Business process modeling toolkit. Comparative analysis of business engineering tools. Basic objects of eEPC notation

Now, after a general clarification of the general functional tasks solved by the tools under consideration, it is necessary to compare the capabilities that these tools provide.

In further analysis, only the characteristics of ARIS ToolSet (hereinafter, ARIS), BP-Win - Erwin (hereinafter, BP-Win) and ORG-Master (hereinafter, ORG-Master) will be considered. The Rational Rose program is, to the greatest extent, focused on building purely software rather than organizational systems, in order to simplify the presentation, we will exclude from consideration, especially since the underlying UML methodology is now implemented in ARIS).

Functionality of business systems modeling tools

When comparing various tools for modeling business systems, it is advisable to consider their features according to the following groups of functional capabilities:

tools for building models of business systems;
tools for analyzing models;
means of optimization of simulated systems according to their models;
support for libraries of typical models;
registration of regulations and documentation;
support for the development of database models and software tools;
integration with other software products (CASE-tools, ERP-systems, application programs).

general organization of business processes and the order of interaction of organizational units (performers),
distribution of responsibility for the implementation of individual functions and the use of system resources,
loading of organizational links, performers and instrumental resources in the system,
the main time and cost parameters of the simulated system,
requirements for the resource provision of the processes occurring in the system.

Analysis general organization business processes and the order of interaction of organizational units in the system is carried out directly when studying the constructed models of business processes. Qualitative analysis also makes it possible to identify those role, which, under certain conditions, can be excluded from the process. Wherein visibility of the model and the ability to trace the relationships existing in the system becomes of paramount importance.

Notes regarding the clarity of the models are given below. But it should also be noted here that an important requirement for the model is the possibility of its analysis before its complete construction. Indeed, if it is possible to identify the relationships (as well as their absence) in the system only after building its complete model, then this turns out to be very inconvenient for initial stages work when information about the features of the processes occurring in the system may still be partially absent or inaccurate.

Here ORG-Master is in an advantageous position, since the model of business processes in it is not built directly in the form of an IDEF diagram. This diagram can be automatically generated after creating and filling in the classifiers that form the model (business functions, organizational units, resources, etc.) and setting all the necessary projections (relationships for resources, performers, tools, regulations and the actual links between business operations). Thus, even before obtaining a complete (or partial) model of a business process, the main relationships that determine the modeled process are already identified and can be analyzed.

In contrast to this approach, the business process models in ARIS and BP-Win are built directly, and the existing relationships between the process components must be prepared for analysis as a result of the appropriate procedures.

So, for example, after building a business process model in BP-Win, a separate data model is built using ERwin, in which links are established between system components (data model entities according to the methodology). Then these models are linked by means of a mechanism that is essentially similar to the projection construction mechanism used in ORG-Master (see Appendix 1. Model components of the ORG-Master software and methodological complex).

With this in mind, the second of the considered possibilities of model analysis: analysis of the distribution of responsibility for the implementation of individual functions and the use of system resources, turns out to be automatically implemented in the process of building a business process model in the ORG-Master system. Indeed, the projections of the Organizational link - Functions and Functions - Resources, specified when building models of business processes in ORG-Master, directly show those responsible for a particular area of work or resource (and allow any combination of them to be analyzed). In addition, ORG-Master allows you to export matrix projections to MS Excel, where organizational analysis diagrams are formed on their basis.

In ARIS and BP-Win, for this purpose, it is necessary either to manually trace all connections in business process diagrams (and data models in BP-Win), or to construct the corresponding lists or reports on purpose.

Question about loading performers and instrumental resources in the system, as well as obtaining estimates for the main time parameters of the simulated system, can be decided on the basis of quantitative data on the complexity (or simply duration) of the functions they implement. To solve this problem, it is necessary to enter such data into the system in one way or another, as well as provide means for obtaining summary estimates. Support for the IDEF3 methodology (in BP-Win), ABC methods in ARIS and BP-Win, as well as simulation tools in ARIS (and, partially, in BP-Win) provides for some processing of these estimates. As for the actual initial data, they are set by the user, who, therefore, is responsible for the final result.

However, obtaining sufficiently representative estimates using statistical (simulation / event) modeling (and even more so using ABC methods when considering time as a resource) for loading system components is hampered by the following factors.

Modern approaches to the analysis of any process ( workflow) proceed from dividing the time of its implementation by, in fact, the period of execution of operations and the time of transmission of their results. At the same time, in office processes or the processes of providing a service, the actual work takes on average about 10% of the time, and the rest of the time is spent either on physically moving the result of the task (requiring the signature of the text of the contract that needs to be washed again) and waiting in line until the next the executor will find time to continue the process. Therefore, methods based on a simple summation of the time of operations at the present time, as a rule, do not give an accurate representation of the time parameters of the process.

You can try to obtain more adequate results by simulating the behavior of the system. However, for the times of service delays, one has to either take very rough assumptions about the law of their distribution in time, or carry out rather expensive and laborious timing procedures and subsequent statistical processing. At the same time, the reliability of the results obtained will not be too high, or will require significant additional costs. Therefore, it seems reasonable to approach that: “the cost of modeling costs to obtain any information should not exceed the value (cost) of the results of its use. In addition, one should always remember about the Pareto law, from which, in relation to the problem under consideration, it follows that 20% of modeling efforts provide 80% of the effect.

Therefore, from our point of view, before the transition to complex and time-consuming and resource-intensive modeling methods associated with quantitative estimates of time and cost parameters, it is worth focusing on getting an effect from the implementation of more obvious results of business modeling. Quantitative optimization is advisable to carry out taking into account measurements and analysis of real-life processes.

ORG-Master has a functional analogue of ABC analysis tools - Budget Wizard, which generates simple system budgeting. One of the results of the work of this system is quantitative assessment costs for the implementation of business processes ( operating budgets), which is at least comparable in value to the data obtained using the ABC-costing support tools.

