The post of chief information officer is on its way out, says world leading business process expert Professor August-Wilhelm Scheer - to be replaced by a chief process officer whose role will be to optimise business processes rather than simply to administer technical systems.
Speaking at a recent Process Day hosted by CPI, SA`s sole distributor of the leading ARIS business process management tool, Scheer said business process orientation had become a strategic core element of IT.
"Business processes are the main drivers of innovation," says Scheer. "This is being recognised more and more clearly by both large and small businesses as they see the remarkable results that can be achieved from proper business process design."
A leading automotive manufacturer, for example, was able to reduce its development cycle for new models from more than seven years to just over two, giving it a major advantage over its competitors.
"So far manufacturers have been the leading adopters of process-oriented thinking," says Scheer, "but its value is increasingly being recognised in the service industries as well."
Process thinking has become highly sophisticated, says Scheer. "We have moved from simply describing business processes as a precursor to a once-off reengineering project, to understanding that continuous process management and optimisation can give businesses a crucial competitive-edge."
The ARIS suite of software provides a complete toolbox to support process management, from strategy and design, through implementation and execution to control.
CPI currently supports 39 South African companies which use ARIS, ranging from motor manufacturers through short-term insurers and other financial institutions to parastatals. The company also supplies universities with teaching tools to ensure the next generation of graduates has a head start in understanding modern management.
"The old Taylorist approach to management which organises companies into functional silos is dead," say Scheer. "Modern managers need to have a sophisticated cross-functional understanding of how their companies work. Managing complexity is the key challenge; it`s important to find the right tools to help you do it."
Share
CPI is SA`s exclusive value-added reseller, training and support provider for IDS-Scheer`s ARIS suite of products. With offices in Gauteng and Cape Town, CPI works closely with IDS-Scheer and with its clients to ensure continual business process integration and improvement.
Editorial contacts