How to Unclog Your Business by Automating Content-Intensive Process

Transcription

1 An AIIM Briefing Helping you manage and use information assets. How to Unclog Your Business by Automating Content-Intensive Process Produced by AIIM Training By Bob Larrivee, Director/Industry Advisor aiim.org I

2 Table of Contents Introduction On-ramps and Off-ramps of Content Knowing the Flow Improve the Process Repurposing Content Apply Technology Technology Conclusion About the AIIM Business Process Management (BPM) Training Program About AIIM About the Author About this Briefing

3 Introduction AIIM defines BPM as a means to study, identify, change, and monitor business processes using a combination of techniques and structured methods that enable you to identify and modify existing processes, aligning them with a desired (improved) future state that streamlines operations and increases process efficiency. Most business processes happen through serendipitous need. Action is needed, someone does something that works, and the organization accepts this as the way things should be done going forward. As such, many organizations do not fully understand how things happen nor have they considered alternative ways to improve their processes, especially in relation to their content and how it moves through the organization. In order to truly understand organizational processes and the impact they have with content or content with the process, you need to map the process and document the interaction with content. When mapping and assessing your processes you will find that content and process are tightly inter-related. I like to say that content without process goes nowhere and process without content serves no purpose. As a result, if you change the way you manage content, you change the processes around it. Likewise, if you change process, you will likely impact the way you capture, access, and manage content. In addition, you must also take into consideration that the end of one process is the beginning of the next. In the following pages I will provide insights on the following topics: n On-ramps and Off-ramps of content n Know the Flow n Improve the Process n Repurposing Content n Applying Technology In order to unclog your business processes, you must understand how things happen and where the clogs can and do occur. The entry and exit of content into and from a process are essential to unlocking the mystery of clogged processes. 3

4 On-ramps and Off-ramps of Content One of the questions here is how the content enters and exits a process and whether the content drives the process? Think about this for a minute. In your organization, does content trigger your processes? For example, a loan or claims application provided by a client; does this content trigger a process? If so, what happens through the process and how does that impact the content lifecycle, security scheme and retention policies? When addressing this type of scenario, you should take time to walk through the process, assessing each step. Ask a lot of questions. Is this step needed? Could you move this to another phase and gain in productivity as a result? If you uncover a serial phase in your process, ask: Can it be broken out into parallel steps? Knowing the Flow Many organizations are now coming to realize the connection and the importance of fully mapping not only the process but the inter-dependencies of content in relation to their processes. In order to understand the impact and relationship you must map the process and document not only the steps in the process but how content intersects with the process. To begin, you can seek out any existing process maps and use these as a foundation to begin your research. In the case where your organization does not process maps you can begin by using simple flowchart tools to document the process and record the types of content you uncover. In documenting the content sources, you should also ask simple questions like: n What is this content? n Where did it come from? n How did it get here? n Why is it here? n What happens to it in this stage of the process? n Is this step essential to meeting the outcome of the process or a redundancy? Improve the Process Before you attempt to automate your process you should look for ways to improve it. Technology for the sake of technology does not work and automating an inherently bad process will not improve it; in fact it may enhance the problem. This is where you want to look for bottlenecks and redundant steps. Assess if the steps are needed and is the sequence of these steps required or can you break these into parallel activities that then reconnect and continue on to the next phase of your process. By breaking a serial process into parallel steps, you can significantly streamline the process and decrease the overall time it takes to complete. 4

