Effective Project Management: Traditional, Agile, Extreme, Sixth Edition

Applying CPIM to Business Processes

Business processes are another application area for a CPIM. The tools, templates, and processes are quite different than they are in the case of a process or practice improvement initiative for a PMLC model. For organizations that aspire to Level 5 maturity, knowledge of business process improvement is essential.

The business process targeted for an improvement initiative will have been identified already. Its performance is less than nominal, and that is the reason it will undergo a CPIM project. Often, you will choose to start identifying requirements for the project by mapping the current (“As Is”) business process or processes that are going to be affected. You might also want to map the business process after the solution is installed (“To Be” process). This is assuming you know the To Be solution. If you know only parts of the To Be solution, you will have to use an APM PMLC model for the process improvement project. Both the As Is and To Be processes are excellent artifacts to use as input to the requirements-gathering process.

From the systems development perspective, the process of gathering requirements often begins with knowledge of the current or As Is business process and ends with the To Be business process. That gap is filled with new or enhanced project deliverables. The As Is and To Be business process flow diagrams will be invaluable aids in the ensuing solutions development effort.

It is an ongoing dictum of today's business ...