Process Analysis Methodology (BPA)

Supporting the analysis of a business with a view to understand the processes and improving the
efficiency and effectiveness of its operations. Describing the processes involved, parties
participating, information exchanged and the rules that govern these exchanges.

Question

Addressed by BPA stage

What do we want to do?

Where are we?
Where do we want to go?
How do we get there?

Project Definition and Scope

As-Is Description / Analysis
To-Be Design / Validation
opportunities for improvement & Implement ToBe processes

Facilities

Parties

Processes

Information

Facilitation Measures
Benchmark Processes
Simplify Processes
Automate Information Flows
Address Bottlenecks

By Rina Els (Redelinghuys)

Standardise Documents and Messages

Standardise Data
Adopt e-Business Systems

21.08.2013

Process Analysis Methodology (BPA) Phases

Facilitation
Goals
Recommendations
Measures

Harmonization
Projects

Derived from

Single Window Concept

Common Models (data)

Policy and Procedure

Outlined by management/
Department head

Digitize Paper
Create electronic documents
Use of Core Components

Incl.

Includes

Tools

Scope
definition

BPA Phase
Define Scope

Document

simplification
BPA Phase
Information collection
Interviewing and As-Is
Modelling

Process
Model

BPA Phase
Identify improvements and
recommendations
Develop To-Be model

Scope of Business Process Analysis (BPA)

By Rina Els (Redelinghuys)

SharePoint
(core component library)

Templates
Models

Data
Model
Electronic
documents

Implementation

21.08.2013

Stages
o

Identify the scope of work

The first step in any project is to identify the scope of work.

Deliverables

Dos

Donts

Use case diagrams, and

descriptions illustrating:
Business domain
Process areas
Process participants
Business processes in
which these participants
interact
Other expected
outcomes e.g. related
laws and regulations, a
collection of related
forms and required
documents related to
the processes under
study

Be precise about the scope of the

process analysis study.
Set the scope from the
perspective of the beneficiary.

Do not set a scope that is too

broad or vague.
The process analysis study can be
split into several small projects.

The next stage is to analyse and describe the As-Is process.

Measures to streamline, harmonize, simplify and automate procedures and documents within a department
/division/ branch/region can only be identified and carried out out once a clear picture of the current

situation has been obtained. (BPA is an excellent way to improve efficiency. It provides the means to
describe the processes involved.)
Deliverables on Document the As-Is processes
(Acquire background information)

Deliverables

Dos

Donts

A folder of background
information on the business
processes which may be
accompanied by a brief
explanatory note of each business
activity.

Collect background information

from several available sources as
far as possible.

Do not jump to any interview

session before the interviewers
have grasped some good
background information and are
familiar with the organization and
the specific business processes
under interview.

A list of guiding questions for the

interview.

Deliverables on conducting interviews, consolidate and document the business processes

Deliverables

Dos

Donts

A set of business process

descriptions including:
Process diagrams: (usecase and activity
diagrams)

Define and document processes

in a way that reflects the current
state of practices

In the first interview, do not give

the questions to the interviewees
beforehand as this does not lead
to an open discussion. However
they should be informed of the

By Rina Els (Redelinghuys)

21.08.2013

overall expectations and the

specific business processes of
interest.

Process descriptions:
use- case descriptions
Time-procedure chart
Trade forms and
documents
Trade related rules and
regulations
When describing and
documenting a process, start with
the activity diagram. Drawing
helps formulate ideas and a
logical sequence of activities.
Drawing the first diagram will
probably be a struggle. When you
realize that connecting the two
activities in a logical sequence
does not make sense, it means
that there may be some activities
missing in between.
Write down questions that arise
when drawing and use them for
another interview session.
Structure the second round of the
interview based on these
questions.
Be considerate of interviewees
precious time. Try to use their
time efficiently.
Hold an experience-sharing
session among the team of
process analysts from time to
time. Experience sharing allows
one to observe and describe
patterns in processes across a
business domain
Always re-use patterns (diagram
of identical processes) where
applicable. Re-using patterns
saves time and ensures the
consistency of processes across a
business domain.

