Process Analyst

To Infinity and Beyond

Copyright © 2009 SentientPoint, Inc. All Rights Reserved

 Presenter
Jack Hilty
Managing Principal, SentientPoint, Inc.

Jack Hilty is a Certified Business Architect CBA® and has 25 years of

enterprise-wide experience in providing overall leadership in the
the design
design
and development of Information Systems, specializing in business
process management, change management, project management,
service oriented and enterprise architecture. Jack is the Managing
Principal at SentientPoint, Inc.
Inc. and
and teaches
teaches at
at Northwestern
Northwestern University
University
School of Continuing Studies and the University of Chicago Graham
School. Jack is a member of the Association of Business Process
Management Professionals (ABPMP), Executives’ Club of Chicago and
President of the Business Architects
Architects Association®
Association® and
and teaches
teaches
Business Architecture at DePaul University.
 Agenda

 Key Issue
 The Evolution of the Design Team
 Past Roles
 Integrated Team
 The 3 C’s of Perspective
 Process Analyst Role
 Components of Abstract Thinking
 Perspective Cube
 Process Analyst as Pivot Point
 Skills, Experience and Personal Characteristics of a Process Analyst
 Communicating with the Business Team
 Communicating with the IT Team
 New Competency Levels for the Process Analyst
 Action Plan
 Key Issue
In organizations in which a Business Process
Management approach have been adopted, teams are
made up of individuals with specific responsibilities and
expertise (business experts (SME), architects and
technical experts). Each team member has a perspective
framed by and directed to achieve his or her specific
goals. They do not necessarily take into account the
perspective of other team members with other
responsibilities.

The role of the process analyst is to ensure that all

perspectives are represented, considered and
accommodated.
 The Evolution of the Design Team
Past Roles
Data Modeler Process Modeler

Entity-Relationship
Entity-Relationship Process
Process Model
Model
Attribute
Attribute Model
Model Data Flow Model
Logical
Logical Data Functional
Functional
Model
Model Decomposition
Decomposition
Physical
Physical Data
Data CRUD Matrix
Model
Model
Dependency
Meta-Model
Meta-Model
Diagrams
Diagrams
Dictionary
Dictionary
Services
Services
 Integrated Team
Subject
Matter Expert

Business
Business Knowledge
Knowledge Enterprise
And
And Expertise
Expertise Architect

Taxonomy
Taxonomy and
and Metadata
Metadata
Standards
Standards
Process Sequence
Sequence Diagrams
Diagrams
Analyst Class
Class Association
Association Diagram
Diagram
Class
Class Hierarchy
Hierarchy Diagram
Diagram
Business
Business && System
System Objectives
Objectives
Context
Context Diagram
Diagram
Business
Business Scenarios
Scenarios
Process
Process Models
Models
Business
Business Model
Model Definitions
Definitions
Enterprise
Enterprise Process
Process Framework
Framework
 The 3 C’s of Perspective:
Concept – Business Process (ex: place an
order)

Content – Detail around the Process (i.e.

people, places, data, processes)

Context – Structure used to gather Content

(i.e. Process Models, etc.) 
 Process Analyst Role

Interpreter Interpreter

Subject Enterprise
Matter Expert Architect
Process Analyst

Context
Concept

Content
Concept
Content

Content

Context

Concept
Context
 Abstract Thinking
Thinking characterized by the ability to use
concepts (Concept) and to make and
understand generalizations, such as
properties (Content), or pattern shared by a
variety of specific items or events (Context).
--The Free Dictionary

How people naturally think.

--Jack Hilty
Components of Abstract Thinking

People/Role
Places
Things
Processes
 People/Role

A person is defined as the role an individual plays. A

person may take on multiple roles, depending on the
business situation or context. For example, a single
person may be a customer, a salesperson, and a
manager.

Hint: When thinking about a role, focus on the characteristics of

the role played by someone or something.
 Places

A place is an organizational designation (or grouping

of people)--such as company, department, division,
business unit, team--that is responsible for
performing a business function.
 Things

A thing is a non-person tangible or intangible used or

created by a business function.

Examples: Products and Services, Data, Forms,

Systems.
 Processes

A process is an activity performed to accomplish a

specific business transaction.

Examples: Order Inventory, Hire Employees, Contact

Customer.
 The Perspective
Cube

Publisher
View The
Perspective Cube
provides a way
Reader to look at
Publication View collaborations/
responsibilities
from a variety
Advertiser
View
of perspectives.
 The Perspective Cube

In terms of the responsibilities of a publication, there are

several different perspectives to consider.

•To the Advertiser, a publication is a medium in which to

place an ad to present a message to the public.

•To readers, a publication is a source of information.

•To the publisher, a publication is a source of revenue.

The challenge is to adopt the proper perspective for each
process.
Process Analyst as Pivot Point
Process Analysts need be bi-lingual and
business- and techno-savvy to effectively perform
as interpreter between team members with
differing perspectives.