In addition, the ORG-Master family includes software package"Time-Master", one of the components of which, providing the management of processes (workflow), allows you to accumulate statistics in the course of their execution, which provides estimates for the time parameters of the processes necessary for the analysis.

Business systems optimization tools (business processes) in addition to the capabilities of the analysis of models provide: a management tool.
generating a range of alternatives;
planning;
choosing the best course of action;
resource allocation;
setting priorities.

As a rule, the implementation of the listed functions is associated with the use of special rather complex or cumbersome algorithms for solving optimization problems. A number of possibilities of this kind are incorporated in the ARIS system. However, their implementation, in general, does not seem appropriate until the stage fine tuning business process after achieving the results of its restructuring using simpler methods.

Support for generic model libraries allows you to use previously created developments in the process of building new models. This capability is provided in all three considered tools. In particular, ORG-Master supports both full reference business models of enterprises, obtained as a result of real projects carried out at Russian enterprises, and "library" classifiers describing typical organization certain aspects of the activity.

Registration, in accordance with the constructed models, company regulations seems to be a very important opportunity to ensure the integrity and consistency of the documentary description of the business system. The importance of this component to business modeling tools can be understood by looking at regulations as a company management tool. Indeed, if a company is stable, it means that its business processes are well-oiled and lend themselves to almost formal regulation. The internal culture that must be present in such a company will allow, if necessary, to quickly rebuild the system or parameters of business processes by changing the work regulations of the relevant departments and performers.

The presence of documents-regulations on all aspects of the company's activities is one of the basic provisions of the concept of regular, systemic management. According to her, in a well-organized business, about 80% management decisions is accepted according to predetermined procedures, and only the rest, associated with non-standard situations and various innovations, rely on the creativity and heroism of employees.

The organization of an enterprise (company) aimed at achieving certain goals is regulated at the modern level by the following standard set of basic organizational documents:

the provision on the organizational and functional structure, reflecting the composition of businesses and functions supported in the company, and their distribution within the company;
provisions on company policies (accounting, investment, etc.);
regulations on the organization of the main subsystems of business and management of the company, containing a detailed description of functions by areas of activity;
documented procedures - descriptions of business processes in a form that allows both to present the process to an outside observer and to be guided by this document to the executors of the process operations;
and, finally, the traditional "divisional clauses", and " job descriptions»Personnel with lists of functional duties, types of responsibilities, rights and powers of employees.

In addition, it should be possible to create special reporting forms for creating documents in various functional areas: Terms of Reference for an enterprise management information system, Quality Manual (see, for example, Appendix 3) and other special documents according to ISO9000, etc.

All information that allows you to generate these documents must be contained in the form of a coherent and consistent system in the complete business model of the enterprise (company). Moreover, many of the documents created must comply with generally accepted Russian standards as much as possible (Obviously, the ARIS and BP-Win systems meet the latter requirement to the least extent).

In the ORG-Master environment, such statements and instructions are generated automatically as textual forms of descriptions of procedures, represented by the corresponding classifiers and relations-projections of links between them. Graphical forms (various digraphs and process diagrams) are a good complement to these documents.

In the ARIS environment, job descriptions and process descriptions are based on event process diagrams and, in principle, various text documents can be attempted to be constructed by analyzing process models and organization structures. Although, to a greater extent, the picture is the opposite - the system is focused mainly on creating graphics, and the function of creating documents-regulations is clearly auxiliary and, as a result, not developed.

In BP-Win, the direct possibility of obtaining various regulations is not stipulated.

In a relationship project documentation two sides can be considered: a description of business processes and a description of an information system for supporting business processes for its subsequent development. The first of them is practically equally provided in each of the considered environments by the possibility of constructing various reporting forms according to the constructed models of business processes.

In terms of documentation for the development of an information system, the most traditional opportunities are provided by the BP-Win / ERwin environment, which, in fact, was created for this.

ARIS capabilities are roughly similar: in the first versions of the data model, the entity-relationship scheme was described, in later versions, in the UML language. However, ARISToolset provides more advanced information systems development functions.

The capabilities of ORG-Master allow you to fully represent the data structures necessary for organizing information support for modeled business processes using its own universal tools - classifiers and projections. There are no formalisms such as ER diagrams, although in the latest versions visualization in the DFD standard is possible. In addition, it became possible to reflect on IDEF0 diagrams the interaction between functional blocks not only using the direct transfer of documents and files, but also through shared databases!

Support for the development of database models and software tools usually refers to the capabilities of tools such as CASE or similar tools for configuring enterprise management information systems (for example, systems of the ERP class). Such support can provide the following functionality:

analysis and design of the architecture of information management systems,
design of databases and files,
programming (generation of program codes),
support and reengineering,
project management.

Questions analysis and design of information systems architecture are usually completed by defining the system requirements and related specifications. This stage, with a systematic approach to design, should directly rely on the models of business systems and, in fact, detail them. Therefore, all the above considerations covering the construction, analysis and optimization of system models, as well as the design of regulations and documentation, are valid here.

Database and file design(conceptual and internal levels), transformation of data models, description of file formats are most complete in the tools under consideration is supported only in BP-Win (ERwin), since this environment is specifically designed to solve such problems.

In the ARIS environment, such an opportunity is provided in the ARIS Toolset package at the level of the project specification and the definition of database parameters.

The approach developed in the ORG-Master environment assumes (although not necessarily) that information systems that already have databases can be used in the modeled business systems. In this case, they do not need to be redesigned unless the system is to be replaced. However, in the absence of information systems, ORG-Master creates the basis for the conceptual data model and data file structures. This framework is represented by descriptions of the composition and relationship of information objects and documents used in business process models.

Generation of program codes for application or system tools ARIS and ORG-Master systems are not provided, since they are business systems design tools, not software. To a certain extent, this feature is only implemented in BP-Win.

Maintenance and reengineering... These functions are usually implemented by means of documentation, program analysis, program restructuring and reengineering. The remarks made above regarding the documentation tools are fully applicable in this discussion.

