Driving Agile and Lean Operations with SAP Signavio

In order for an organisation to remain competitive in the current business environment, it must be able to respond quickly to changing conditions, be more adaptable and provide better services more quickly thn their competitors. Changing sending customers have increased their expectations on what companies provide to them – these expectations have resulted from increased competition and technological advances.

Thus, organisations must implement business models that provide them with all-round information without sacrificing quality or control. Organisations can utilize Agile and Lean principles to eliminate waste and also streamline processes. This will significantly improve their ability to adapt to fluctuating business conditions.

SAP Signavio provides organisations with tools to incorporate Lean and Agile methodologies into their businesses. SAP Signavio’s visibility into the way work is performed enables organisations to identify areas of inefficiency and opportunities for simplification. By using data to make informed decisions instead of relying on presumptions, organisations are more capable of making quicker and more accurate decisions than ever before. The ability to measure, scale and Sustain Agility and Lean Operations throughout the Organisation is a critical aspect of using SAP Signavio.

Agile and Lean Operations

Agile operations concentrate on providing maximum value in the least amount of time and using the least amount of resources. The main goal of Agile is to deliver fast flexibility to customers. Lean operations concentrate on maximizing efficiency and flow through efficient operations. Agile and Lean provide an integrated approach to delivering value to customers through efficient and responsive operations.

The following core principles of Agile and Lean operations equally apply to both methods of business operations:

• Delivering Value to Customers
• Continuous Improvement and Learning
• Eliminating Waste & Variability
• Collaboration Across Functional Areas

SAP Signavio facilitates Agile and Lean operations by allowing organizations to establish the transparency and measurability of their processes. Organizations can measure their processes against the principles of Agile and Lean to ensure they are delivering maximum value to customers as quickly as possible. When they understand the principles of Agile and Lean operations, this knowledge will provide organizations with a foundation to develop an operating model that is both responsive and efficient. Process transparency and data-driven insights will aid organizations in establishing an Agile and Lean operating model. Both will be provided by using SAP Signavio.

Identifying Waste and Inefficiencies in Processes

Everyday processes hide waste through delays, rework and excessive complexity. With SAP Signavio, an organization can discover inefficiency through process modelling/mind mapping.

Common types of waste:

• Waiting times
• Rework and manual errors
• Unnecessary hand off
• Excessive overprocessing and complexity

By using the visualisation of the project process execution, organisations can see where waste is occurring and why. SAP Signavio provides objective information that directs the improvement of certain processes. When eliminating waste, an organisation is improving the speed at which it operates, the quality of its product/service and the cost-effectiveness. With this objective approach to data, the organisation can locate the waste from the process and work on improving those areas with maximum return on investment.

Enabling Value Stream Mapping

SAP Signavio supports value stream mapping through end-to-end process visualizations across functions and systems, which helps organizations identify which activities add value and which activities do not add value; improve flow by eliminating bottlenecks; align processes with the customer’s needs; and prioritize improvements.

SAP Signavio enables organizations to collaboratively map and analyze their value streams, allowing teams to use this mapping as a guide when discussing the projects they will focus on for improving their businesses. When organizations concentrate on delivering value instead of on managing isolated tasks, they create superior overall organizational performance. The clarity and focus provided through value stream mapping is essential for organizations implementing lean transformations.

Supporting Agile Process Design and Adaptation

To support adapting to changes in today’s fast-paced world, organisations need an agile approach to conducting their business, which is possible through utilising an agile process-based approach using SAP Signavio.

Agile process design provides you with a set of principles based on:

• Modularity and Flexibility of Workflows
• Clarity in terms of Roles and Responsibilities
• Speedy feedback cycles
• Continuous improvement through testing

By using SAP Signavio, teams are able to collaboratively model and modify processes. Scenario modelling within SAP Signavio provides the opportunity to experiment without impacting your business’s ability to operate normally, leading to the ability for an organisation to react to rapidly changing markets and business conditions, while maintaining their alignment with the market and customer expectations that are leading to agile businesses.

Utilizing Process Mining for Agility

With process mining, companies gain knowledge to be more agile because they see how their processes are performing in real-time. SAP Signavio Process Intelligence will allow you to see how your processes will behave as circumstances change around them.

Process mining supports agility by providing the ability to:

• Identify developing bottlenecks early
• Keep track of performance variations
• Discover when things are not happening according to plan
• Take immediate corrective action

From the above data, companies can be proactive and respond to changes when they happen. By continuously reviewing their processes’ data through SAP Signavio, companies can see issues before they become a problem. Thus, with process mining, agility becomes a measurable and actionable capability.

Improving Collaboration and Cross-Functional Alignment

Agile organisations and Lean operations require the whole team to work collaboratively, which is why SAP Signavio provides a collaborative platform, allowing all stakeholders to see what everyone else is doing as well as providing a source of clarity and alignment.

Some benefits of collaboration include:

• The ability to have a common level of visibility into process and performance.
• The ability to make quick decisions.
• Eliminating the delays associated with transferring work from one person to another.
• Creating an ownership environment.

With collaborative process models and dashboards, teams are able to align towards a shared vision of success. SAP Signavio allows you to remove the fragmentation of teams working in silos by allowing one set of information to support all teams. This better alignment of cross-functional teams will drive improvement initiatives and allow for the execution of agile operations.

Measuring Agility and Lean Performance

Performance measurement provides assurance that Agile and Lean will deliver value to the organization. SAP Signavio allows companies to define and measure the relevant metrics.

The key measures for performance are:

• Cycle Time and Lead Time
• Throughput and Flow Efficiency
• Rework and Defect Rates
• Customer Satisfaction Indicators

By connecting metrics to processes, organizations can see what is happening in real-time. SAP Signavio also allows for ongoing measurement and benchmarking in terms of performance. Measuring one’s accountability for performance and helping to sustain improvement toward continued benefits will help keep Agile and Lean remain interconnected with business goals.

Sustaining Agile and Lean Culture

To support agility and lean operations, organizations need a culture that supports continuous learning. SAP Signavio helps to embed these practices into the daily workings of an organization.

Examples of cultural enablers include:

• Open Communication
• Empowering Teams
• Continuous Feedback and Improvement
• Aligning with Strategic Goals

SAP Signavio supports these enablers through visibility and collaboration. By providing transparency into performance and processes, organizations create a sense of ownership and accountability for their employees. With a sustainable culture of agility and lean operations, organizations can build resilience and long-term success.

About BPX

BPX (Business Process Xperts) is a worldwide consulting agency that specializes in all parts of business process management (BPM), including digital transformation and enterprise optimization. BPX enables companies to reach their operational potential by utilizing proven methodologies, cutting-edge technology, and their extensive knowledge of processes.