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GB921P Process Framework Primer R15.0.1
GB921P Process Framework Primer R15.0.1
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Table of Contents
NOTICE....................................................................................................................................................2
TABLE OF CONTENTS........................................................................................................................4
LIST OF FIGURES.................................................................................................................................5
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY.....................................................................................................................6
1. WHAT IS BUSINESS PROCESS FRAMEWORK?...................................................................7
2. WHERE DID THE BUSINESS PROCESS FRAMEWORK COME FROM?.........................9
3. HOW DOES THE BUSINESS PROCESS FRAMEWORK WORK?.....................................11
3.1 DOMAIN DEFINITION.......................................................................................................................11
3.2 PROCESS DECOMPOSITIONS............................................................................................................11
3.3 PROCESS FLOWS.............................................................................................................................19
4. WHY USE THE BUSINESS PROCESS FRAMEWORK?.......................................................25
5. WHEN CAN THE BUSINESS PROCESS FRAMEWORK HELP?.......................................26
6. WHO IS USING THE BUSINESS PROCESS FRAMEWORK?.............................................27
7. SOME IDEAS ON USING THE BUSINESS PROCESS FRAMEWORK..............................28
8. ADMINISTRATIVE APPENDIX................................................................................................32
8.1 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS...................................................................................................................32
8.2 DOCUMENT HISTORY...........................................................................................................................32
8.2.1 Version History................................................................................................................32
8.2.2 Release History................................................................................................................33
List of Figures
Figure 10: Process Interaction Flow Diagram for DSL Fulfillment (Pre-Sales)................................21
Figure 11: Process Interaction Flow Diagram for DSL Fulfillment (Ordering).................................23
Figure 12: Process Dynamics Flow Diagram for DSL Fulfillment (Ordering)..................................24
Executive Summary
In this release of the Business Process Framework (rel 14.5), the team
has decided to introduce the notion of domains, in place of the previously
existing level 0 horizontal processes. This allow for better alignment with
the other frameworks. 7 domains have been defined see figure below
The Market and Sales domain
The Product domain
The Customer domain
The Service Domain
The Supplier/Partner domain
The Enterprise Domain
Process X
Process Element
- Process Element
- Process Element
-
X1 X2 X3
Process Element
- Process Element
-
X21 X22
Process Element
- Process Element
-
X211 X212
Market_Sales Domain
Market Strategy & Policy
Marketing Capability Delivery Market Sales Support & Readiness Selling
Sales Development Market Performance Management
Product Domain
Product & Offer Portfolio
Product
Planning
& Offer Capability
ProductDelivery
& Offer Development & Retirement
Product SupportProduct
& Readiness
Configuration Management
Product Performance management
Customer Domain
Customer Support & Readiness
Order Handling Problem Handling Bill InvoiceBill
Customer QoS/SLA Management Management
Payments & Receivables Management
Customer Management
Charging Manage Balances
Customer Information Management
Service Domain
Service Strategy & Planning
Service Capability Delivery
Service Development & Retirement Service
SM&O Support Configuration & Activation
& Readiness Service Problem Management
Service Quality Management Service Guiding & Mediation
Resource Domain
Resource Strategy & Planning
Resource Capability Delivery
Resource Development & Retirement
RM&O Support & Readiness
Resource Provisioning
Resource Trouble
Resource
Management
Performance Management
Resource Mediation & Reporting
Workforce Management
Resource Data Collection & Distribution
Party AgreementParty
Management Party Privacy Management
Offering Development & Retirement
Party Interaction Management
Enterprise Domain
Strategic & Enterprise Planning
Enterprise Risk Management
Enterprise Effectiveness Management
Knowledge & Research Management
Financial & Asset
Stakeholder
Management
& External Relations Management
Human Resources Management
Market / Sales
Product
Customer
Service
Resource
© TM Forum 2015. All Rights Reserved. Page 14 of 34
Business Process Framework Primer
Business Process Framework (eTOM) R15.0.1
In Figure 3, the OPS area is shown with Level 2 processes visible. Note
that a Level 2 process is part of a horizontal, Level 1 process and also
positioned on a vertical. In some cases, a Level 2 process is “stretched”
across several vertical groups (e.g. Resource Data Collection, Analysis
and Control in RM&O). This is because the process concerned is needed
in several vertical groups (e.g. for Resource Data Collection, Analysis and
Control, the data collected from the network (say) can represent usage
data for Billing & Revenue Management but can also support fault
handling or performance assessment in Assurance).