Functions project management creation of databases and software tools are specific specifically for the development of software products. They are implemented in this form in BP-Win. Project management in the ORG-Master family fully supports the Time-Master software package. (Although, strictly speaking, these functions are not required for the class of tools in question).

Integration with other software products implies an expansion of the scope of the tool under consideration and can be carried out both within the framework of the development of a family of compatible software tools (like Platinum Technologies) or with software from other developers (third party software).

Integration with third party software products is performed for one of the following purposes:

using the functionality of the integrated product to expand the scope of your product,
enabling your product to be incorporated into a third party product,
providing a universal, to one degree or another, interface for your product, if a specific third party is not known in advance.

From the point of view of the functional focus, integration with:

CASE means,
ERP systems,
application programs.

ARIS has interfaces with several CASE tools, and is also a model building tool for direct customization of such enterprise management systems, primarily SAP R / 3. As noted above, the system relies on its own notation for representing business processes, therefore it uses built-in simulation tools and a cost analysis tool, the results of which, however, can be exported to MS Excel formats.

The ORG-Master and BP-Win systems support the IDEF0 notation system to describe the represented business processes. In principle, this is some kind of link between these tools and for communication with other software products using this methodology. However, without considering here the issues of the "age" of the IDEF0 notation, it should be pointed out that the internal representation of data in each system is different, and a standard interface like "sockets" or classes for the IDEF0 system is not specified. However, there is a standardized file format for representing IDEF diagrams. Therefore, although the descriptions made with its help are not very convenient for both humans and computers, it is possible to use them as a means of exchanging models if there are appropriate converters of this format. Such a converter is provided in the following versions of ORG-Master.

BP-Win supports methodologies IDEF0, DFD and IDEF3 and integrates with the following software products (mostly from the same manufacturer):

ERwin data modeling tool (Platinum Technology),
project management and storage system ModelMart (Platinum Technology),
a specialized report generator for the RPTwin model (Platinum Technology),
simulation system BPSimulator (System Modeling Corporation),
EasyABC cost analysis tool (ABC Technologies).

(* Platinum Technology - since 1999 entered Computer Associates)

ORG-Master is initially positioned as an organizational class system focused on solving problems of modeling and designing business processes and structures and supporting organizational decisions. It provides the ability to integrate with its own developer packages ("BIG-SPB Software"), focused on solving various functional tasks. In the ORG-Master system, if necessary, simple executive information systems are automatically created in the MS Office environment:

Budgeting system (which is a simple system management accounting, management of the profitability and solvency of the enterprise).
Marketing system (accumulating operational quantitative information about the enterprise's market, as well as integrating with its own CRM-system for supporting customer relations).

The introduction of these applications into the activities of the enterprise allows you to quickly master modern management techniques, which greatly facilitates the transition to more complex executive systems.

It is possible (and has been tested in projects) data interfacing through exchange files within the framework of building integrated information systems with executive and analytical programs of partner firms: 1C, A&T: Soft, Intalev, Comtech +, INEK, etc., as well as with complex control systems enterprise resources (for example, IPS production).

The new version also provides mechanisms for exporting descriptions of business processes to the Time-Master software package, which combines the properties of systems such as Project Management, WorkFlow and Personal Information System and is built on Internet / Intranet technologies.

Section summary:

The main functional capabilities of the compared instruments are presented in Table 2, where estimates of the degree of implementation of functions or properties are indicated on a five-point scale.

As can be seen from Table 2, direct summation of the estimates gives a scatter of about ± 4%. This spread lies within the error of the estimates themselves. Moreover, the means themselves, differing in their functional orientation, received similar estimates due to the fact that the differing strengths and weaknesses of different means, when directly calculated, compensate each other.

However, during the discussion of functional capabilities, it was emphasized that directly for solving problems of business engineering, individual groups of functional capabilities have different meanings. This fact is reflected by the coefficients recorded in the “Weight” column, Table 2. Taking this factor into account, it can be seen that the overall assessment of the ORG-Master complex slightly exceeds ARIS.

But again, this may be the result of different preferences and priorities in the intended use of the product. For example, due to a lower assessment of the significance of the existing tools for quantitative analysis of models (simulation and event modeling), as well as optimization tools, which, however, are poorly represented in all systems under consideration. At the same time, the properties of self-documenting models or the versatility of presenting various aspects of modeling are highly appreciated.

In general, when evaluating and choosing a modeling tool, it is recommended to independently decide which of the system tools are most important in solving a specific problem of its application and, accordingly, put down "weights".

Additionally, reference Appendix 2 provides an overview of formalization standards and tools for constructing and / or analyzing certain models that are used in the systems under consideration.

Roman Isaev

Organizational Development and Process Management Expert

Partner of the Group of Companies "Modern Management Technologies"

Head of organizational and corporate development projects

Professional Business Coach and Business Studio Specialist

The article is devoted to tasks and projects in the field of business modeling, business engineering and organizational and corporate development. It systematizes information that should help a deeper understanding of the meaning and characteristics of business modeling in organizations, and also shows the role of business modeling for obtaining additional competitive advantages... Various examples, interviews, links to methodologies and practical solutions are provided.

Business modeling is the process of developing and implementing various business models of an organization (strategy, business processes, organizational structure, quality, etc.) in order to formalize and optimize its activities. The definition of what a business model is immediately suggests itself.

Business model Is a formalized description (for example, graphical) of a specific aspect or area of the organization's activities.

There are 4 main ways to develop business models. Let's list them in descending order of the level of efficiency of building and using business models.

In the notation (rules) of a specialized business modeling software product: a combination of graphics, tables and text. For more details see Chapter 8;
Graphic: tree, block diagram, technological map, etc.
Tabular;
Text.

Many organizations are involved in business modeling, but each is at different stages of software development. this direction... Someone has already developed and is actively using a complex business model (a set of models, documents and systems that describe all the activities of an organization). Someone has only graphical models and regulations of several business processes.

