What is Business Process Management (BPM)?

BPM is a way of looking at and then controlling the processes that are present in an organization. It is an effective methodology to use in times of crisis to make certain that the processes are efficient and effective, as this will result in a better and more cost efficient organization.

Learn how to improve your business processes by enrolling in the AIIM Business Process Management (BPM) Training Program.

BPM should not be a onetime exercise. It should involve a continuous evaluation of the processes and include taking actions to improve the total flow of processes. The steps that can be recognized in BPM are:

• Analyze
• Re-design and model
• Implement
• Monitor
• Manage
• Automate

This list indicates that most of the work is trying to understand the current situation and then to design and implement a better one. The last step however also indicates that technology has its place here as well, not only as systems on which processes take place, but also as a system that can help with the BPM activities.

This diagram from the AIIM BPM training course shows the elements present in most BPM suites. The elements of design and monitoring are immediately recognizable as important elements, also in the technology.

The rules engine and process registry indicate descriptions of the lessons learned from the analysis and design that allows the system to automate the process. A simple example of such a rule for a web retailer could be that the third item you buy is half price. The combination of the rules engine and registry allows a BPM suite to be a flexible tool that helps control and manage the business processes. Rules should be easy to update and change to make certain that any feedback from the monitoring tools can be used to further improve the processes. This all leads to a continuous cycle of evaluating and improving the organization.