Get best of the week

Operations in business processes

The PSU operation can be simple, compound, and complex.

If the operation is performed by more than one executor of the operation, then this is a complex operation. The operation can be worked out as a result of the execution of machine code. In this case, there is no loss of operation from the context of the business process. We just consider the code as a tool, and the operator as an IT service.

We assume that one and the same executor of the operation (hereinafter referred to as the operator) at each moment of time can be a participant in only one process, including during a complex operation, when there are more than one operator.

An operation can simultaneously belong to two or more processes, or even a function and subprocess belonging to two or more processes.

Upon completion of one operation, the instruction may require that the same operator carry out the next operation of one process. Or, having finished the current operation, the operator must perform the operation of another process.

In this case, the operator can change his status for the duration of this next operation, for example, applying the rights of the process owner delegated to him as a controller in this other process.

Loop operations


The same operation or a block of a continuous sequence of operations are performed by the same operator.

Periodic operations


They are carried out regularly at intervals or cycles of processes during all or part of the period of the organization.

Conditional operations


They are performed upon the occurrence of expected, probable but irregular events. For example, in accordance with a contingency plan. These operations are aimed at preserving the process, bringing the function to the end and obtaining the required. When an event occurs, such operations, functions, subprocesses are embedded in the business process and are excluded as soon as the impact of the event falls below a significant level.

GNI can describe processes consisting entirely of conditional operations.

Unique operations


Should be performed upon the occurrence of events that are so unlikely or do not correspond to the direction of the organization’s activity that technologies are not developed in advance for them, due to unjustified costs. In such cases, the development and implementation of the project or the involvement of third-party specialized organizations may be required.

An example is the analogy from the field of sports. Running in athletics is a classic example of cyclic operations. If you consider obstacle racing, overcoming obstacles is a periodic process. If we add orienteering to the terrain, conditional processes in the form of water obstacles or rough terrain will be added. If you imagine that precipitation has passed and the river has spilled and you need water transport to overcome it, we will get a unique event that will require the involvement of specialists with water transport or a raft construction project.
Processes of course consist of operations. But in notations, processes are recorded through events, functions, and activities. That is, larger than operations, units.

We classify the processes based on their goals:

Basic. Processes consisting of operations that successively change the state or content of intangible objects, for example, information on legally significant relations between a client and other persons or tangible objects, for example, cash in cash until they meet the requirements that make it possible to call it a product or service.

Managerial. Internal processes, consisting of operations aimed at developing and monitoring the implementation of I / O requirements, qualifications, technology, instructions for operations, functions, processes, then subsequent monitoring, analysis of deviations and changes in requirements.

In fact, the manager usually does not know what is actually happening at the moment. It deals either with the past or with the desired future. Therefore, in practice, the management fiasco is quite often observed, because the speed of the control process is usually less than the rate of change of external factors that change so that the process owner sees the recent past of the organization as an astronomer observes the phenomena in the Universe that took place thousands and millions of years ago.

Auxiliary or providing. Internal processes, consisting of operations aimed at providing basic and managerial processes with personnel, material, information and other resources. As a rule, without these processes, physically basic and managerial processes are not possible.

The ability of the operation to automate allows you to see options for changing processes in the future. What happens to an operation that is automated?

The automated operation does not lose the operator; the tool and the execution environment change. And the IT division becomes a collective operator.

At the same time, the declarative paradigm allows not to delve into the contents of the operation even to the process owner, thereby contrasting the approach with the imperative paradigm, which involves issuing instructions to the executor, the execution of which changes the state of the input information or substance strictly in a certain sequence and technology.

Processes are divided into regular and irregular. Irregular processes are projects.
A project is a process or a set of processes consisting of specially designed operations aimed at creating, terminating or changing processes, operations, substances, information, program codes. In organizations specializing in project activities, projects can be typical or unique.

Typical projects can be developed by specialized organizations that receive streams of homogeneous events that are rare for other firms so as not to waste their own resources. Sometimes relatively inexpensive adaptation and development costs are significantly lower than the price for the project consumer.

The project itself may contain cyclic operations and functions. If the project is unique, then the operations can be unique and be creative. In this case, the requirements and expectations of the executor and the owner of the process increase.

Unlike the regular process, the project does not contain such regularities and is a way to make changes to the current system. Therefore, project management is change management.

By analogy with substantive law, we share the rights to the process. The process owner and process owner are different roles.

The owner of the process, the one within the organization has the legal right within the organization to change any parameters of this process with the approval of his decision by the owner of the process or without it. Harmonization depends on the internal culture and regulations.

The process owner delegates to the process owner the rights associated with the process, has the right to change the process owner without agreement with anyone.

Thus, the process owner is the owner of the process owners process management.

The executor of the operation (operator) during the observed period of time can, without changing its location, participate in more than one process.

More articles:


All Articles