The main types of business models that are developed in organizations:

tree (hierarchical list) of business processes - see Fig. 1;
graphic models of business processes;
model organizational structure- see Fig. 2;
models of goals and indicators (strategic maps BSC / KPI);
document library models (document tree), information systems models (system architecture) - see Fig. 3;
product and service models - see Fig. 4;
quality management models and much more.

All these models enable the development of professional business modeling software (BMSP).

For more than 10 years, the author has been using in projects and his own developments most of the solutions known on the FSPM market: Business Studio, ARIS, AllFusion Process Modeler (BPWIN), Business Engineer, Microsoft Visio. Each of them have their own functional features, limitations and benefits. You can learn more about the methodology for comparing software products developed by the author in the book Chapter 8.

Rice. 1. Tree of business processes of the bank (top level)

Rice. 2. Model of the organizational structure of the bank (top level)

Rice. 3. Model of the bank's document library (fragment)

Rice. 4. Model of products and services of the bank (top level)

A "gentleman's set" of business analyst knowledge and tools

Let us list a set of basic knowledge and tools that, according to the author, should be mastered by a modern business analyst, a specialist in business modeling. This list can also be useful for young professionals to analyze their strengths and opportunities for development.

Business modeling software: Business Studio, ARIS, AllFusion Process Modeler (BPWIN), Business Engineer, Microsoft Visio;
Business modeling notations and descriptions of business processes: IDEF0, IDEF3, Data Flow Diagram (DFD), extended Event Driven Process Chain (eEPC), Value Added chain Diagram (VAD), Cross Functional Flowchart, etc. modeling has its own set of notations, and they are described in detail in the User's Guide to the software product;
Business engineering / management techniques and methods:
- Development and implementation of a balanced scorecard BSC / KPI;
- Description of business processes;
- Analysis, optimization, improvement of the quality of business processes;
- Business process management on a long-term basis;
- Functional value analysis (FSA) and simulation modeling;
- Description and optimization of the organizational structure, number of personnel;
- Creation of personnel motivation systems;
- Construction and organization of the functioning of the quality management system (ISO 9000);
- Project management (including PMBOK - Project management body of knowledge);
- Building a comprehensive business model for the organization;
- Benchmarking;
- Lean, 6 Sigma;
- TQM (Total Quality Management);
- Various industry practices and standards, developments consulting companies... A complete list and detailed description of all methodologies applicable to the banking industry are presented in.
Typical solutions, examples, developments and materials. In order not to develop most of the materials from scratch and not to make mistakes that other specialists have already gone through, a set of standard solutions, models, documents, etc. is required. For example, an electronic database (reference book) "Comprehensive typical business model commercial bank» .

Thus, the following scheme can be formed (see Fig. 5):

Methodology + Typical solutions + Software product = Result

Rice. 5. "Gentleman's" set of business analyst knowledge and tools

Here Techniques and Methods show you HOW to complete projects and tasks.

Typical solutions and materials demonstrate WHAT should be the result (result).

With the help of PCBM, the execution of all tasks and projects is automated. This reduces the time several times and increases the efficiency of work. For example, Business system Studio allows, at the click of a button, to automatically generate regulatory documentation based on the developed models of business processes, providing significant savings in financial and labor resources.

Business Modeling: Features of Practical Application

The main feature of business modeling is that it should be based on business processes. It is the business process management system (SMS) that is the foundation on which a large number of other management systems and technologies are built.

In many organizations, various approaches, methods and technologies of management, improvement and optimization have been actively implemented and continue to be implemented.

Practice shows that in some cases these techniques are successful at the initial stage of implementation, but then gradually lose their effectiveness and are forgotten.

The failure of attempts to improve the organization's performance using these approaches / techniques is often due to the unsystematic and fragmented actions that do not involve in-depth analysis and fundamental changes in the organization's work.

The main way to overcome this problem is to introduce a process approach to management in an organization (i.e., build a business process management system) as a basis for the implementation of other methods, management / improvement and optimization technologies.

Complex business modeling techniques, which cannot be reduced to simple and straightforward actions, usually do not work in organizations. Indeed, in the end, the implementation of these techniques and the results of their application fall on the personnel and line managers of the organization, who do not always have specialized competencies in the field modern techniques management and business engineering, and sometimes they are met with hostility.

In order for the methodology (technology) implemented in the organization and the project as a whole to be successful and bring the planned results, it is desirable that they be:

Inexpensive. This is especially true for medium and small organizations who cannot afford to implement expensive solutions;
Simple and understandable for ordinary employees of the organization;
Practically directed, to have fairly “quick” and at the same time, long-term results;
We took into account the specifics of management Russian companies;
Contained examples and typical solutions.

It is also appropriate here to cite 8 main principles of quality management, which apply to all tasks of business modeling and allow you to ensure their implementation.

Consumer orientation;
Leadership of the head;
Involvement of employees;
Process approach;
Systematic approach to management;
Continuous improvement;
Decision making based on facts;
Mutually beneficial supplier relationships.

Indeed, non-compliance with even 1-2 principles can cause Negative influence on the development of the organization.

The value of business modeling

When starting to develop business models, organizations allocate certain human and material resources to implement the project. In this case, the improvements as a result of the work done should exceed these costs. How does the business model ultimately help the organization to function? There are several of the most noticeable and well-known positive effects that are manifested in a competent and systematic description of business processes.

Increasing the transparency, manageability and controllability of the organization's activities at all levels;
Reducing lead times and costs, improving the quality and efficiency of business processes;
The ability to replicate the business of an organization (create additional client departments, offices, representative offices);
Comprehensive and sustainable development of the organization, a systematic approach to decision-making;
Reducing dependence on personnel, correct selection of employees, increasing the efficiency of personnel and managers;
Increasing customer loyalty and satisfaction, and as a result, the reputation of the organization;
Financial results.

