A Comprehensive Guide to Business Process Analysis

In a business, every employee follows processes to deliver the tasks assigned to them aligning them with the organisation’s overarching products and services. However, when these day-to-day processes aren’t actively managed, inefficiencies can accumulate, resulting in unnecessary delays. This is where Business Process Analysis emerges as a systematic and data-driven solution to unravel the complexities of business processes. Business Process Analysis is an approach to examine the current process to understand how it operates, what is working well, the bottlenecks and delays and how the necessary improvements can be made.

In this blog, we will understand Business Process Analysis deeply and understand its role as a vital feature of BPM (Business Process Management) software.

What is Business Process Analysis?

Business Process Analysis is an approach that examines the intricacies of existing business processes. It seeks to comprehend how these processes function, pinpoint areas of improvement, and shed light on the bottlenecks and delays that may be hindering progress. By doing so, Business Process Analysis provides a structured framework for organisations to identify and implement necessary improvements.

Business Process Analysis is the key to the success of improvement initiatives. It serves as the guiding light that directs the efforts of your team toward the right problems. Without it, organisations address issues that may not yield significant benefits, and waste valuable time and resources in the process. In essence, Business Process Analysis empowers businesses with the knowledge and insights needed to make informed decisions, prioritise improvements, and drive transformative change.

Whether you’re seeking to optimise supply chain logistics, streamline customer service, or enhance manufacturing processes, Business Process Analysis is the key to unlocking operational excellence and staying competitive in today’s dynamic market. It is an indispensable tool for continuous improvement and long-term success.

Business Process Analysis vs Business Analysis: Is there a Difference?

Many people often get confused between Business Process Analysis and Business Analysis due to the similar name. While both concepts offer similar goals of improving an organisation’s performance, they have different scopes and focuses.

Business Process Analysis focuses on identifying and optimising specific business processes within an organisation. It delves into the intricacies of workflows, tasks, and operations to identify areas where efficiency can be improved, costs reduced, and effectiveness enhanced. Business Process Analysis experts map out existing processes, analyse data, and recommend changes to streamline operations.

On the other hand, Business Analysis is a broader concept that encompasses the assessment of an organisation’s overall business operations. Business Analysts aim to identify issues, gaps, and opportunities across various aspects of the organisation, including process, people, strategy, and technology. They then work to develop and implement solutions aligning with the organisation’s objectives, taking a bigger picture into account.

When Should You Apply Business Process Analysis?

Business Process Analysis is a vital tool in the arsenal of organisations striving for efficiency, agility, and continuous improvement. It involves a systematic examination of existing business processes to identify inefficiencies, bottlenecks, and opportunities for enhancement. While Business Process Analysis is a valuable practice, it is essential to know when and where to apply it effectively. Here are some scenarios where applying Business Process Analysis is not just beneficial but often necessary:

Experiencing Unidentified Issues like Regular Delays or Increased Customer Complaints
One of the most compelling reasons to apply Business Process Analysis is when an organisation is experiencing recurring problems within its processes. These issues might manifest as frequent delays in project completion, increased customer complaints, or declining quality of products or services. By conducting a thorough analysis of the existing processes, Business Process Analysis can help uncover the root causes of these problems. It provides a structured framework for diagnosing issues, thereby enabling organisations to implement targeted improvements.

Process Stakeholders Are Unclear About How to Carry Out a Process

When process stakeholders, including employees, managers, or even customers, are unclear about the steps, responsibilities, or objectives of a specific process, it can lead to confusion, errors, and inefficiencies. Business Process Analysis is particularly useful in such cases as it helps in documenting and visualising the ‘as-is’ process. This clarity aids in aligning everyone involved and ensures that processes are carried out consistently and correctly.

Before Introducing Automation 

Automation is a powerful tool that can significantly enhance productivity and reduce errors in processes. However, automating a flawed or inefficient process can magnify existing problems. Therefore, it’s crucial to map, analyse, and improve the process before implementing automation. By analysing and improving the process first, organisations can ensure that they automate the right steps, making the most of their investment in automation technology.

Replacing a Process with a New Version

As businesses evolve, so do their processes. When a team or department decides it’s time to replace an outdated process with a new version, Business Process Analysis can be invaluable. It provides a structured approach to assess the current process’s strengths and weaknesses, which informs the design of the new process. This ensures that the revised process is more efficient, aligned with current objectives, and addresses the shortcomings of the old one.

Continuous Improvement Initiatives

Continuous improvement is a cornerstone of successful organisations. Business Process Analysis plays a pivotal role in driving these initiatives. Whether it’s a Lean Six Sigma project or any other improvement methodology, Business Process Analysis provides the data and insights needed to make informed decisions about changes in processes. It allows organisations to measure the impact of improvements and track progress over time, ensuring that processes continually evolve to meet changing business needs.