5 Repurposing Content In addition to improving your processes by identifying bottlenecks, you can also identify redundant content creation. In many organizations, memos, contracts, sales collaterals, marketing materials, and more are all rewritten needlessly and can be addressed through repurposing your content. This is why identifying your content during the mapping process is beneficial. If you can identify the content elements and how they are used and identify the shape they take at the end of the process, you can then create a series of templates, formats, and style sheets that not only streamlines content creation but also provides flexibility and consistency in delivery. As you map the process and document inter-related content sources, think about how you can leverage it in other ways. As an example, you may have corporate positioning statements from marketing for various industries like insurance, banking, and healthcare. Rather than rewrite these every time, you would insert them from a central source into a template or website knowing this is the approved, single source of truth. Apply Technology Once you have made your improvements and addressed your content requirements, you can move forward with applying technology to automate your processes. The tools you select will be based on the needs of the organizational requirements. If you are addressing a linear process, routing may be all you need. In this scenario you are moving content from one person or place to another. An example of this might be post scan indexing where paper is scanned and moved to an index station where the index operator applies appropriate metadata. If you are dealing with a process heavily dependent upon human interactions like a review process, you may want to implement a workflow application to automate the process and perhaps initiate parallel steps and task assignments as part of the overall process. When dealing with a combination of systems and human interactions, BPM tools might be better suited to meet the need. BPM not only addresses the human element but also incorporates systems integration capabilities that enable organizations to automate backend activities without human intervention, based on your business rules. As an example, in retail, your point of sale system can be tied to your logistics system in a way that when inventory is low, common items are automatically Technology for the sake of technology does not work and automating an inherently bad process will not improve it; in fact it may enhance the problem. reordered and a purchase requisition issued to your supplier. In this way, consistently replenished stock could be managed without direct intervention of a purchasing agent. I know I have simplified this example but the possibility exists providing you have assessed and designed your processes accurately. 5

6 Conclusion Content creation, if not planned through, can be an impediment to organizational processes. In order to unclog your content intensive processes you must: Know the flow - map the current processes and document the intersections of content with the process Improve your processes look to eliminate bottlenecks and identify opportunities to break serial processes into parallel steps that will decrease the overall time it takes to complete the process Repurpose your content repurposing your content will increase consistency and operational efficiencies by leveraging templates that enable employees to quickly assemble documents rather than rewrite the same materials repeatedly Most business processes happen through serendipitous need. Action is needed, someone does something that works, and the organization accepts this as the way things should be done going forward. Automate where possible once all of your improvements are complete, automate your processes wherever possible. Eliminate manual processes and where possible, use systems integration to connect your backend systems in ways that operations take place seamlessly. This is not an easy task and takes a lot of time, planning, and focus. It is also something that must never end in that once you have completed your project, you should incorporate continuous improvement methodologies to reassess and improve upon what you have done. There is always room for improvement. In this light, there is room for improvement in all you do for your organization and yourself. The AIIM BPM Training Program is designed to bring you new perspectives and provide you with the knowledge and skills you need to move your organization forward in unclogging your processes, and identifying new opportunities for improvement and automation. 6

7 About the AIIM Business Process Management (BPM) Training Program The BPM Training Program consists of the following tracks: BPM St rategy Onsite workshop only available on request to organizations that need to brief executives or users about the expected benefits, steps, and resources for implementing BPM. For more information about the strategy workshops or to schedule one, send an to BPM Practitioner (online or classroom training available) Covers concepts and technologies for BPM while also incorporating the main elements from the BPM Strategy track. The Practitioner classroom sessions are always the first two days of the four. BPM Specialist (online or classroom training available) Covers global best practices for implementing BPM, building upon the topics covered in the Practitioner track. BPM Mast er Classroom Course provides a thorough understanding of BPM with the main elements from all of the above, in addition to case study exercises. No prior participation in other tracks is required to enroll. Course Designation You will be awarded the AIIM BPM Practitioner (BPMp ) designation after passing the online Practitioner exam, the AIIM BPM Specialist (BPMs) designation after passing the online Specialist exam, and the AIIM BPM Master (BPMm) designation after submitting your thesis and earning a passing grade following the review process. The BPM training program is an AIIM standard for industry professionalism and knowledge and upon successful completion of these programs you can use the associated logo and title on your business card, signature, Web page, etc. The online exams are available via the Internet and your case thesis submission is uploaded electronically through the AIIM training site. Master Your Business Processes. Start Today. Benefits of becoming a BPM Practitioner, Specialist, and Master n Position yourself to be tomorrow s leader by enhancing your business and professional skills n Learn global best practices for planning and implementing BPM n Discover real-world solutions and best practices for challenges you face n Learn from experts in the field who are able to answer your questions and address your comments 7