However, there are other aspects that are not well known to a wide range of business leaders and owners.

Business modeling and related technologies / solutions have a significant impact on the organization's ratings, which are assigned by rating agencies, including international ones (Fitch, Moody’s, S&P, etc.).

As a result of the analysis of methods for assigning ratings to various international and Russian agencies(including), as well as following the results of interviews with representatives of agencies, the author was able to find out that many agencies, when calculating the ratings of organizations, take into account a group of factors called "Corporate governance / management" (non-financial assessments). This parameter includes the following factors:

Adequate and detailed strategy of the organization;
Developed risk management system (including an operational risk management system);
The level of regulation (formalization) of business processes;
The quality of business processes (history of KPI indicators);
The level of automation of business processes, the state of information systems and technologies (IT);
Organizational structure (formalization, efficiency, transparency, distribution of responsibility and authority);
Evolution and functioning of various management systems in the organization (quality management system, work system and customer relationship, personnel management system, etc.).

Detailed conditions and estimates depend on the specific agency.

The rating algorithm is pretty simple and straightforward. Auditors rating agency study and assess the activities of the organization in accordance with the rules and criteria laid down in the methodology for assigning a rating. The following are used as input information:

Regulatory and reporting documents of the organization;
Observation of the activities of the organization and interviews.

Therefore, it is important not only to develop a large number of correct and relevant documents, but also to bring them to the attention of employees, to ensure the effective execution of business processes and the functioning of management systems in practice.

Grades for all criteria are summed up according to certain rules and, based on the total amount of points, the rating of the organization is determined. Each criterion group may have a different weight, so a large sum of points for a group of criteria with a low weight will not contribute very much to the final grade.

Legend for the assigned ratings (rating scale) may be different depending on the rating agency and the type of rating itself (credit rating, reliability rating, management quality rating, financial strength rating, etc.). For example: the highest level of reliability, a satisfactory level of reliability, a low level of reliability, etc.

Participation in tenders and accreditations;
Improving the image (authority) of the organization in the market, among partners and contractors;
Improving the image (authority) of the organization among the authorities state power;
The expansion of the customer base;
Attracting investors;
As a consequence of all of the above points, there is an improvement in financial performance.

Thus, for public companies interested in increasing international or national ratings, when assessing the effectiveness of a project for building a comprehensive business model, it is advisable to take into account additional opportunities to improve rating positions. Note that an adequate study of all the factors listed above that affect the rating of an organization certainly requires the use of professional business modeling software (BMSP).

Additional opportunities in this direction are provided by the use of typical successful industry solutions. As an actual example, we can cite the "Comprehensive typical business model of a commercial bank", developed in the Business Studio software product. Summarizing the best practices of process management in credit institutions, this model serves as a model on the basis of which companies in the financial sector can improve corporate governance for all of the above parameters.

Practice of business modeling in financial and credit institutions

The decision to create a business model for an organization can be made in different ways, depending on the specifics of the management of certain companies. Sometimes this is the sole decision of the top manager; it is also possible that the owners of the company realize the need for business modeling. In the practice of working with banking organizations, the author had to come across such examples.

"All activities of the bank at the touch of one button on the computer"

At one of the meetings, the Chairman of the Board of Bank A ordered: “It is necessary that all the activities of the bank be formalized, so that by pressing a button on the computer, I can see the work of any employee and any business process of the bank: its goals, indicators, processes, technologies , results, etc. ".

To solve this problem, an electronic business model of the bank was developed. There is a web browser window on the desktop of the Chairman of the Board. Links located in it allow you to track all activities: The manager can open any document, business process diagram, find out those responsible for business processes and procedures, statistics on business process indicators and current values, a list of projects currently being implemented in the bank and their status , the organizational structure of any unit and much more.

The Chairman of the Board was very pleased with the work done. It should be noted that the work was completed in a short time: 1.5 years passed from the moment of setting the problem to the receipt of the final results. High speed implementation of the project was ensured thanks to the use as a methodological basis standard solution- "Comprehensive typical business model of a commercial bank", which is a system of interrelated models, documents and reference books describing most of the areas of activity and management systems of a universal commercial bank.

By the way, by the time the project was completed, the Chairman of the Board had already become a shareholder of the bank. The resulting Integrated Business Model of the bank provided a systematic approach to bank management, which allows quick decision-making and any changes in the bank's work, increases the efficiency and quality of both individual business processes and divisions, and the bank as a whole.

"Systematic approach to bank development"

Bank B shareholders set the task of developing a comprehensive and long-term development strategy for the bank based on modern technologies management. After conducting research and taking part in several business trainings, the bank's organizational and corporate development specialists proposed the following solution to the shareholders.

Since the corporate strategy of the bank has already been determined, one can start with the development of a system for managing the bank's business processes, since it is business processes that are the essence of the whole work of the bank, and the satisfaction of customers and the bank's profit depend on the results of business processes.

We will describe all key business processes, create process teams and train them, ensure effective interaction of all participants in business processes, so that business processes are executed faster;
We will improve (optimize) the processes where it is required, then we organize the management of business processes on an ongoing basis. Within each business process, we organize strategic planning so that each business process has a strategy based on current market trends, customer requirements and the bank's strategy, as well as goals and indicators;
When business processes and their management become transparent and streamlined, we will move on to the next task - building a bank's quality management system (according to ISO 9000 standards) based on a process management system. That is, the QMS will be a superstructure for the process control system. This will allow the bank to receive a certificate. ISO compliance 9001 and improve your image both among clients and partners. Also, thanks to the QMS and ISO 9000 standards, we will significantly reduce the number of Clients' claims against the bank and the costs of low-quality products and services, minimize operational risks, supplement the bank's activities with new requirements and management methods;
In parallel with this, we will begin to automate business processes. We will update and transfer to a qualitatively new level of the system electronic document management and operational management(DocFlow / WorkFlow), customer interaction (CRM), etc. We will create a single project office that will oversee all projects on organizational and corporate development of the bank, qualitatively improve the bank's personnel management so that this activity is a system.

