Automated business process discovery (ABPD) allows business owners and analysts to determine the internal processes of organisations based on electronic footprints of information found in their IT systems.
This footprint is left by users who access or submit data in business systems, databases or log files, according to Leon Briel, MD of software and consulting firm Executive Business Solutions (EBS). Typical business systems include customer relationship management (CRM), enterprise resource planning (ERP) and case management systems, he explains.
According to Briel, using data from electronic footprints allows the business process to be discovered and automatically documented, and as a result, users discover factual “as-is” processes. He adds that the statistical detail that is captured during this process allows users to find improvement opportunities, identify process deviations, and audit internal processes for risk.
Date- and time-stamped data are requirements for ABPD to work, he highlights, adding that data extraction tools and an ABPD tool will also be required for an ABPD project.
ITWeb BPM Summit 2012
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ABPD allows a bottom-up approach to identify what processes are in use and not how people think processes should work, Briel says. This has business benefits because it analyses variability, as well as the cause and consequences of issues, he says.
Briel is a speaker at the ITWeb Business Process Management (BPM) Summit, which takes place from 17 to 19 April, at The Forum, in Bryanston. The event features local and international BPM experts who will share their insights on all issues related to BPM.
To find out more about this event, click here.
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