Workflow benefits [was: RE: when to start implementing workfl ow ? ]

Wed Sep 25 09:33:35 EDT 2002

... just don't forget WF is not a "silver-bullet" technology that by itself
will solve most of the problems. You can also do "some" harm by using it.
Again, the final effects depend on HOW the technology is deployed.

Tomasz

-----Original Message-----
From: de Valensart Schoenmaeckers, Patrick
[mailto:Patrick.deValensartSchoenmaeckers at pmintl.com]
Sent: Wednesday,25. September 2002 12:35
To: SAP-WUG at MITVMA.MIT.EDU
Subject: Re: Workflow benefits [was: RE: when to start implementing
workfl ow ? ]

Tomasz,

Thanks a lot for these references and for the file (always useful to have).
The books below will certainly help me to prove management that benefits of
workflow are not just founded on commercial arguments (which they currently
tend to believe) but also on some scientific research!

Kind regards,

Patrick

-----Original Message-----
From: Zmudzin,Tomasz,VEVEY,GL-DS/DM [mailto:Tomasz.Zmudzin at nestle.com]
Sent: Wednesday, September 25, 2002 11:21
To: SAP-WUG at MITVMA.MIT.EDU
Subject: Re: Workflow benefits [was: RE: when to start implementing
workfl ow ? ]

Patrick,

sorry for the long delay -- I simply haven't picked your inquiry from the
>800 e-mails in my inbox after the vacation. As of the literature --
surprisingly (???) most of the nice items I've found were in German. As long
as the language does not scare you, try:

- Gerard DERSZTELER: "Prozessmanagement auf Basis von Worklow-Systemen"
(Josef Eul Verlag, Lohmar-Koeln 2000)
- Hubert BECKER: "Produktivitaetssteigerungen durch Workflow-Management"
(Josef Eul Verlag, Lohmar-Koeln 1999)
- Ronald SCHNETZER: "Business Process Reengineering (BPR) und
Workflow-Management Systeme (WFMS). Theorie und Praxis in der Schweiz."
(Shaker-Verlag, Aachen 1997)

That's something to start with, probably with differing success -- but I'm
taking the freedom to send you the full bibliography file I've used for my
thesis. Anyone else?

Kind regards,
Tomasz

P.S. And of course check the BPR classics, like Hammers / Champy's
"Reengineering Work: Don't Automate, Obliterate!"

-----Original Message-----
From: de Valensart Schoenmaeckers, Patrick
[mailto:Patrick.deValensartSchoenmaeckers at pmintl.com]
Sent: Tuesday,24. September 2002 09:31
To: SAP-WUG at MITVMA.MIT.EDU
Subject: Re: Workflow benefits [was: RE: when to start implementing
workfl ow ? ]

Hi Tomasz,

Do you have references (books, etc.) about this? (except from Jocelyn and
Alan's book which I already have)
I am trying to convince my company to make its first workflow
implementation. So I like figures like these, but I need to have them
supported by some references to researches, etc.

Thanks in advance,

Patrick

-----Original Message-----
From: Zmudzin,Tomasz,VEVEY,GL-DS/DM [mailto:Tomasz.Zmudzin at nestle.com]
Sent: Monday, September 23, 2002 14:03
To: SAP-WUG at MITVMA.MIT.EDU
Subject: Workflow benefits [was: RE: when to start implementing workflow
? ]

Just for everyone's information:

The productivity improvements achieved by deploying workflow systems were
studied in the mid-nineties by some researchers. Normally the process lead
time (=process execution time) could be shortened by ~40% if workflow was
used without process reengineering, up to 80-90% if the process was
reengineered.

Although the studies quoted here were not based on SAP's workflow, I think
you'll find these results representative. But keep in mind the degree of
process automation these 7 years ago was smaller than today, so today's
results could be not as spectacular as those presented.

Kind regards,
Tomasz

(who actually got his Ph.D. by delving into things like these, and now is
happy to be back from his holiday)

-----Original Message-----
From: Harmon Dan-rrfs20 [mailto:Dan.Harmon at motorola.com]
Sent: Friday,6. September 2002 19:38
To: SAP-WUG at MITVMA.MIT.EDU
Subject: Re: when to start implementing workflow ?

Ronen,

I am an R/3 workflow bigot, and we have already implemented, so perhaps my
views are slightly jaded.  However, consider this analogy:  would you buy a
new computer and only use it to play a card game?
The real question is why will you NOT use workflow!

Workflow is only as complex as the process it automates.  SAP provides
hundreds of out of the box workflows and tasks.  Use them to prototype the
process during blueprint.  In my opinion the biggest ROI is found when you
use workflow to "re-engineer" the process.  If you are putting in a new
system, use the new system features to improve the process!

My biggest problem is dealing with a client that believes their existing
process must be implemented "as is" in R/3.  Always remember that a bad
process will result in an equally bad workflow!  We have a series of
questions that we try to answer to determine if a process should have a
workflow.  Not every process requires a workflow!  I believe there was a
presentation on this subject at the ASUG 2002 Spring conference.

So use your blueprint to define and prototype the process, that can help
determine if you need workflow or not.  I have witnessed too many missed
opportunities for workflow when we say we will do it later and it never gets
done.

Regards,
Dan
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| Dan Harmon                    |             Phone:    480-634-3090 |
| R/3 Workflow Group Leader     |               Fax:    480-634-3761 |
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> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Ronen Fox [mailto:Ronen.Fox at ness.com]
> Sent: Sunday, September 01, 2002 10:23 PM
> To: SAP-WUG at MITVMA.MIT.EDU
> Subject: when to start implementing workflow ?
>
>
> Dear workflow experts,
>
> One of our clients, a very large manufacturing enterprise, is
> beginning to
> prepare the implementation of mysap.com.
> It would be a large project, and they are also interested in workflow,
> although they have a fear that workflow is complex to implement.
>
> The question I would like to ask this group on their behalf is what
> recommendations you may have as to the phase of the ERP project that
> workflow should be introduced ? right from the beginning of
> the conceptual
> design ? after going live and letting the processes become
> more mature ?
> I guess there is more that one answer, and I would really
> appreciate getting
> various answers to this question that represent different
> methodologies.
>
> Thank you all in advance for your kind help.
> Best regards,
> Ronen Fox
> Workflow product manager
> Ness Technologies
>