First thing to do in defining Business Process Model

Hi all,

I am kind of new in the business process modelling. Actually, I am an IT person who is try to solve office’s problems. To make it clear, I’ll tell you my situation.

In the company I am working for, I saw a fundamental problems in the process of defining business process. In the normal way, department in charge of making rules (says department R) will try to see problems or potential problems and try to solve it by producing a new formal rules. In order to implement the new rules, department in charge of business process (says department B) will produce new standard operating procedures (SOPs). Department R using the new rules and SOPs will ask IT department to adjust existing applications or create new applications.

In the process of developing new applications we (IT department) will follow our basic SDLC procedures from defining requirements, creating URS, SRS and SDD. Finally, developers will develop the applications, conducting internal test before User Acceptance Test and then launch the applications.

The problem is, when we defining requirement, which is basically base on new rules and SOP, often, we see some important things are missing. For example, in registration procedure, when a condition is met, the next procedures are clearly defined, but when the condition is not met, it is not clearly stated what to do. When we try to communicate this problem with department B, they says that it is not clearly defined also in the new rules provided by department R. Therefore, in doing so, they need to communicate with department R, and department R will produce new rules. The process will start from the beginning, and so on.

What I see here is, defining business process properly is not only good for department B, but also good for department R. In doing so, a problem of “other conditions” are not clearly anticipated will be avoided, in early stage (in the stage of defining new rules).

Personally, I want to introduce the concept of business process modelling to department B and department R. on the other hand, as I stated at the beginning, I am, myself, kind of new in the BPM world.

As far as I know, in defining a comprehensive business process model, there are key questions must be addressed, such as:

  1. how long is a task done by who
  2. what if a task is done longer than expected, or even not done at all
  3. what if a condition is met, what if not
  4. how do we know that a task is done properly, or not
  5. etc.

[b]My question is, where do i find those key questions, so I can pass them to the department B and R?

In defining a new business process, or enhancement of existing business process, what do I have to do first? Is there any clear step by step of it?
[/b]
FYI, the company I work for is a government institution, where rules provided by department R is a crucial guidance. Once we found a “defect” it is difficult to change. Therefore, avoiding defect is very important and a quick win method.

Any suggestions are welcome.

Thanks