8 Who should attend the BPM training course? The course is designed for anyone who uses s involved in the assessment, improvement and automation of business processes. Ideal candidates include but are not limited to: n Business Analysts n IT Management n Technical staff n Record Management personnel n Business Unit (line staff & management) Course Outline The BPM Practitioner program covers the practice of BPM, role of ECM in BPM, business analysis, process improvement, flowcharting, process modeling, BPM approaches, BPM technologies, and Collaboration. n The practice of BPM n Role of ECM in BPM n Business analysis n Process improvements n Flowcharting n Process modeling n Implementation team - IT and business n Suppliers, Solution Providers, Vendors n Executives n Change agents n Users The BPM Specialist programs covers best practices to implement BPM, such as project planning, defining business requirements, and developing the business case, and implementation plan including change management. n How to develop a business case for BPM n Identify and establish stakeholders and project team n Gather requirements n Analyzing requirements n Best practices for process design n Understand clusters, parallel and sequential processing, natural order, check and reviews, decision making, simplification, and upstream and downstream n Business process reengineering n SOA n Six Sigma and continuous improvement n BPM technologies n Standards and protocols n Collaboration n Define project stages n Project advice, pitfalls, and best practices n Optimizing Search and Improving Findability n Management methodologies including TQM, BPR, Six Sigma, and Lean The BPM Master program provides you with a detailed understanding of BPM including the main elements from all of the training programs, in addition to case study exercise. Participants will use their newly gained knowledge to plan, design, and implement a BPM project based on case study exercises and expertise learned from the Strategic, Practitioner, and Specialist Course programs. Become an AIIM BPM Master after passing the online exam and case exercise. Go to to learn of public courses being held in your area and their dates, and please contact training@aiim.org if you have any questions. Course structure, objectives, and topics are subject to change without notification. 8

9 About AIIM AIIM ( has been an advocate and supporter of information professionals for nearly 70 years. The association s mission is to ensure that information professionals understand the current and future challenges of managing information assets in an era of social, mobile, cloud and big data. Founded in 1943, AIIM builds on a strong heritage of research and member service. Today, AIIM is a global, non-profit organization that provides independent research, education, and certification programs to information professionals. AIIM represents the entire information management community, with programs and content for practitioners, technology suppliers, integrators, and consultants. About the Author Bob Larrivee joined AIIM in 2007 as an Industry Advisor and Director of the Training Center where he works to identify, develop, and deliver specialized training in best practices, technology, and methodologies. Bob is an internationally recognized thought leader with over thirty years of experience in document imaging, content management, records management, and the application of advanced technologies and process improvement. He has also received the Cenadem - Brazil ECM Pioneer Award. Bob is an AIIM Certified Information Professional (CIP), has earned AIIM designations in ECM, ERM, BPM, EMM, E2.0, SharePoint, Capture, IOA, is a CompTIA Certified Document Imaging Architech+ (CDIA+), and a State of Florida Certified Instructor. Bob is a published poet, photographer, and musician. Prior to joining AIIM, Bob held positions within the vendor community, as a consultant, and as a reseller. He entered the emerging technologies industry with Wang Laboratories where he focused on imaging, workflow, digital annotation, and voice recognition systems. Follow Bob Larrivee on About This Briefing As the non-profit association dedicated to nurturing, growing and supporting the community of information professionals, AIIM is proud to provide this white paper at no charge. In this way, the entire community can leverage the education, thought leadership and direction provided by our work. We would like this research to be as widely distributed as possible. Feel free to use this research in presentations and publications with the attribution AIIM 2012, Rather than redistribute a copy of this report to your colleagues, we would prefer that you direct them to for a free download of their own. AIIM 1100 Wayne Avenue, Suite 1100 Silver Spring, MD