Preparing for Growth or Scaling

When an organisation is poised for growth or expansion, its existing processes may not be equipped to handle the increased workload or complexity. Business Process Analysis can help identify areas where processes need to be reengineered or scaled to accommodate growth effectively. This proactive approach ensures that an organisation can expand seamlessly without encountering operational challenges.

What Are the Business Process Analysis Techniques?

Understanding and optimising business processes is vital for organisations seeking to enhance efficiency, reduce costs, and remain competitive. To translate this need into actionable insights, various Business Process Analysis techniques have emerged. These techniques provide a structured framework for examining processes, identifying areas for improvement, and making data-driven decisions. Here are some popular Business Process Analysis techniques that are widely used in businesses:

Value-added Analysis

Value-added analysis is a technique that helps organisations evaluate whether each activity within a process contributes value to the overall outcome. It distinguishes between customer value-adding activities that directly impact the final product or service and those that are non-value-added activities. By identifying and eliminating non-value-added activities, organisations can streamline processes, reduce waste, and enhance overall efficiency. This technique encourages a focus on what truly matters, ensuring that resources are allocated efficiently.

Root Cause Analysis

Root Cause Analysis is a method for identifying the underlying causes of problems or bottlenecks within a process. It delves deep into the reasons behind issues rather than just addressing their impacts. Root cause analysis involves techniques such as the “5 Whys” or fishbone diagrams to systematically trace problems back to their origins. Once the root causes are identified, organisations can implement targeted solutions to eliminate or mitigate these issues, preventing their recurrence and improving process performance.

Time Analysis

Time analysis is a technique that revolves around quantifying the time it takes for each activity within a process to be completed. It helps organisations pinpoint where delays or inefficiencies occur, allowing for targeted improvements. By measuring cycle times, waiting times, and processing times, businesses can identify areas for optimisation and implement strategies to reduce overall process duration.

Cost Analysis

Cost analysis involves examining the financial aspects of a process to determine its overall cost-effectiveness. It assesses the direct and indirect costs associated with process execution, including labour, materials, equipment, and overhead. By quantifying costs at each stage of the process, organisations can identify cost drivers and allocate resources more efficiently. Cost analysis helps make informed decisions about process improvements, cost reduction initiatives, and resource allocation.

Efficiency Analysis

Efficiency analysis assesses how efficiently resources are utilised within a process to achieve desired outcomes. It often involves the calculation of key performance indicators (KPIs) such as process cycle efficiency. By measuring and analysing these metrics, organisations can gauge the effectiveness of their processes and identify areas where improvements can be made. Efficiency analysis serves as a valuable tool for optimising workflows, enhancing productivity, and reducing waste.

What Benefits Does an Organisation Get From Business Process Analysis?

By evaluating existing processes and identifying areas for improvement, Business Process Analysis delivers a plethora of benefits that directly impact performance, efficiency, and effectiveness. Here are some key advantages of implementing Business Process Analysis:

Increased Customer Satisfaction

One of the primary goals of any business is to deliver the best product or services and increase customer satisfaction. The insights of business process analysis can help to formulate a strategy for enhancing your customer service. By analysing processes that receive low customer ratings, organisations can pinpoint specific pain points and areas of dissatisfaction. This granular understanding allows for targeted improvements, resulting in an immediate boost to customer satisfaction. When customers experience smoother interactions and quicker problem resolution, their loyalty and trust in the brand tend to increase.

Cost Reduction

Business Process Analysis brings transparency to the financial aspects of operations. It provides valuable data on the overall cost of a process, the expenses incurred due to delays, and the utilisation of resources. Armed with this information, organisations can make data-driven decisions to cut costs by eliminating redundant tasks, redirecting work to more cost-effective resources, or reducing delays in processes. Cost reduction through Business Process Analysis is not just a one-time benefit but an ongoing strategy for long-term financial efficiency.

Improved Productivity

Inefficiencies can hamper productivity significantly. Business Process Analysis systematically identifies these inefficiencies, allowing organisations to streamline processes and eliminate bottlenecks. As a result, teams can work more efficiently, completing tasks more quickly and with fewer errors. By optimising workflows, Business Process Analysis frees up valuable resources that can be reallocated to more strategic and value-added activities, further boosting productivity across the organisation.

Better Risk and Compliance Management

Business processes often involve compliance requirements and potential risks. Business Process Analysis helps organisations identify and assess these risks and compliance gaps systematically. By understanding where vulnerabilities lie within processes, organisations can take proactive steps to mitigate risks and ensure compliance adherence, leading to improved risk management practices, reduced exposure to legal and regulatory issues, and a lower likelihood of operational disruptions.

Identifying Automation Opportunities

Business Process Analysis provides organisations with insights into processes that are ripe for automation. By analysing high-volume, manual-intensive processes with numerous handoff points, organisations can identify tasks that are well-suited for automation. Implementing automation in these areas not only increases efficiency but also reduces errors, frees up human resources for more strategic roles, and accelerates the overall pace of operations.

