Enterprise Business Processes and Reporting (IS 6214) MBS MIMAS 2010 / th October 2010 Fergal Carton Business Information Systems

Last week Why does data go wrong? Bad data is OK on phone, not in database Process modelling exercise –Not forgetting basics (phone unlock) –Allowing for different phones / commands –Familiarity with data required (064 for Kerry) –Lists could complement process (valid prefix) –Data throws up anomalies in process –Result of clean-up might be a report –Numbers needing changing could be flagged –Use of nicknames preferred by users –Deleting numbers not used in last 5 years

This week Lessons from clean-up process exercise Sample processes Homework: where bad data might have resulted in a process breakdown A process requires … Good and bad processes Some examples close to home Can technology help automate processes? In class exercise Recommended reading

Process exercise for contacts clean-up Not forgetting basics (phone unlock) Allowing for different phones / commands Familiarity with data required (064 for Kerry) Lists could complement process (valid prefix) Data throws up anomalies in process Result of clean-up might be a report Numbers needing changing could be flagged Use of nicknames preferred by users Deleting numbers not used in last 5 years Using notation for different types of command

Lessons from process exercise Processes need to be as generic as possible The only way to test a process is with real data User familiarity with data is hard to automate –New processes often rejected because they’re new Input and output from process should be shown –A process can use external data –A process might simply give a structured output Automation of process relating to structured data –Date or time related, quantities, … Rich picture can be used to communicate

A process requires … Someone to carry it out … Some parameters … Some master data … Some communication … Some deadlines …

Sample processes … Registering as a student Buying and using top-up credit for phone Registering as a user for on-line services Getting educated Moving house …

Good and bad processes Paper based Slow Inefficient Poor customer service Poor quality products Expensive

A bad process

A very bad process!

Can technology help? Virtual not paper, but access? Instantaneous, when system is up! Very efficient, can store data and use triggers Requires greater data integrity Creates reliance on skills Expensive?

Applied Research Project IS6216 Analysis of a sales process Understanding flows of information Highlighting areas of inefficiency Designing new processes supported by IT Providing visibility and control for decisions

In class exercise Pick a business idea Describe customer requirements How these requirements can be met? What processes will the business need? What are the characteristics of a process?

Reccommended reading The enterprise resource planning decade : lessons learned and issues for the future –Editors : Frederic Adam, David Sammon. Enterprise resource planning : global opportunities and challenges –Editors : Liaquat Hossain, Jon David Patrick, Mohammad A. Rashid. Second-wave enterprise resource planning systems : implementing for effectiveness –Editors : Graeme Shanks, Peter B. Seddon and Leslie P. Willcocks.