As a result, we will get an integrated management system of the bank - a modern effective tool management of the organization for shareholders and top managers of the bank.

Conclusion

In modern conditions, in a number of markets, a situation arises more and more often when the value price competition declines and low price goods or services is no longer a key way to attract and retain Customers.

For example, in the financial sector, more and more Clients are paying attention to the quality and manufacturability of the products / services of the credit institution, the convenience of interacting with the bank to resolve all issues and problems, the ability to quickly meet the organization's new needs and requests of Clients. Of no small importance are such important parameters as the reliability and stability of the bank, one of the indicators of which is its sufficient high rating in domestic and / or international agencies.

Therefore, there is every reason to believe that the need for business modeling, the introduction of business engineering technologies and organizational development will only grow.

02/14/2017, Tue, 16:00, Moscow time , Text: Andrey Koptelov

There are many tools for describing the company's business processes, you just need to choose the right one. How they differ from each other and how not to make a mistake with the choice is described in this article.

The introduction of process management in companies, as a rule, is accompanied by the definition of key business processes and their subsequent description, analysis and optimization. Many performers from different departments participate in business processes, many documents are created, and most importantly, there is a complex logic of interaction between performers, which requires displaying the process in a format that is convenient for perception and analysis.

Description of the existing state of the business process in the "as is" status allows not only to record the state of affairs, but also to conduct primary analysis business process. Whereas the description of the business process in the "as it should be" status allows formalizing and, most importantly, regulating the new state of the business process for its subsequent implementation into the company's practice.

Business process description text format

There are many examples of business process regulations that reach hundreds of sheets, however, the larger such a document is, the less chances it will be read, and the more it will be executed. That is why it is necessary to describe business processes in extremely short documents in structured text format, focusing on who does what and when.

At the initial stages of business process management
a textual description allows you to conduct a primary analysis of business processes in the company,
and also consolidate their target state in the form of an approved regulation

The secret of describing business processes in the form of structured text is following a clear structure: first, it is recorded who performs the operation and when, and then in a sub-clause, a level below, the actions themselves are described, after which it is indicated to whom and in what case the result is transmitted.

Thus, the entire business process is described step by step, indicating the list of documents that are transmitted through the process and information systems that are used to perform a particular operation.

In practice, even very "large-scale" business processes can be easily described in such a structure, while the advantage of the textual approach is its simplicity and accessibility not only to business analysts, but also to any employee of the company. Using these simple rules for structuring text in a company, you can easily create a system of regulations that standardize key business processes.

The disadvantage of a textual description is the ability to “hide” in it the innuendo and inaccuracies in the business process, which can only be found by carefully reading the resulting document. However, despite the shortcomings, at the initial stages of business process management, a structured textual description makes it possible to conduct a primary analysis of business processes in a company, as well as to consolidate their target state in the form of an approved regulation.

Tabular format for describing a business process

Regarding the variant of describing the processes in text format, the use of a tabular form adds "structuredness" to the created description of the business process.

The business process is described in the form of a table, where the lines describe operations in the business process, with each line containing not only the number and name of the operation, but also incoming and outgoing documents, time standards for execution, the executor, the information systems used and the logic of further actions. In fact, when describing a business process in tabular form, technological maps are created that describe in detail all the necessary actions with an indication of their environment.

Depending on the tasks set, various elements of the business process environment can be displayed in the table description, for example, if the company is working with operational risks, you can add an additional column in which to indicate the existing operational risks with their linkage to the operations of the process.

Using a single table template and simple instructions for filling it out, it is quite easy to describe key business processes in the company by the efforts of employees of business units, while the quality of the resulting description will certainly be higher than in text format, but the result will have insufficient visualization regarding the description of the process in the form of a graphical model.

The only drawback of the tabular form is the complexity of displaying the logic of the business process, since for each operation in the table it is necessary to describe in which case what action is performed, for example, “if the document is agreed, then operation 5 is then performed, and if it is not agreed, then operation 6 is performed », Which is not always convenient for understanding the features of a business process and its analysis.

Business process graphical model

Recently, many companies describe business processes in the format of graphical models. It can be a diagram drawn on a flipchart, or it can be a model created in a special tool, in accordance with the notation approved by the company.

For most companies that describe processes in graphical form, the toolkit for modeling business processes is MS Visio or MS PowerPoint. These tools are included in a standard office suite, which allows a wide range of people to create models of business processes.

In addition to existing tools, cloud-based free business process modeling tools have appeared relatively recently, in which you can draw a model in a browser, while saving the result, either to disk or to cloud storage.

With the free and easy-to-use business process modeling tools in the cloud, cloud-based business process modeling tools are quickly gaining a following among business analysts and IT professionals, as well as employees and executives.

With the help of a graphical model, a business process can be described in the best quality, because it can reflect not only all the necessary environment for operations, but also visualize the very logic of the business process using logical operators and events.

True, in the case of using a graphical form of modeling business processes, the number of employees in a company creating models of business processes can seriously decrease, since some of them will be repelled by the complexity of the toolkit and additional labor costs for creating graphic models, relative to text and tabular descriptions.

In order to be among those who simulate business processes in the company. there were as many representatives of business units as possible, it was necessary to choose modeling tools with a convenient and simple interface, as well as use the simplest notations for displaying processes.

Business process modeling system

Some companies with a large number of employees and high maturity in the field of business process management are moving from the simplest tools for modeling business processes to systems of the Business Process Analysis class, which allow you to model business processes in a single repository, which allows you not only to create a holistic, mutually consistent model descriptions of the organization's activities, but also receive regulatory documents on its basis using customizable reporting.

As a rule, if the number of business process models drawn in a company begins to exceed several thousand, it becomes necessary to ensure their integration with each other, as well as to be able to create regulatory documentation based on the created models, in this case, the use of the Business Process Analysis toolkit is justified.

