7 Reasons for Business Process Mapping

7 Reasons for Process Mapping

by: Jerome Pearce

In our current business environment, we are surrounded by downsizing, acquisitions and consolidation. Companies are concentrating on cutting costs. One result of downsizing is the loss of intellectual capital that was built for years. The knowledge that terminated employees take with them may erode competitive advantage. The decision to cut jobs is more than an economic or human resource issue. It is a strategic one. Identification of work process that will not be needed in the future organization is vital to the success of any downsizing strategy. This identification effort also helps protect those processes that are key to an organization’s future from being affected by downsizing. Strategic thinking and operational implementation must focus on managing the creation, capture, and communication of knowledge. With knowledge management in place, key know-how will remain even if employees leave the company.

In this challenging global economy, information technology can help you drive immediate business value and streamline operational costs. “The downturn has created a fantastic opportunity for companies prepared to go out and grab them, and we’ve decided to invest faster in our software development and marketing to take advantage of the recession” said Webmart CEO Simon Biltcliffe. While deep downturns in the market are destructive and many people lose their jobs, now is not the time to cut resources to innovative efforts

Process Mapping now offer a simple and direct process mapping service that can transform your processes into HTML documentation, live usable prototypes for testing, and development specifications, in a very short time. All you need to do is provide a simple description of your business process to be mapped, with the steps involved, the roles, the data to be captured and used, and the business rules. This can be as simple as a written document, perhaps with a Visio diagram.

1. Kick-start Business Process Management (BPM)

If you have a need to start a Business Process Management or Process Improvement initiative, Process Mapping is the best place to start. Once started, the growth of your initiative can grow either ‘down’ into improvement and automation, or ‘up’ into process modelling and Enterprise Architecture. Both are a natural and organic extension of Process Mapping. For most initiatives, starting is the greatest hurdle. Once started, the rest often flows easily. It can be very daunting to start with a ‘fresh page’, and having an initial set of Process Maps is an invaluable base to start from. In our expensive experience with Business Process Management and Business Process Automation, we have found that Process Mapping is the first, most important, and above all the most significant step.

“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” Lao-tzu

“The first step is the hardest” Madame De Vichy-Deffand

“He who would learn to fly one day must first learn to stand and walk and run and climb and dance; one cannot fly into flying.” Friedrich Nietzsche

2. You can do it now!

You can start immediately. Process Mapping can start with short discussions and simple maps, created in Visio for example. No expert knowledge is required, and no long and expensive training. We can help you get your first Process Mapping exercise started today. Within couple of days you could have your first process mapped and ready!

“Seize the day, and put the least possible trust in tomorrow.” Horace

3. Quick to do

The results can be seen very quickly. Typically a process can be mapped in a few hours, days at most. It does not take teams of analysts, merely someone who both understands the business itself, and the idea of process. With our many years of experience in Business Process Management we can help you get the absolute most from your Process Mapping exercise in the shortest possible time. One of the key benefits of BPM is the ability to quickly apply changes to business processes, based on an ever changing business environment.

“Move quickly” Gogen Yamaguchi

4. No expensive software is required

In the Process Mapping and Business Process Mapping space there are innumerable product vendors vying for your attention. They typically offer ‘silver bullet’ solutions that are simple and easy to use and will have a guaranteed and almost immediate Return On Investment (ROI). Unfortunately such software does not exist. The good news is that you do not need expensive software! There are many cheap or even free Process Mapping tools out there today. Some are better than others, and many are cut down or isolated versions of software products (such as Metastorm, Tibco, BizAgi). There is also a growing number of full-blown open source systems you can use, such as YAWL from Queensland University. All have their strengths and weaknesses, which we will discuss in a future article. We can help you choose the most appropriate Process Mapping tool for your current and future needs.

“If the only tool you have is a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail.” Abraham Maslow

Workflow/Business Process Management (BPM) Service Pattern (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

5. People get motivated

There is nothing like the ability to grasp a concept that you once thought was complex or hard to motivate people. Process Mapping, because it is simple and yet very beneficial, almost always generates that ‘so that’s what you mean’ feeling in people. Often those people are the most important people. These are the ones at the top, with the budget and the strategic plan, and the opens at the coalface who will be most affected, and often threatened, by any changes. We discuss the approaches to dealing with these groups effectively in a future article. We are able to provide you with the right documentation and tools from your Process Mapping exercise to give both groups something they want.

“Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it.” Lou Holtz

7. Easy to understand

A process is a fairly simple concept, and it is simple to explain to others. We all know what a process is, and applying this concept to a business activity is vary easy to do. It is also often illuminating. Such understanding brings process participants into the Process Mapping initiative, allows and encourages them to get involved, and above all gives them a strong feeling of ownership. One of the best moments early in my BPM career was of a railway worker of 30 years who had no use for computers at all. He saw a Process Map we had built to document his work for the first time, and stated confidently after a minute: “Yup, that’s about what we do”. Such understanding brings process participants into the process mapping exercise, allows and encourages them to get involved, and above all gives them a strong feeling of ownership.

