Business
Process Management Articles
Creating The Momentum For Process
Change
Alam Ramias, Performance Design
Lab, BPM Institute Newsletter and Website, June 2,
2008.
Alan offers five imperatives in order to launch your process
improvement initiative. These imperatives address the usually heard
complaint "Our improvement projects usually seem to get stuck
between current and future state. We get the ‘is’ process mapped out
okay, but we can’t beyond that".
Follow Three Best Practices to Succeed at Business
Activity Monitoring
Henry
Peyret, Forrester Research, Intelligent Enterprise
Newsletter and Website, April
2008.
BAM can monitor crucial key performance indicators around
time, cost, quality, and productivity, but many firms struggle when
deploying the technology. Three best practices will jump start your
project and help you choose the right metrics and alert
levels.
BPM and Its
Enemies
Bruce Silver, Bruce Silver Associates, BPM
Institute Website and Newsletter, July 16,
2008.
Bruce Silver's first BPMS Watch column, over three
years ago, was titled “Without a BPMS, It’s Not Really BPM.” And to
a large degree he still believes that, although today he would
probably tone it down to something like “without a BPMS, you can’t
realize all the benefits of BPM.” That view is certainly less
radical now than it was in 2005, as both developers and
developer-oriented tool vendors have increasingly embraced the BPM
Suite idea.
Process Mapping - Collaboration Is
Key
Karen Tricomi, BPTrends Website and Newsletter, June 20,
2008.
Wherever a business is on the continuum of process analysis,
improvement, or re-engineering, the initial step is to understand
how people do what they do. A process map can get you
started. A process map defines how an organization performs
work: the steps involved and their sequence; who is responsible for
each step; and how work groups interact.
The Secret Sauce of BPM
Success
Doug Henschen, Intelligent Enterprise
Newsletter and Website, March, 2008.
The business process management market is heating up, and a
new report reveals that centers of excellence are the key ingredient
of deployment success.
Displaying Project Storyboards Reenergizes
Effort
Timothy J.
Soehl,
iSixSigma Finance Website and Newsletter, July 23,
2008
Leveraging process improvement successes by developing an
effective companywide communication strategy will help focus
employee and client opinions on the benefits of Lean Six Sigma. By
highlighting specific improvement examples, everyone will gain a
better understanding of what the method can provide. This can be
done by displaying the storyboards of successful projects within the
office where both external and internal clients will have the
opportunity to read them.
The Change Game: Engaging Exercises to Teach
Change
J. DeLayne
Stroud,
DeLeeuw Assoicates, iSixSigma Finance Newsletter and Website, July
09, 2008.
By using simulations, exercises or games,
practitioners can enliven their learning environments and improve
knowledge retention, skills and applications. While some adults see
games in class as childish, as long as the games are not too
ridiculous, many adults are willing to give them a try. The three
games described here teach lessons about dealing with situations
involving change, which are good practice for understanding the
reactions that may follow a Lean Six Sigma
deployment.
Six Sigma and Innovation Need Not Be
Exclusive
Daniela Marzagao, Global Productivity Solutions,
iSixSigma Newsletter and Website, July 21,
2008.
To
some, it may seem that Six Sigma and innovation are paradoxical.
What may seem like creative problem solving in one method may be
considered wasteful rework in the other. But integrating the two
methods is possible through the use of TRIZ, and can produce
positive results. The TRIZ algorithms, such as the inventive
principles method, strengthen Six Sigma's power of generating
change. The input of TRIZ may increase efficiency in existing
processes, as well as in the creation of new products, services and
processes.
Business
Process Outsourcing Articles
Business Process
Innovation
Nari Kannan, Ajira Technologies, Inc. Outsourcing
Magazine and Website, Malaysia, June,
2008.
Process
Innovation and Business Transformation are mentioned by buyers of
outsourcing services as well as vendors. Often, the reality is that
once the business process is outsourced, both buyers and vendors are
more into stabilizing the business process and making it work as it
did before than they are in process innovation. Business Process
Outsourcing is portrayed as a transformative activity, but that
potential is ignored for the most part. Roadblocks to process
innovation are many. Cost savings is only one of the benefits that
can accrue from outsourcing. Efficiency and effectiveness
improvements can also come, if roadblocks are identified, and
removed systematically. Technology and other process innovation
techniques promise a number of efficiency and effectiveness
improvements that deliver true business transformation.
E-learning: Corporate segment will remain attractive
Valuenotes
Newsletter and Website,
June 11, 2008.
E-learning
fundamentally involves dissemination of learning through a variety
of multimedia platforms. Driven by the need for constant upgrading
of skills coupled with remarkable growth of communication
technology, E-learning is rapidly gaining momentum worldwide to
evolve into an industry. Despite being nascent, the E-learning
industry has evolved to provide a range of services including
educational consultancy, training needs analysis, content
customization, content creation, knowledge portals, E-briefing,
Training partnerships, and monitoring.
Private Equity Firms: Value Creation through Services
Globalization
Tholons Globalization Review Newsletter and Website,
July 2008.
Private Equity firms (PE) have started to look
beyond their roles as mere providers of capital. Companies are
looking for true business partners, who can contribute significantly
to business growth, operational excellence and providing management
guidance.
BPO Activity in Emerging Economies Increases While
Mature Economies Pause for
Thought
NelsonHall BPO
Insight Newsletter and Website,
July 2008.
NelsonHall's BPO Index analyzes the state of the global
market for business process outsourcing, presents a review of
contract activity in the first half of 2008, and identifies major
developments in the BPO marketplace. The Q2 BPO Index reveals a
pause in BPO contract signings in the mature economies, while BPO
activity in emerging economies is on the increase.
