The Insiders Guide to BPM - Step 4

The Insiders’ Guide to
BPM
7 Steps to Process Mastery
By Terry Schurter Step 4 – Orchestrate for Real
Time Demand

The Insiders’ Guide to BPM: Step 4 Orchestrate for Real Time
Demand
What we know…
1. Work doesn’t conform to neat process models and nice rules
2. Instead, it is “driven” by the context of the moment
3. And there is always a new challenge we must address lurking
just around the corner!
We also know…
1. More often than not, the SYSTEM doesn’t help us adapt
2. Instead, it acts as a BARRIER to getting work done!
So we must design our processes to…
1. Enable adaptation, not be a barrier to it!
Orchestrate for Real Time Demand
2The Insiders’ Guide to BPM by Terry Schurter - www.tschurter.com

Demand
To build a foundation for process orchestration needs, we can look
at 5 (five) process characteristics that deeply influence
orchestration requirements. These 5 characteristics are:
1. Work Assignment: How each participant has their work assigned
2. Task Order: The order pattern in which they perform their Tasks
3. Work Patterns: The work pattern for work items
4. Work Triggers: How work is “triggered” (available)
5. Process Duration: Duration (elapsed time) from start to finish
Understanding Orchestration Needs

Demand
Orchestration needs are assessed for each process Participant
defined in Step 2 – helping us to understand the needs of each
of these groups of people.
In addition, because Supervisors and Managers are often directly
responsible for work orchestration these roles are also
included in the orchestration assessment.
Note – starting with this step (4) we are capturing process characteristics for
the overall process experience, not Task by Task.
Orchestration Needs: Participants and Managers

Demand
Work Assignment – Examples
By understanding how work is assigned, we can provide process Builders with the
insights to empower real-time orchestration of work assignments based on how work
actually gets done by Participants and Managers.
WORK SELECTION DESCRIPTION
Selections
Assigned by system Work is automatically assigned by a software system
In the system, I select Participants select from a list of available work in a system
Self-directed (my judgment) Participants determine what they will work and when
Assigned by superior Work is assigned by a supervisor (person)

Demand
Task Order – Examples
By understanding the order in which process Participants perform their work, we can
provide process Builders with the insights to empower real-time orchestration of
Tasks in the patterns that Participants and Managers require to be effective.
TASK ORDER DESCRIPTION
Selections
In order Work is performed in a specific order with little or no deviation
Usually in order Work is usually performed in a certain order, but variations do occur
Self-directed order
The order of Tasks performed can vary, and is self-directed by the
process Participant

Demand
Work Patterns – Examples
Work patterns describe how process Participants interact with work items. In many
cases, Participants move between multiple items or perform concurrent work.
Knowing these work patterns, process Builders can design user experiences that
empower Participants to effectively and efficiently engage in multiple work item
behaviors – as their real-time context demands.
WORK PATTERNS DESCRIPTION
Selections
Only one item at a time Work is started and completed on one item at a time
Switch between items
Work occurs on multiple items, but only one item is open at a
time
Work on multiple items
Work occurs on multiple items at the same time (multiple items
are open)

Demand
Work Triggers – Examples
Understanding work triggers tells process Builders how to facilitate the initiation of
work items. Because work is often triggered in different ways, process Builders must
provide the right capabilities to initiate work items - for the right person (or people).
Where multiple triggers exist, this represents its own form of process orchestration.
WORK TRIGGERS DESCRIPTION
Selections
The system - always All work is triggered by a system
The system - with
exceptions
Work is triggered by a system - but some work is triggered from
other places
Customers
(direct to me)
Customers trigger work through direct interaction with the
Participant
By supervisor Work is triggered by a supervisor
Other employees Work is triggered by other employees
Multiple places Work triggers come from multiple places

Demand
Process Duration – Examples
Process duration can deeply affect the process experience and process design
requirements. Extremely long process durations require far richer context, as
Participants are unlikely to “remember” specific details of a work item. Conversely,
work items completed in the same day often require a highly streamlined user
experience to be effective.
PROCESS DURATION DESCRIPTION (refers to total elapsed time)
Selections
Less than a day Less than one day
A day or more A day or more, but generally less than a week
A week or more A week or more, but generally less than a month
A month or more One month or more

Demand
In Step 4 we have:
1) Assessed orchestration demands with 5 orchestration
characteristics
2) Applied these characteristics to each process Participant
3) Included Supervisors and Managers in our assessment, where
this applies
4) Producing information that will help process Builders develop
the most efficient and contextually-relevant process design
*The examples provided in this step can be augmented or adapted as needed to
produce the most useful orchestration assessment. In fact, challenging
orchestration characteristic options can lead to new process insights and
discoveries.
Orchestration for Real Time Demand - Summary

Demand
http://www.amazon.com/Insiders-Guide-BPM-Process-Mastery/dp/0929652096
Would you like to learn more about Mastering BPM?
http://acuitystudio.com/human-centric-process-analysis-and-improvement/

The Insiders Guide to BPM - Step 4

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

Recently uploaded

Recently uploaded (20)

Featured

Featured (20)

The Insiders Guide to BPM - Step 4