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Success with your First BPM Project

So you are all set to start on your first BPM project implementation. You have done your homework, that is to say a Business Value Add analysis and have selected a “core” business process that is crying for more visibility and automation as your first implementation. But is that enough? Like the proverbial fat lady that hasn’t yet sung, while process selection is important, the key to success in a new BPM initiative lies in understanding the organizational challenges involved in successful delivery of the expected business value.

First BPM Project: Things to Remember

1. Solution building for and by the Business

Business has ownership at every step of the solution building process. Traditionally solution development involves business providing requirements which are thrown over a wall for IT to come up with an implementation. In a BPM implementation the business should be engaged and have ownership of every phase of the development process; from describing the business process in a common modeling language to the constant review and playback of progressive IT implementations of the various parts of the process.

This calls for a new role for business in IT development, something they would not have done earlier and may not be comfortable with. It also does not mean that the role of IT is in any way diminished. It does however reinforce the need for constant communication between these two important stakeholders of a solution at all points in its genesis.

2. Identified and engaged Stakeholders

Identify all the stakeholders early on in the process and get them involved as much as possible including in playbacks of the to date process implementation and make any adjustments as necessary. It is crucial that all stakeholders are represented, engaged and understand, ensuring every decision contributes towards the successful implementation and delivery of the system in your first BPM project.

3. Strong sponsorship from the top

For an organization used to its ways, any behavioral change needs a strong push from the top. A BPM implementation is typically cross functional and crosses business unit and application boundaries. Thus it is vital to identify the executive management that gets it and can push through the need to understand and derive maximum benefit from a new concept for an organization used to its traditional ways of solution delivery.

At the end of the day a business process is about continuous improvement and is implemented with the philosophy that “80% of a solution delivered today is better than 100% of a solution never delivered”.

This continuous improvement mindset with a clear focus on the strategic goal as set by and constantly communicated and reinforced within the organization is ultimately the environment in which business process management delivery thrives. We hope you found these tips for your first BPM project helpful.

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