Process reverse engineering for BPR: A form-based approach

Abstract

Firms spend significant efforts identifying and representing their current business processes for business process redesign (BPR) projects. Despite the efforts, due to the lack of proper tools and methodologies, they find it difficult to decide which process to redesign and how. Considering the effort spent in the process analysis phase and limited support in the process redesign phase, we find a need for a better process modeling and redesign method. This article introduces the enterprise process reverse engineering (EPRE) method for analyzing business processes and supporting process redesign tasks. By analyzing common business forms, the method provides designers and users with guidance for process redesign as well as in generating the current process model. Working procedures are described using a sample hospital case and a set of the EPRE prototype screens. For validation purpose, we applied the method to a real BPR project for an advertising agency and report on its outcome.