Arnold Consultancy

What are Business Processes & Why is Process Definition So Important?

A company will only operate at maximum efficiency if its business processes are correctly defined and implemented. That is what process reengineering and process redesign have been all about. But what is rarely addressed is just what is a ‘business process’? It sounds a simple question, or maybe it sounds like a topic for intellectual discussion but one which doesn’t have much meaning in the real world. But inadequate definition of what the business processes are, or, more to the point, what they should be, will definitely affect the efficiency, and may well determine the ultimate success or failure of a company. Your company.

Read "What is a Business Process" and you will see exactly what we mean, and read the following “Brief Case Study” for a real world example.

Consultancies often begin by telling their customers "First we should model the current processes".

That is just plain wrong. Considering the current processes is important further down the analysis road, but it is certainly not the best first step to take if you want to improve business performance. 

Read "Business Process Re-engineering & Car Mechanics" to see why.

And if the title "Cost Cutting & Bomb Disposal" doesn't give you all the clues you need, read that article to find out why looking to reduce costs based on a model of your current processes is a really bad idea. 

That is very often the clarion call for a company looking to improve its performance. If they say it to an IT supplier, they will get no argument. If they say it to the Arnold Consultancy, we will challenge them, and as a result we will often save them money; a lot of money.

Read the whimsical, but seriously cautionary, "Tale of Business Process Improvement and the Coal-Fired Toaster" before you embark on an IT development which might easily pour an awful lot of money down the drain.

If the articles strike a chord with you  - and they probably will - then you should think about getting in touch. We can help you to make a real, positive, difference to the way your company performs, whether the market is booming, or flagging.