How to Conduct Business Process Analysis: A Step-by-Step Procedure

Processes can quickly become obsolete or inefficient due to evolving technology and shifting regulations in this dynamic business environment. To stay competitive and ensure optimal efficiency, organisations must regularly evaluate and improve their business processes. Conducting a Business Process Analysis is a structured approach to achieve this goal. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to conduct a Business Process Analysis effectively:

Step 1: Determine a Process to Analyse

The first step in conducting a Business Process Analysis is selecting the specific process you want to analyse. This process should be an “as-is” representation of your current business operations. Choose a process that is both relevant to your organisation and has a significant impact on your bottom line. Establish a clear starting and ending point for the selected process, as this will serve as a benchmark for measuring improvements.

Common business processes that can be analysed include new hire onboarding, purchase orders, invoice approvals, vendor management, and sales orders, among others.

Step 2: Collect Data About the Process

Once you’ve identified the process, gather as much data as possible related to it. Identify the key individuals or stakeholders involved in the process and document their roles. Collect information on when the process is executed, how frequently it occurs, the tools and technology used, and any written steps or guidelines that are currently followed.

To gain a comprehensive understanding of the process, it can be beneficial to observe someone performing it from start to finish, allowing you to witness its flow and individual steps.

Step 3: Map Out the Process

Business processes can be complex, involving multiple steps and stakeholders. To gain a clear visual representation, create a process map or workflow that outlines each step of the process from its initiation to its conclusion. This visual representation helps in understanding the roles and responsibilities of stakeholders and the sequence of activities involved.

Utilising customisable templates can expedite the process mapping and make it more manageable, especially for intricate processes.

Step 4: Analyse the Process

With the process mapped out, it’s time to delve into analysis. The primary objective is to identify weaknesses or inefficiencies within the current process and find ways to address them. Ask critical questions such as:

• Are there any steps causing unnecessary delays?
• Which aspects are most time-consuming?
• Do stakeholders have the necessary resources and support?
• Can certain steps be automated or eliminated?
• What are common complaints or pain points from those involved in the process?
• Where are the potential points of human error?

You can find the answers by taking a closer look at the process diagram that you created in the previous step. Additionally, seeking feedback from key stakeholders is crucial to ensure that all perspectives are considered.

Let’s look at a case study. Peterborough County, located in Ontario, an upper-tier municipality representing eight local municipalities, used PRIME BPM to embark on its business process transformation journey to boost efficiencies.

Mapping and analysing their processes through PRIME BPM allowed them to reap the below benefits, including:

• Estimated saving of 280 hours of staff time by automating a highly manual process.
• Reallocation of $850k in operational savings.
• Reduced wait time and significantly enhanced citizen services.

Identifying these savings would’ve been difficult without a thorough analysis. So what did they do? They used PRIME BPM to gather insights, streamline knowledge sharing and support training. Readily available process insights through continuous process analysis helped Peterborough County to become a process-dependent organisation instead of a people-dependent organisation.

Step 5: Develop a “To-Be” Plan

Once you’ve identified areas for improvement, create a “to-be” plan that outlines how you envision the future state of the process. Define the changes, enhancements, or optimisations that need to be made to address the weaknesses identified during the analysis. It’s essential to preview and test this new process to ensure its effectiveness and smooth functionality.

Step 6: Implement and Reevaluate

After developing the “to-be” plan, phase out the old process and introduce the new one. Communicate any changes to the stakeholders involved and monitor their adherence to the new process.

It’s important to recognise that Business Process Analysis is not a one-time task. Continuous improvement is key to maintaining efficiency and effectiveness. Therefore, periodically revisit and reevaluate your processes to ensure they remain aligned with your organisational goals and seek out further opportunities for improvement.

Choosing the Software for Business Process Analysis

Business Process Analysis is an indispensable practice for organisations aiming to thrive in a dynamic and competitive business landscape. This comprehensive guide has shed light on the critical aspects of Business Process Analysis, from its definition and importance to the step-by-step process of conducting it effectively.

Selecting the right software for Business Process Analysis is paramount to success in this endeavour. A robust Business Process Analysis tool empowers organisations to not only map and analyse their processes but also to make data-driven improvements and monitor ongoing performance. PRIME BPM is one such all-in-one platform offering modelling, analysis, and improvement. Its built-in analytics engine provides essential data on process cost, time, and efficiency at the click of a button, enabling organisations to make informed decisions.

PRIME BPM goes a step further by comparing process efficiency to industry benchmarks, equipping businesses to take the necessary actions to stay ahead of their competition. With features that automatically calculate the percentage of value-adding and non-value-adding tasks, PRIME BPM streamlines the Business Process Analysis process and helps organisations optimise their operations efficiently.

To experience the benefits and embark on a journey of process optimisation, explore full features of PRIME BPM software with a free trial.