Virtualization
Software Development
Requirements Analysis
Business Process
Re-engineering and Knowledge Management
Systems Integration/Engineering
Independent Verification and Validation
Training Development and Delivery
Program/Project Management

CORE BUSINESS

Business Process Re-Engineering and Knowledge Management

Business process re-engineering deals with the question: How can the client improve quality and/or reduce costs by applying information technology, i.e., automating business processes? 

Knowledge Management deals with the related question:  How can the client get the right information (knowledge) into the hands of its line personnel at the right time and place?

In both cases, we are looking to improve the way the client uses information technology in order to improve results. 

Some of the technologies that can be applied to improve business processes and knowledge management are as follows:

  • Quality and performance monitoring and reporting systems

  • Executive dashboards, expert systems, online analytical processing (OLAP)

  • Statistical process control,

  • E-mail reminders,

  • Text message alerts, etc. 

In many cases, however, change is threatening to the client's stakeholders.  Without stakeholders buy-in, it is often difficult to achieve the expected benefits of change. 

Starting with a blank sheet of paper and redesigning a business process from scratch is likely to result in dramatic changes and increased risk.  Incremental changes to existing business processes often provide more certain rewards.   One of the benefits of the Agile development process is that stakeholder buy-in is built through the process, enabling more dramatic changes to occur successfully.

Even a business process that evolved in a haphazard fashion can yield improved results with re-engineering.

For example, some organizations evaluate quality by tracking customer satisfaction and customer complaints.  They may provide cards at the point of service and encourage customers to fill them out and mail them in.  Returned cards are tabulated by hand in a spreadsheet and charts and graphs are sent monthly to managers and executives. 

This system could be replaced with a suggestion/complaint form on the Web and an automated voice-response calling system to call customers and ask how satisfied they are.  Data might be collected electronically and the charts and graphs familiar to managers and executives could then be made available on line and updated continuously.