Overview

1
Overview

• Key Concepts and Tools for Business Process
  Analysis 
• Context Analysis
• Task Flow Diagrams
• Task Sets

2
Components Needed for Success
Requirements Development
Right Communications
Right Sponsorship
Right Project Management
Right Methodology
3
Methodology Summary
4
Business Process Analysis Purpose

• Guide discussion among stakeholders. This phase
  of systems design must have heavy user
  involvement.
• Educate the business analyst regarding the
  purpose or objective of the system and how it is
  currently achieved.
• Record important information regarding the system
  to be designed. Provide a set of hooks (e.g., a
  logical framework, on which to hang information
  about the system).
• Refine the problem statement. Define boundary of
  project in relation to business work tasks its
  going to support.

5
Business Process Analysis Outcomes/Products

• Documentation of business processes
• Workgroup participants will be able to take back
  to their organizations suggestions for improving
  current business processes
• Learning through collaboration
• Benchmarking of best practices

6
Business Process Analysis Benefits

• Creates a common starting point
• Provides a uniform understanding of process work
  tasks
• Resolves preconceived ideas regarding relative
  importance of tasks
• Provides a framework for creativity in
  identifying optimal processes
• Provides a basis for determining key interface
  points

7
Introduction to Context Analysis

• Context - is defined as an environment in which
  organizations perform a number of activities
• Purpose
• To provide a graphical tool to aid in the
  understanding of the work environment
• To gain a first-cut look at the players involved
  and the key ways in which they interact

8
Introduction to Task Flow Analysis

• Task flow diagrams
• Tool to portray the activities that occur within
  each entity.
• Proceed from and are more detailed than context
  diagrams
• Identify the various functional tasks required to
  achieve the organizational objective derived from
  Context Analysis
• Look like standard flowcharts.

9
Example of Context Analysis

• Fast food drive-thru
• Customer
• Clerk
• Cook
• Manager
• Food source
• Others?

10
Example of Task Flow

• Clerk
• Greets customer
• Asks for order
• Confirms order
• Confirms amount to be paid
• Takes money
• Communicates order
• Etc.

11
Timeframe

• Phase I
• Public Health Informatics Institute
• Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
• Report April 2006
• List of common Business Processes for local
  public health
• Many Context diagrams
• Some Task Flow diagrams
• Few Task Sets identified

12

• Questions?