Follow Brainstorming Basics to Generate New
Ideas
G.Venkatesh, Forest College and Research Institute,
iSixSigma Newsletter and Website, July 3,
2008.
Before brainstorming, it is important to understand not only
the fundamentals of the method, but also how to prepare for and
conduct a session. With the right atmosphere, team members and
encouragement, the ideas will flow. Although the classic
brainstorming technique usually provides positive results, there are
a number of variations that may be worth a shot as well, including
the nominal group, group passing and team idea mapping techniques.
New technology has also provided for a breakthrough in
brainstorming.
Seven Focus Areas to Drive Lean Six Sigma
Results
Karl
Wiliiams, Six Sigma Advantage, iSixSigma Software
Newsletter and Website,
July 2, 2008.
A Lean Six
Sigma program that incorporates technically knowledgeable and
motivated people at all phases of the deployment, along with a solid
project charter and proper incentives, will not only ensure
successful teams and management buy-in, but will also deliver better
business results in the long term. Here are seven focus areas will
help drive passion and results, and make any projects in a Lean Six
Sigma program successful.
Enlist Process Owners to
Survive an Absence of Data
Aaron Spearin, iSixSigma Newsletter and Website,
July 28, 2008.
Although real data is always preferred, in the absence of
data, a valid direction may still be found through a creative
approach and good old-fashioned interpersonal communication with
people who understand the process. In this article, a team of Black
Belts faces a situation where verifiable data is not immediately
available. They decide to conduct an affinity opinion poll to
determine defects in a process. When real data becomes available, it
is nearly in line with the opinions gathered, demonstrating the
value of process owner input.
Notable
News
Briefings: Outsourcing: A complete guide for
CIOs
CIO Insight Newsletter and Website, July 17, 2008.
U.S. companies are increasingly
outsourcing portions of their business functions, both domestically
and overseas, usually in an effort to save money or increase
operational capabilities. Within this month's CIO Briefing, you'll
find outsourcing case studies, news and trend articles on the
strategies, execution and tools and technologies behind successful
outsourcing.
Outsourcing Uptick Result Of Slow
Economy
CIO Insight Newsletter and Website, July 17
2008.
Are CIOs and
their companies running scared? Hardly. Although an uptick in
outsourcing deals in the past six months makes it seem that way.
Advisory firm TPI, which tracks large outsourcing deals, reported
yesterday that the number of outsourcing contracts awarded in the
first half of the year is the highest it's been in more than 10
years. The value of those contract deals -- totaling nearly $49
billion -- is on a trajectory to eclipse that for all of 2004, the
most prolific year since TPI began publishing its quarterly index
six years ago.
BPOs get their act together to fight
inflation
The Business Standard Newspaper and
Website, June 25,
2008.
IT-BPO firms, which are already facing a US slowdown and
currency fluctuations, are now busy in firming up their plans to
tackle a rising inflation in the country and its impact on salary,
sales, general and administrative (SG&A) and travel costs, which
can dent their profit margins.
10 Tips to Finding Great Web Design
Services
Molly E. Holzschlag, CIO Insight Newsletter and Website, April 23,
2008.
Waking up from a snooze on the way to Australia recently,
Molly chatted a bit with her seatmate over prelanding tea. This
well-dressed Englishman's work is to purchase a variety of IT
services, and his company has a wide variety of needs and concerns.
During our conversation, it became clear that, while he was aware of
industry buzz terms such as Ajax and Web 2.0, he admittedly had
little idea what they really meant, nor how to find top-quality Web
design and development services and solutions for a fair
price.
Six Sigma Has Successful Start in a Shanghai
Hospital
Emily Luyun Zhao, GE Healthcare China,
iSixSigma Healthcare Newsletter and
Website, July 1,
2008.
The success of Six Sigma as a tool in healthcare continues to
spread to all corners of the world. Inspired by a Sino-U.S. hospital
management seminar, a Shanghai hospital conducted an exploration of
Six Sigma in a series of positive team projects. After six months,
the eight projects the hospital started had not only helped it
realize the equivalent of US$135,000 benefit in clinical, nursing,
diagnostic, logistic and administrative departments, but also had
refreshed the hospital's management capabilities to a quantitative
level.
Insurers Target Single Sign-On
Capabilities
Nathan Conz,
Insurance and Technology, July 09,
2008.
Insurers in the midst of single sign-on projects,
such as Medical Mutual of Ohio and Nationwide, share best practices
and the business rationale behind their initiatives.
Not Too Early for Lenders to Regroup and Think
Ahead
Maria
Bruno-Britz,
Bank Systems & Technology, June 24,
2008.
Banks are beginning to demand a
variety of new solutions that will bring them through the lending
downturn and position them for the eventual
upswing.
Notable
Events
Leonardo Process
Days '08
August 12- August 15,
2008. Sydney. Australia. Leonardo
Consulting
Shared Services Week Asia Summit
2008
August 19- August 20,
2008. Singapore. IQPC
3rd
Annual Service Level Agreements Conference-
Operationalizing Your
Contract
September 29 - October 1. JW Marriott.
Mumbai, India. Infor-Media India.
Nari
Kannan, CEO, Ajira Technologies, Inc will present the topic "A
Framework for Business Process Outsourcing Governance" at this
conference.
Business
Process Management Conference Europe
2008
September 29- October 1,
2008. London. IRM UK.
BPM Think Tank 2008
October 6 - October 7, 2008. Chicago, IL. Object
Management Summit.
Global Lean, Six Sigma, and Business Improvement
Summit & Awards
October14 - October
17, 2008. Orlando, FL. WCBF.
The 9th Business Process Management
Summit
October 27 - October 30, 2008. Las
Vegas, NV. IQPC.
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