In the previous parts of this article, we have covered the first two steps of BPM implementation - Identification and categorization of business processes and Business process modeling.
Step 3 - Optimization and automation of business processes
Optimization of business processes is a continuous practice in any company. At the same time, BPM helps to get results faster and more transparently by fragmenting them and defining quality indicators.
Optimization of business processes can be performed using various methods and approaches, the choice of which depends primarily on the type of a particular business process. All business processes can be typified:
executable - can be fully or partially automated and improved through the introduction of mathematical methods (scheduling of pilots' and flight attendants' vacations, flight crew scheduling, scheduling of airworthiness training, etc.).
non-executable - there is no or little automation potential, i.e. these are business processes consisting mainly of managerial and manual activities (strategic planning, HR management, training of new employees, etc.).
Optimization of non-executable business processes is about improving the efficiency of interaction within and between departments. The ways to achieve such results are always specific to different companies and should be chosen with due regard to the corporate culture and maturity of the company. For this type of business processes it is effective to use modeling in BPMN (Business Process Model and Notation) notation, which makes it easier to identify possible errors and inconsistencies in current business processes.
Optimization of executable business processes has a much greater potential for increasing efficiency. First of all, due to the wide range of automation possibilities. This can be achieved by implementing an executable IT environment - BPMS (Business Process Management System). However, it is possible to achieve equally good results by automating individual stages of business processes. In addition, it is effective to implement programs that use mathematical algorithms to solve voluminous and complex problems that involve a large number of employees simultaneously. The end result is a reduction in labor and time to achieve the same result with the proper level of quality and accuracy.
Successful examples of optimization of executable business processes in airlines are:
implementation of optimizers for flight and cabin crew scheduling;
implementation of a mathematical module for planning vacation schedules for pilots and cabin crew;
implementation of an optimization module for catering ordering.
Planex products include all of the above solutions and support integration with airline IT systems, providing the potential for automation and optimization of business processes.