What is Process Analysis?

Bill Darnall, Senior Member OCSTC

Cochair OCSTC Education

(Originally published in the November 2009 OCSTC TechniScribe)

This article begins a series about process analysis. Note a procedure is not a process, although both are sequential. A procedure is a sequence of human-executed commands. A process is a sequence of input-initiated actions or operations. Using internal resources, the process operates on the input and delivers an output. However, human interaction, including procedures, may be part of a process.

A process includes inputs, drivers, constraints, resources, operations, actions, decisions, and outputs. Process analysis is any methodology used to identify and to understand how the elements of a complex process work together. The reason for wanting to understand how a process works is so the process can be improved, simplified, or documented.

Because there are different types of processes, no single analytic methodology is best, or even appropriate. Likewise, there is no single tool that is best, or appropriate. Examples of processes include business processes, manufacturing processes, transportation processes, chemical processes, and mortgage processes. The objective of process analysis is to identify and to understand the relationships between each of the several elements of a given process. Process analysis results establish the basis for a functioning model of the process. Model validation occurs when predicted inputs/outputs match the observed physical inputs/outputs.

Terminology

One should distinguish carefully between process analysis methods, process analysis tools, and general-purpose tools. However, process analysis makes effective use of general-purpose tools. In addition, there are many process-specific methods and tools.

Examples of process analysis methods include case studies, six sigma, cause and effect diagrams, entity relationship diagrams, simulation models, flowcharts, taxonomies, and ontologies. General-purpose tools include spreadsheets, databases, and graphic charting programs. Complex tools include configurable process models and process-specific content management systems. Whether the process is simple or complex, one needs to begin with a set of process requirements and to understand fully the users’ needs.

Vendors

Microsoft’s familiar Word, Excel, Access, and Visio are popular tools used in process analysis and process modeling. Several vendors provide method-specific add-ins for Microsoft Office products. Two examples of add-ins are Orbis Software’s iServer BPM Suite and Telelogic’s System Architect. In addition to the cost of Microsoft Office, software add-ins increase costs from hundreds to a few thousand dollars.

Dozens of vendors provide dedicated process modeling and analysis tools. Commercial products include Casewise’s Corporate Modeler Suite, IDS Scheer’s ARIS Platform, IBM’s Rational Unified Process, iGrafx’s Process, and Sybase’s PowerDesigner Data Modeling Tool. One can spend thousands to tens of thousands of dollars on very sophisticated commercial products.

However, depending on your needs and your experience, you may not have to spend “big bucks” for tools. Inexpensive or free open source analysis tools are available. Examples of open source tools include TIBCO Studio, Bizagi Process Modeler, and Questetra BPM Suite. Expect to spend up to a few hundred dollars on documentation and support for open source software.

Getting started

Begin your analysis by assessing the situation. Is this a new or an existing process? What are the process requirements? What are the known problems? Is there a process glossary? Who are the process stakeholders? Who are the process users? What are the process resources? You should make a list of your questions. You should make separate lists for answers to your questions. It may be helpful to document several case studies.

What tool should you use to collect the information? You could use Microsoft Word to document case studies. You could use Excel, or even Access to build your lists. Taxonomies are formally structured lists. Taxonomies can have either linear or branched structures. Alternatively, you might use formal assessment worksheets that are part of a process modeling content management system.

Conclusion

A process model reflects the accuracy and completeness of the analysis.

To be continued

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So you put a lot of time, effort, and money into developing a stellar product, but did you think about how you can best inform those who buy it how to properly use it instead of abuse it?

How much money and company resources do you later spend on technical support issues that could have likely been avoided by covering critical information in the provided documentation.

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