Working in Business Process Analysis tools requires strict discipline in modeling business processes, which is achieved through the normalization of directories of the organizational structure, documents and information systems, as well as the approval of the notation for modeling business processes and audit of the compliance of the created models with the approved notation either at the tool level, or with using the approval procedures.

The use of Business Process Analysis tools also has certain risks associated precisely with the need for strict discipline in creating models and with the complexity of the tooling interface. This leads to a decrease in the number of modeling business processes among the representatives of business units. As a result, quite often work in the Business Process Analysis toolkit becomes the prerogative of business analysts and IT specialists, which narrows the possible resources for modeling business processes in a company, and leads either to an increase in the staff of business analysts or to the involvement of external consultants. At the same time, the business often does not want to work with the resulting models and returns to a text or tabular format for describing business processes obtained using reports from the Business Process Analysis toolkit.

From simulation to automation

It is no secret that, despite the created regulations for business processes, company employees often work according to their own rules, because it is quite difficult to control the correct execution of the regulations, and the audits that are carried out require additional labor costs.

It is quite logical to shift control over the correct execution of business processes to automated system, in which to lay all the necessary logic for its execution. When using specialized systems of the Business Process Management Suite class, the business process model becomes executable, and Information system itself manages the business process in accordance with the rules described in the model, appointing performers of operations and routing requests in accordance with the logic of the business process.

In this case, the model becomes necessary condition to automate the business process, however this model a business process requires a much more detailed study, because it must be "understandable" by the information system that automates the process.

Such a specific "consumer" of a business process model makes its development a difficult task, for which, as a rule, a systems analyst or even an IT developer who is familiar with the automation system is involved. Business representatives or business analysts in this case can only present a prototype of such a model, after which the agreed prototype must be seriously modified taking into account the peculiarities of the BPMS system.

What should you choose?

To determine the formats for describing business processes, it is necessary to analyze the size of the organization, its maturity in the field of business process management, and also to determine the consumers of the created description.

In a company from 50 to 500 people, a text or tabular description of the processes is quite enough to improve and regulate business processes, while the description can be carried out by employees and managers who have undergone specialized training on the topic of business process management.

In a company from 500 to 5000 people, you can also limit yourself to a text or tabular description using graphic notation for visualization of particularly "confusing" business processes with a large number of participants. In companies of this scale, in order to systematize the created description, it is necessary to maintain a register of business processes and regulations, as well as create templates for both regulations and graphical models.

In large companies with a staff of 5,000 or more, with a developed process office and high maturity in business process management, you can think about using Business Process Analysis tools for modeling business processes, within which you can create a single repository of business process models, and then create based on it, regulations of business processes and other regulatory documents.

BPMS systems are most effective where speed and control of the logic of the execution of business processes is important, therefore they are most often found in those processes where customer requests, orders, complaints and contracts are processed, regardless of the size of the company.

Business process modeling is one of the methods to improve the quality and efficiency of the organization. This method is based on the description of the process through various elements (actions, data, events, materials, etc.) inherent in the process. Typically, business process modeling describes the logical relationship of all elements of the process from its beginning to completion within an organization. In more complex situations, modeling may involve processes or systems external to the organization.

Business process modeling allows you to understand the work and analyze the organization. This is achieved due to the fact that models can be drawn up for various aspects and levels of management. In large organizations, business process modeling is performed in more detail and multifaceted than in small ones, which is associated with a large number of cross-functional relationships.

Typically, various computer tools and software are used to model business processes. This makes it easier to manage models, track changes in them, and reduce analysis time.

Business Process Modeling Objectives

The ultimate goal of business process modeling is to achieve performance improvement. To this end, the analysis focuses on increasing the value of the results of the process and reducing the cost and time of actions.

Business process modeling has several goals:

firstly, it is the purpose of describing processes. Through modeling, you can trace what happens in processes from start to finish. Modeling allows you to get an “outside” look at the processes and identify improvements that will increase their efficiency.
secondly, rationing of processes. Business process modeling sets the rules for the execution of processes, i.e. how they should be performed. By following the rules, guidelines, or requirements established in the models, the desired process performance can be achieved.
thirdly, the establishment of interconnections in the processes. Business process modeling establishes a clear connection between the processes and the requirements that they must fulfill.

Business process modeling stages

Modeling business processes, as a rule, includes the implementation of several sequential stages. Because the ultimate goal modeling is process improvement, it covers both the "design" part of the work, and work on the implementation of process models.

The composition of the stages that includes modeling business processes is as follows:

identifying processes and building an initial model "as is"... In order to improve the process, you need to understand how it works at the moment. At this stage, the boundaries of the process are determined, its key elements are identified, and data on the operation of the process is collected. As a result, the initial model of the process “as is” is created. This model does not always adequately reflect the work of the process, therefore the model of this stage can be called the "first draft" or the original model "as is".
revision, analysis and refinement of the original model... At this stage, contradictions and duplication of actions in the process are identified, the limitations of the process, the relationship of the process are determined, the need to change the process is established. As a result, the final version of the "as is" model is formed.
development of a model "as it should be"... After analyzing the existing situation, it is necessary to determine the desired state of the process. This desired state is represented in the "as it should be" model. This model shows how the process should look in the future, including any necessary improvements. During this stage of modeling business processes, such models are developed.
testing and applying the "as it should be" model... This stage of modeling is associated with the implementation of the developed model in the practice of the organization. The business process model is being tested and the necessary changes are made to it.
improvement of the "as it should be" model... Modeling business processes is not limited to the creation of a "how it should be" model. Each of the processes continues to change and improve along the way, so the process models should be regularly reviewed and improved. This stage of modeling is associated with continuous process improvement and improvement of the business process model.

Types of business process modeling

Business process modeling can have a different focus. It depends on what problems are supposed to be solved with its help. Taking into account absolutely all influences on the process can significantly complicate the model and lead to redundancy in the description of the process. To avoid this, business process modeling is divided by type. The type of simulation is selected depending on the studied characteristics of the process.