“All truths are easy to understand once they are discovered; the point is to discover them.” Galileo Galilei

6. Permanent benefit

The benefit does not fade. The documentation produces as part of a Process Mapping exercise serves a large number of purposes. These can be for documentation and explanation, or even to create prototypes and specifications for future development projects. The uses are as wide or as focussed as you wish. Above all, the use does not ‘wear out’ and the Process Mapping exercise can be continued at any time. We can help you make the most immediate benefit and the best long-term benefit from your Process Mapping exercise.

“The excellent becomes the permanent.” Jane Adams

Don’t sit back and wait; the winners will be those that position themselves to take advantage of the upturn!

Source

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The Cult of Self-Worship

Psychology as Religion: The Cult of Self-Worship by Paul C. Vitz

by: Johnny Kicklighter

It seems everyone you meet these days is a self-proclaimed psychologist. From radio talk shows, television interviews, romance novels, weekly magazines, to cliques at work; everybody has an opinion on the latest “mental illness.” I was first introduced to practical psychology when I joined the United States Air Force in 1970. It was expected that Non-Commissioned Officers (NCOs) would become counselors to their subordinates. Profession military education devoted entire chapters and lectures on non-directive or eclectic counseling techniques. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs was drilled into our heads. We were sternly warned to avoid any mention of religion, but instead to make ample use of psychological techniques.

Paul Vitz in his book “Psychology as Religion” attempts to expose psychology for what it really is, i.e., religion. He begins by giving the reader a brief biography on the fathers of the modern psychology movement along with some of their theories. The opening chapter was dry reading but I suppose necessary as a historical backdrop. My interest peaked when I immediately recognized Carl Rogers and Abraham Maslow since I was forced to study them for 26 years while in the military. Vitz also discusses Carl Jung, Erich Fromn, and Rollo May as being significant contributors to the movement.

Vitz quickly transitions into explaining the concept of self-esteem which he promotes as the center of the entire selfism movement. This became important to me as it seems no matter where you turn, a lack of or poor self-esteem appears to be the cause of every ill known to mankind. For a movement to be so widespread to the point where psychology has been woven into the gospel message, Vitz says that the self-esteem concept has “no clear intellectual origins.” That’s a surprising claim considering the impact selfism has had on academia and the practice of counseling.

Vitz states that self-esteem should be understood as an emotional response and not a cause. He says it is a reaction to what we have done and what others have done to us. High self-esteem is a desirable feeling to have (like happiness), but the feeling itself isn’t the cause of anything. In trying to obtain a feeling of self-esteem, the only successful way is to do good to others or accomplish something. In so doing, you’ll get all the self-esteem you want. However, the downside is people begin to pursue happiness as a far greater goal than the goal of obtaining personal holiness.

Not only is selfism a self-defeating goal for the Christian, Vitz goes on to make the case that it is also simply bad science and a warped philosophy. The little clinical evidence that does exist is mostly based on empirical observations and doesn’t stand the test of solid scientific problem solving. He exposes flaws in each step of the process, from stating the problem, forming and testing the hypothesis, to testing the conclusion. He also identifies several philosophical contradictions and in some cases, actual misrepresentations. The spread of this bad science and faulty philosophy is believed by the author to have contributed to the destruction of families. Additionally, the entire recovery group mentality convinces the person with “low self-esteem” that their ills are due to trauma inflicted on them in the past. Recovery group therapy strokes the patient with self-pity thereby convincing the clients are victims. Once labeled, the “victim” now assumes the attitude of victimhood.

Cover via Amazon

Values clarification has become the model taught in schools and begins with the assumption that man is naturally good. Since the developers of values clarification reject moral teachings, Vitz claims that if responsible adults, i.e., teachers, don’t promote good values then someone else will. Providing a permissive environment supposedly nourishes the child by granting satisfaction for the child’s desires and interests. However, this philosophy is bankrupt because kids will assume the values of irresponsible sources in lieu of responsible ones. This combined with the aforementioned teachings has produced a society of victims where everyone is pointing to blame someone else for their misfortunes.

Vitz takes three chapters to present a Christian analysis and criticism of humanistic self-theories. He gives the credit to our educational system for the transformation of our society into a culture of pure selfism. He notes that the New Age movement has many founders, but Abraham Maslow’s theories have been the most influential. Vitz argues his Christian critique within a historical framework and the impact it has had on the evolution of our society. Unfortunately he gives scant attention to biblical references for his position, but does show how the selfism heresy affects teachings on depression, idolatry, and suffering. He closes his work with the observation, “never have so many people been so self-conscious, so aware of the self as something to be expressed…., the self has become an object to itself.” (I think this may make the case that self-esteem has become a new barometric indicator to the question everyone asks, “How are you doing today?”)

