Business Knowledge Capture and Reuse

Modelling Business Knowledge

It is commonly accepted that knowledge of the business ‘Architecture’ is a prerequisite foundation for any improvement program that the business may commence. Traditional methodologies define business architecture as the “relationship between People, Process and Technology”.

Our Approach

We differentiate by deriving a more detailed view of the 'People, Process, Technology' view by understanding the linkages at the next level of detail for each of the three key areas. Our modelling approach links these and creates a 9 way many-to-many on-line reference model.


Synoptic '9-way Crystal Ball' illustrated

The ‘People’ dimension

The ‘People’ map should detail the interrelationship between ‘Position’ as defined in the organisation chart, the ‘Roles’ those positions fill and the ‘Specific Individuals’ assigned to each position. A person has a position (job title) and may have more than one Role. Linking the person to the position and to their Roles in a partocular set of processes is a useful relationship to present.

Benefits include:

• skills matrix management
• training program requirements definition
• succession management
• realisation of Merger and Acquisition synergies
• system access management - security modelling
• new start induction

The ‘Process’ dimension

The ‘process’ map should detail the interrelationship between the Business Process, the Organisation Chart and the Management Model. In addition we capture and use information on Process for example: work instructions, the time and cost metrics, and skills requirements; As well as establish linkages from the model to relevant data sources such as applications or policy or procedure documents and to external information sources.

Benefits include:

• a clear multi level process hierarchy
• clarity on responsibilities by function or role
• linkage between the organisation chart and the business processes
• detailed path analysis
• work time and cycle time
• activity based costing, including the ‘cost to serve’ figure for each process or function
• full time equivalent calculation
• detailed relevant operational KPI’s
• clarity on the effectiveness of the supervisory process controls
• detailed procedures / work instructions
• detailed business requirements 

The ‘Technology’ dimension

The ‘Technology’ map should model the interrelationship between the various ‘Applications’, the ‘Data & Information’ flows and the ‘Process Service Points’. We link the steps across many processes to specific application systems is a useful relationship to present. For example, when enquiring about “which steps are supported by this system?”, or “which systems are involved in this process?”, the listing is easy to access.

Benefits include:

• a clear systems map showing the dependency each application has on the others
• linkage between technology and the business process service points (simple Service Oriented Architecture)
• detailed asset (inc. non IT assets) configuration management
• activity based costing by application by process
• calculation of the business benefits /case of changing an application

Avoiding the common pitfalls

Conventional BPR programmes suffer from poor productivity as a result of multiple documentation platforms being used, often by independent individuals.

For Example:

• process maps are typically captured in MS-Visio
• written documents (specifications, system design documents, user procedures / work instructions, training guides etc) are captured separately in separate MS-Word documents
• on-line reference content is provided separately via the existing Intranet architecture

Overwhelmingly our experience is that when different tools are used for different parts of a process analysis it becomes impossible to ensure accuracy, speed and maintain a current ‘version of the truth’. Worse still, after the programme completes and the consultants have gone away, the organisation is left with a mass of documentation they are expected to maintain. This is costly, error-prone and lengthy.

We use a modelling tool (as opposed to a process mapping tool) known as Holocentric Modeler. It has the ability to reduce the cost of project delivery and the cost of ongoing knowledge maintenance as wasteful and risky single-use tools such as MS-Visio, Word and Excel are avoided completely. It creates and maintains a ’single source of the truth’ by capturing re-usable process-related information in one place. For example, process maps can be further augmented with user procedures / detailed work instructions captured inside the map, and thereafter published at the push of a button in hard or soft copy to relevant users. Change the map, the procedures are changed in synch and the truth is preserved.