To do this, they should focus on acquiring and

enhancing skills, experience and personal
characteristics necessary to transition to a BPM
environment.
 Skills, Experience & Personal
Characteristics of a Process Analyst
Skill (S), Competency
Experience (E), Required
Category Or Personal in a BPM
Characteristic (C) Trait Environment

Analytical C Abstract Thinking/ Multiple Mastery

Perspectives
Analytical C Problem-Solving Mastery
Analytical E Business Knowledge Intermediate
Organizational S Planning Mastery
Leadership C Social Skills Intermediate
Leadership C Conflict Resolution Intermediate
Technical E Keep Pace with Technology Intermediate
Advances
Communication S Interviewing Mastery
Communication S Writing / Documentation Mastery
Communication S Facilitation Intermediate
Communication S Presentation Intermediate
 Organizational Benefits
Speaking a “Shared Language” and bridging the gap
between business and IT benefits the organization by:
  
 Rapid development of business models designed from solid
business processes

 Development of standards and best practices to create stable,

scalable infrastructures with repeatable processes, procedures
and policies

 Solutions dictated by business needs, rather than technology-

driven

 Maximum return on technology, tools and personnel  

 Communicating with the Business Team

Interpreter

Subject Matter Expert Process Analyst

Concept

Concept
Content

Content

Context
Context

To successfully translate business needs into business models, the

Process Analyst needs intimate knowledge of the business functions
from a business process perspective – as well as the organization’s
strategic objectives.
To communicate effectively with the business team, the
Business Analyst must be adept in the following areas:

 Visualization: Envision a solution from a business

process point of view rather than strictly a technology
perspective; formulate and analyze multiple business
perspectives (data, process, event, responsibility);
employ creative thinking
 
 Focus: Understand the appropriate and realistic
technologies needed to solve a business problem; see
the big picture, yet still be detail-oriented; think beyond
existing constraints and evaluate options

 Communication: Work with business experts;

effectively communicate through pictures and words;
facilitate design sessions using shared language
 Coalescence: Use ideas from past experiences and
modify or extend them based on current business
situations

 Decomposition: Simplify business processes and not

be intimidated by complexity; identify and separate non-
essential details for later review and resolution;
organize and prioritize

 Action-oriented: Act as a conductor; keep the team

on task and in sync and working together
 Communicating with the IT Team
Interpreter

Process Analyst Enterprise Architect

Context
Content
Concept

Content

Context

Concept
To successfully translate a business model into a system solution, the
Process Analyst must communicate a process-centric solution using
service oriented design techniques to the architects.
Given the more detail oriented, systematic and deductive mindset of
the typical technologist, the Process Analyst must transition from
abstract to linear thinking.
To effectively communicate with the architects
and technical team, the Process Analyst must
be:
 
 Bi-lingual: Able to work with architects and
developers; effectively communicate through business
models; facilitate design sessions using shared
language

 Techno-savvy: Know the capabilities and limitations of

the technical environment; understand UML techniques
and technical design standards and practices
New Competency Level Expectations
for the Process Analyst

 The Process Analyst needs to learn new skills, master

them to greater degrees of competency and gain
additional experience.

 The Process Analyst must have business knowledge (a

deep understanding of company business goals and
processes) and technical knowledge (understanding the
value of where to apply new and current technologies).
New Competency Level Expectations for
the Process Analyst

 The Process Analyst must be able to define services

and incorporate them into service oriented processes.

 The Process Analyst must be able to work with Subject

Matter Experts and Architects to translate – or interpret
- business models into system models.
 Action Plan
Given the proper learning situation and resources, a Process Analyst will rapidly
develop the skills and competencies necessary for success.

The most successful organizational learning environment is one where

accelerated learning is encouraged and rewarded and is comprised of the
following four proven approaches:

Provide high quality training coursework and materials to drive new skill acquisition

Provide opportunities to practice new skills under the guidance of a proven expert
and mentor

Provide opportunities to work on current initiatives so that new skills can be applied
immediately in a real-world situation and refined based on hands-on experience

Augment the development team on initial projects with outside experts who can
mentor in-house staff until they attain the appropriate level of competency on
necessary skills.
 About SentientPoint, Inc.
SentientPoint,
SentientPoint, Inc.
Inc. is
is aa Chicago-based
Chicago-based firm
firm that
that delivers
delivers business
consulting,
consulting, education, and mentoring
mentoring services
services to
to large
large complex
complex
businesses
businesses that
that need
need to
to improve
improve Business
Business and
and IT
IT integration.
integration.

Jack
Jack Hilty
Hilty is
is aa Certified
Certified Business
Business Architect
Architect CBA
CBA ® ® and
and has
has 25
25 years
years of
of
enterprise-wide
enterprise-wide experience
experience inin providing
providing overall
overall leadership
leadership inin the
the design
design
and
and development
development of of Information
Information Systems,
Systems, specializing
specializing inin business
business
process
process management,
management, change change management,
management, project
project management,
management,
service
service oriented
oriented andand enterprise
enterprise architecture.
architecture. Jack
Jack is
is the
the Managing
Managing
Principal
Principal at
at SentientPoint,
SentientPoint, Inc.
Inc. and
and teaches
teaches at
at Northwestern
Northwestern University
University
School
School of
of Continuing
Continuing Studies
Studies and
and the
the University
University ofof Chicago
Chicago Graham
Graham
School.
School. Jack
Jack isis aa member
member of of the
the Association of Business Process
Management
Management Professionals
Professionals (ABPMP),
(ABPMP), Executives’
Executives’ Club
Club of
of Chicago
Chicago and
and
President
President ofof the
the Business
Business Architects
Architects Association®
Association® and and teaches
teaches
Business
Business Architecture
Architecture at at DePaul
DePaul University.
University. jhilty@sentientpoint.com
jhilty@sentientpoint.com
www.SentientPoint.com
www.SentientPoint.com 312-925-6841
312-925-6841