For the purposes of improving the process, the following types of modeling are used:

Functional modeling... This type of modeling implies the description of processes in the form of interrelated, clearly structured functions. At the same time, a strict temporal sequence of functions, as it exists in real processes, is not required.
Object Modeling- implies the description of processes as a set of interacting objects - i.e. production units. An object is any item that is transformed during the execution of processes.
Simulation modeling - this type of business process modeling implies modeling the behavior of processes in various external and internal conditions with an analysis of the dynamic characteristics of processes and an analysis of resource allocation.

The division of modeling by type is performed to simplify the work and focus on certain characteristics of the process. In this case, different types of modeling can be applied for the same process. This allows you to work with one type of model independently of the others.

Business process modeling principles

Business process modeling is based on a number of principles that make it possible to create adequate process models. Their observance allows us to describe many parameters of the state of processes in such a way that within one model the components are closely interconnected, while the individual models remain sufficiently independent from each other.

The main principles of business process modeling are as follows:

Decomposition principle- each process can be represented by a set of hierarchically arranged elements. In accordance with this principle, the process must be detailed into its constituent elements.
Focus principle- to develop a model, it is necessary to abstract from the set of process parameters and focus on key aspects. For each model, these aspects may be different.
Documentation principle- the elements included in the process must be formalized and fixed in the model. Different designations must be used for different process elements. The fixation of elements in the model depends on the type of modeling and the chosen methods.
The principle of consistency- all elements included in the process model must have an unambiguous interpretation and not contradict each other.
The principle of completeness and sufficiency- before including this or that element in the model, it is necessary to assess its impact on the process. If an element is not essential for the execution of the process, then its inclusion in the model is not advisable, since it can only complicate the business process model.

Business process modeling methods

Today, there are a large number of methods for modeling business processes. These methods refer to different types simulations and allow you to focus on different aspects. They contain both graphic and textual means, due to which it is possible to visualize the main components of the process and give precise definitions of the parameters and relationships of elements.

Business process modeling is performed using the following methods:

Flow Chart Diagram is a graphical method of representing a process in which operations, data, process equipment, etc. are represented with special symbols. The method is used to display a logical sequence of process actions. The main advantage of the method is its flexibility. The process can be represented in many ways.
Data Flow Diagram A data flow diagram or DFD is used to display the transfer of information (data) from one operation of a process to another. The DFD describes the relationship between information and data transactions. This method is the basis of structural process analysis since allows you to decompose the process into logical levels. Each process can be broken down into sub-processes with a higher level of detail. The use of DFD allows you to reflect only the flow of information, but not the flow of materials. A data flow diagram shows how information enters and exits the process, what actions change the information, where the information is stored in the process, etc.
Role Activity Diagram It is used to model a process in terms of individual roles, role groups, and the interaction of roles in the process. A role is an abstract element of a process that performs some kind of organizational function... The role diagram shows the degree of "responsibility" for the process and its operations, as well as the interaction of roles.
IDEF (Integrated Definition for Function Modeling) is a whole set of methods for describing various aspects of business processes (IDEF0, IDEF1, IDEF1X, IDEF2, IDEF3, IDEF4, IDEF5). These methods are based on the SADT (Structured Analysis and Design Technique) methodology. The most commonly used methods for modeling business processes are IDEF0 and IDEF3.
IDEF0 - allows you to create a model of process functions. The IDEF0 diagram shows the main process functions, inputs, outputs, controls and devices associated with the main functions. The process can be decomposed to a lower level.
IDEF3 - This method allows you to create a "behavioral" model of the process. IDEF3 consists of two kinds of models. The first view is a description of the workflow. The second is a description of the transition states of objects.
Colored Petri nets- this method represents a process model in the form of a graph, where the vertices are the actions of the process, and the arcs of the event, due to which the transition of the process from one state to another is carried out. Petri nets are used to dynamically model the behavior of a process.
Unified Modeling Language (UML) is an object-oriented process modeling method. It consists of 9 different diagrams, each of which allows you to simulate individual static or dynamic aspects of the process.

Most of these methods are implemented as software... It allows you to support or analyze business processes. Examples of such software are the various CASE process modeling tools.

The material was prepared by the specialists of the company "Abis Soft"

How to make a choice

Before you start choosing a software product, you need to answer three basic questions:

1. What needs to be described?

2. To what extent do you need to describe?

3. How will performance be monitored?

When answering the first question, you should determine which areas of the control system you are going to describe, whether a comprehensive description of the entire system is necessary.

The answer to the second question should give an idea of whether the management system will be described for an individual business, department, or for the entire organization as a whole.

The third question will determine the restrictions that can be imposed on a software product so that its integration with the executive system can be carried out in the future.

Having answers to these questions, you can significantly narrow down the range of possible software products.

Possibility of multi-user work,
Methods for presenting results,
Interface and ergonomics,
Availability of documentation and technical support,
Hardware and software requirements,
Price.

Without pretending to be the ultimate truth, the authors of the review offer some options for evaluating the reviewed products.

1. If the company has already developed a strategy and it needs to be controlled, then of the foreign products discussed in the article, the solution is best suited for this Hyperion Performance Scorecard presented by Oracle.

2. If the main focus is on the business processes in the company, then the company's product is optimal. IBM - IBM WebSphere Business Modeler.

(It should be clarified that the choice of software from manufacturers such as IBM, Oracle, SAP, determined by the choice ERP-systems of the respective manufacturer. Their business modeling software is subsystems of complex products.)

3. Of Russian products, it is most advisable to use INTALEV: Corporate Navigator if you want to make a description of the entire company (holding) as a whole, and not just a single business unit (division or branch).

The information was obtained from representatives of manufacturers in the territory of the Russian Federation or from the official websites of manufacturers.

ARIS Business Performance Edition.

Implemented by means of the system IBM Rational ClearCase

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