Overall, Vitz’s book uses a cerebral approach in attempting to prove that self-worship is simply a religion. Biblical counselors looking for material to help their counselees break free of a selfish worldview of life will be disappointed. Then again, Vitz didn’t write his book for that purpose. Moreover, he provides a wealth of information and a refreshing argument against those who say, “You can’t teach religion in public schools.” This leaves the reader with an irony: it’s not a question of should we or should we not teach religion in public schools, but instead, what religion will we teach; selfism or Christianity?

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The Challenge of Modern Times

Spiritual Growth: the Spiritual Challenge of Modern Times

by: Werner Boersch

To grow spiritually in a world defined by power, money, and influence is a Herculean task.

Modern conveniences such as electronic equipments, gadgets, and tools as well as entertainment through television, magazines, and the web have predisposed us to confine our attention mostly to physical needs and wants.

As a result, our concepts of self-worth and self-meaning are muddled.

How can we strike a balance between the material and spiritual aspects of our lives?

To grow spiritually is to look inward.

Introspection goes beyond recalling the things that happened in a day, week, or month. You need to look closely and reflect on your thoughts, feelings, beliefs, and motivations.

Periodically examining your experiences, the decisions you make, the relationships you have, and the things you engage in provide useful insights on your life goals, on the good traits you must sustain and the bad traits you have to discard.

Moreover, it gives you clues on how to act, react, and conduct yourself in the midst of any situation. Like any skill, introspection can be learned; all it takes is the courage and willingness to seek the truths that lie within you. Here are some pointers when you introspect: be objective, be forgiving of yourself, and focus on your areas for improvement.

To grow spiritually is to develop your potentials.

Religion and science have differing views on matters of the human spirit. Religion views people as spiritual beings temporarily living on Earth, while science views the spirit as just one dimension of an individual.

Mastery of the self is a recurring theme in both Christian (Western) and Islamic (Eastern) teachings. The needs of the body are recognized but placed under the needs of the spirit.

Beliefs, values, morality, rules, experiences, and good works provide the blueprint to ensure the growth of the spiritual being.

In Psychology, realizing one’s full potential is to self-actualize.

Abraham Maslow identified several human needs: physiological, security, belongingness, esteem, cognitive, aesthetic, self-actualization, and self-transcendence.

William James earlier categorized these needs into three: material, emotional, and spiritual. When you have satisfied the basic physiological and emotional needs, spiritual or existential needs come next.

Achieving each need leads to the total development of the individual.

Perhaps the difference between these two religions and psychology is the end of self-development:

Christianity and Islam see that self-development is a means toward serving God, while psychology view that self-development is an end by itself.

To grow spiritually is to search for meaning.

Religions that believe in the existence of God such as Christianism, Judaism, and Islam suppose that the purpose of the human life is to serve the Creator of all things.

Several theories in psychology propose that we ultimately give meaning to our lives.

Whether we believe that life’s meaning is pre-determined or self-directed, to grow in spirit is to realize that we do not merely exist. We do not know the meaning of our lives at birth; but we gain knowledge and wisdom from our interactions with people and from our actions and reactions to the situations we are in. As we discover this meaning, there are certain beliefs and values that we reject and affirm. Our lives have purpose. This purpose puts all our physical, emotional, and intellectual potentials into use; sustains us during trying times; and gives us something to look forward to—a goal to achieve, a destination to reach. A person without purpose or meaning is like a drifting ship at sea.

To grow spiritually is to recognize interconnections.

Religions stress the concept of our relatedness to all creation, live and inanimate. Thus we call other people “brothers and sisters” even if there are no direct blood relations.

Moreover, deity-centered religions such as Christianity and Islam speak of the relationship between humans and a higher being.

On the other hand, science expounds on our link to other living things through the evolution theory. This relatedness is clearly seen in the concept of ecology, the interaction between living and non-living things.

In psychology, connectedness is a characteristic of self-transcendence, the highest human need according to Abraham Maslow. Recognizing your connection to all things makes you more humble and respectful of people, animals, plants, and things in nature. It makes you appreciate everything around you. It moves you to go beyond your comfort zone and reach out to other people, and become stewards of all other things around you.

Growth is a process thus to grow in spirit is a day-to-day encounter. We win some, we lose some, but the important thing is that we learn, and from this knowledge, further spiritual growth is made possible.

Learning to know ourselves is an indispensable encounter task for spiritually growing and for to know our true reality. Our reality is based on our focalization point. Changing our point of focalization will change consequently our reality.

Everyone has his very own reality because Life is a state of mind. One has to know his real condition in this world, but our all-day consciousness does not allow us to recognize our true self’s, so is it necessary to look inward in a very honest way for to discover our weaknesses our forces, our fears and sufferings.

Therefore meditation is the only way to know honestly ourselves and to grow spirituality. Only by loving ourselves can we love the creation and the others, since we’re a part of this creation.

If we are not in peace with ourselves how could we be in peace with others?

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