Business process reengineering methodology – does it work?

The traditional definition is that Business Process Reengineering Methodology involves the radical redesign of core business processes to achieve dramatic improvements in productivity, cycle times and quality.

The change is extreme, starting with a blank sheet of paper and ending with a completely new process, always thinking about the value to offer the client.

The emphasis is on the customer’s needs, always.

Layers of work, steps, and employees can be cut if we realize they do not add any value to the client.

What is the difference between Business Process Reengineering Methodology and the BPM methodology?

You may be thinking that this is exactly what BPM does. It is not, however, the case, since BPR and BPM are two different things.

 

Business Process Management Methodology Business Process Reengineering Methodology
BPM focuses more on the automation of processes; therefore, the risk is much lower. BPR is riskier and it aims to redesign the corporation from the bottom up.
BPM focuses on one process at a time, using what already exists. BPR erases all the processes, starting fresh with all of them.
BPM is more about management and optimization. BPR is about the redesign on the radical side of the process.
With BPM, although it is important that is built into the company’s culture, the change is gradual and therefore easier to follow. With Business Process Reengineering Methodology, even the mission and vision of the company could be redesigned and reconsidered. It can be uncomfortable and arduous for the ones involved.
The change happens gradually, is cyclical and endless – to guarantee continuity. The change happens fast and at one go – to avoid being stuck in the way things are.

 

BPM contributes directly to the customer satisfaction by immediately working on the specific processes that need change, prioritizing them. BPR studies the entirety of the organization’s processes, removes the ones that do not add value to the customer and are barriers to the company’s growth and completely redesign the others.

Business process reengineering methodology – steps and tips

With BPR, it is important to:

  • Organize around outcomes, not tasks.
  • Integrate information processing work into the real work that produces the information.
  • Link parallel activities in the workflow instead of just integrating their results.
  • Put the decision point where the work is performed, and build control into the process.
  • Capture information once and at the source.

There is also, as always, some steps to follow.

  1. Prepare for reengineering. Planning and preparation are vital to any change, especially in a radical one like what BPR brings.
  2. Analyze and map the AS-IS processes. Check out this tool for process modeling and create your free account: HEFLO BPMN Modeling Tool.
  3. Identify the unnecessary tasks and processes, cutting then.
  4. Design from scratch and validate the TO-BE processes.
  5. Implement the reengineering process, adapting your organization to them.

So, should I use business process reengineering methodology when optimizing my company’s processes? This question can only be answered within each organization. BPR and BPM are different and many times complementary to each other.

Although BPR can seem hard to implement, the key is in how you do it. Choosing a reliable and effective software or professional in the project is what will define its success or failure.

Business process reengineering methodology aims for total reinvention, and it does not believe in small improvements. Is your company up to that?

Read also Business Process Reengineering Examples – Understand and Learn from them.

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