By Rina Els (Redelinghuys)

Do not attempt to create

processes that look perfect from
the beginning. Perfection does
not represent what actually
happens in reality and thus
cannot serve as a baseline for
improvement.

21.08.2013

As-Is process

Identify problem areas causing delays; duplicated procedures; redundant

documentary requirements, etc. Improvements can be made by the use of
standardized documents, recommendations and the adoption of the single window
approach to provide a common data input to previously independent systems.
Performance measures such as the average time to execute a process may be
compared to targets to help identify areas for improvement.
Opportunities for improvement
Performance measures:
o On the basis of the As-Is processes, determine the average time
taken to complete the processes, the average number of
consignments awaiting clearance, etc. Compare with targets set
by management
Identify bottlenecks
o Activity diagrams may help to identify bottlenecks. Can these be
eliminated by additional resources, or by re-organizing the
processes, carrying out processes in parallel rather than
sequentially?
Best practice
o Do the current processes use the best practices and standards?
Reduce data requirements
o Identify the minimum information needed to enable each process
to be carried out. Can the amount of data be reduced from that
currently demanded?
Harmonize data
o Can the data required by different processes be harmonized to
simplify the requirements of those submitting the data
Single Window
o Can a single input be used by different departments (SharePoint /
Intranet)
Electronic input
o Consider changing from paper input to computer input to reduce
delays and errors.

As-Is Overall Deliverables

Deliverables

Dos

Donts

A set of observations of the ASIS processes that have the

potential to be improved

When conducting interviewing

session and per review activities,
ask questions to interviewees and
experts about their opinions and
observations on any bottlenecks
and issues related to the process,
documentary requirements, rules
and regulations that should be
improved, and how to improve
them.

Do not wait to the end to analyse

and identify any bottlenecks and
observations for improvement,
but rather incrementally collect
related opinions and observations
throughout all phases of the
process analysis study.

By Rina Els (Redelinghuys)

21.08.2013

The next state of the business process analysis process is to specify the TO-BE process, having identified
improvements to implement.

To-Be process

When designing and implementing the improved processes in this phase, it is

necessary to identify opportunities for improvements in the previous phase. The
analysis of the business processes carried out in the previous stages will have
identified several ways in which the overall process can be made more effective and
efficient. Some of these may involve policy changes but most will involve
streamlining procedures, removing duplication of information collection and
replacing paper-based systems by e-business procedures. Business Process
modelling can be used to design an improved system and support its
implementation. The goal is that the results of the BPA project can be implemented
or integrated with existing systems as seamlessly as possible.

Deliverables

Dos

Donts

Diagrams of To-Be processes

Process, Use-Case, and

Activity Diagrams
Process and Use-Case
descriptions
Data models can be
included the aligned data
and workflow
Final report with
recommendations for process
simplification which may include
diagrams of To-Be business
processes

Consult with relevant

stakeholders to find the limitation
of what can and cannot be done
for process improvement
recommendations.

Do not assume that all proposed

recommendations can be
implemented.

By Rina Els (Redelinghuys)

Listen to the reasons why a

particular procedural requirement
or documentary requirement is
necessary.

21.08.2013

Business Process Analysis Map

Business Process Analysis helps to achieve the goals of a project by providing a methodology to analyse the
processes involved, the participating parties, the information exchanged and the rules that govern the way the
process is executed. The result is an overview of the relevant business aspects with a view to improving the
efficiency and effectiveness of its operations.

Business Process Analysis

Utilization of Reference Model

Usage scenarios

The process analysis

Methodology

Tool support for BPA

Establish the project

and team

Identify opportunities for

Improved processes

Identity
scope of work

BPA and Benchmarking

AS IS Process

Examples

TO BE Process

Diagrams

By Rina Els (Redelinghuys)

21.08.2013