj/2004/volume08issue04/art11_collaboration/p01_abstract.htm
From my experience, it is beneficial to focus on a critical "life support" process for the corporation.  Many times this can be started at the top level COO for instance, asking what is the # 1 thing which causes issues with customers, collections, services, etc..  One such item is "contract to cash" and specific sub-components of this process such as "unbilled hours" which if corrected prior to billing issuance will result in more accurate Invoices, and collections. An improvement of this nature shortens the cycle time of billing to collection, or hour entry to billing calculation, and with improved accuracy increases cash flow and lowers cost per transaction.
What you are suggesting in terms of Media expert, etc.. is more associated with Roles which are aligned with Solution Scenarios within SAP.  Business Processes may span many roles, and are critical to the application being developed.
I believe this is the purpose of BPM, but would welcome any further comments from colleagues regarding framework.
Please take a look at the following BLOG as well as Lakshmikanth does a very good job explaning the landscape:
/people/lakshmikanth.adiraju/blog/2006/09/19/soa-bpm-business-applications-netweaver-happy-customer
Message was edited by: Fermin Iduate