Fulfillment (L1)
Resource Management & Operations (L1)
Resource Provisioning (L2)
Enterprise
Management
Strategic & Knowledge Enterprise Financial & Enterprise Human Stakehlder &
Enterprise & Research Effectiveness Asset Risk Resources Ext. Relations
Planning Management Management Management Management Management Management
Strategic Process Business Corporate
Knowledge Financial HR Policies
Business Management Continuity Comms &
Management Management & Practices
Planning & Support Management Image Mgt
Enterprise Community
Business Research Asset Security Organization Relations
Quality
Development Management Management Management Development Management
Management
Enterprise Program Shareholder
Technology Procurement Fraud Workforce
Architecture & Project Relations
Scanning Management Management Strategy
Management Management Management
Group Enterprise Audit Workforce
Enterprise Performance Regulatory
Management Development Management
Management Assessment
ITIL Release ITIL Service Facilities ITIL Service Employee
Catalogue Insurance & Labor Legal
& Deploymnt. Management Continuity
Management Management Relations Mgt Management
Management & Support Management
ITIL Service ITIL Revenue Board &
ITIL Change Level Event Shares/Secur.
Assurance
Management Management Management Management
Management
Level 0
ITIL ITIL ITIL Service ITIL
Capacity Incident Asset & Confg Problem Level 1
Management Management Management Management
ITIL ITIL Continual ITIL Level 2
Availability ITIL Request Service Info Security
Management Fulfillment Improvement Management
Request
Service Service
Activation Activated
Service
Configuration
&
Activation
Request
Resource Resource
Activation Activated
Resource
Provisioning
Supplier/Partner
Financial & Asset Management Stakeholder & External Relations Management Human Resources Management
Corporate Community Shareholder Board & Employee &
Financial Asset Procurement Regulatory Legal HR Policies & Organization Workforce Workforce
Communications & Relations Relations Shares/Securities Labor Relations
Management Management Management Management Management Practices Development Strategy Development
Image Management Management Management Management Management
Customer
contacts retailer Sales Proposal
received By
Customer
Resource Resource
Reservation Reservation
Resource Management & Operations
Requested Confirmed
Check External
Supplier
Solution
Supplier/Partner Relationship Management
Pre-Order initiated
S/P Buying S/P Purchase Pre-Order
Order
Management
Figure 10: Process Interaction Flow Diagram for DSL Fulfillment (Pre-Sales)
The next diagram type, shown in Figure 10, is developed directly from a
process analysis and modeling tool (rather than a general drawing
software). Here we are working with Level 2 process elements but other
Levels can be used depending on the detail required. This diagram type
positions the Business Process Framework processes in relatively the
same way that they can be seen on the Business Process Framework
model diagrams (see, for example, Figure 3 earlier), which assists with
recognition and avoids confusion. Each process only appears once, and
so sequencing of the interactions is not explicit in this diagram (it is on the
process dynamics diagrams later).
An important element in flow diagrams of this kind is that of “swimlanes”.
These are areas in the process flow diagram, containing typically several
process elements that contribute to the overall process flow, which scope
a useful area of attention to assist the user. In this example, the swimlanes
have been drawn to represent the four horizontal functional process
groupings of the Operations area of the Business Process Framework,
since the scenario involved is focused in the Operations domain. In this
arrangement, all the process elements in a specific swimlane in the
diagram (e.g. in the lowest swimlane for Supplier/Partner Management &
Operations) are components of that horizontal functional process
grouping. It should be noted that swimlanes (despite their name) need not
be only horizontal, although this is a common choice for clarity, and is the
approach used in the Business Process Framework process flow
diagrams.
The process flow in Figure 10 addresses the pre-sales stage of Fulfillment
(other phases are documented in separate diagrams, for convenience). It
kicks-off from the Marketing Fulfillment Response process stimulating a
customer to make a service enquiry (in fact, in Business Process
Framework terms the customer buys a product, as service is reserved for
the internal technical capability that supports a product). The Customer
then contacts the retailer (external event) and the enquiry is routed
through Customer Interface Management to Selling (sales enquiry routed).
Note that interactions between processes (like sales enquiry routed) are
events, and are not intrinsically information transfers. Thus they can be
considered to represent transfer of control.
After any necessary clarification with the customer, Selling requests Order
Handling to check on the feasibility of satisfying the product request, and
this leads to a design being developed for the product instance required,
and checks through Service Configuration & Activation, and then
Resource Provisioning & Allocation to Service Instance, that this can be
done. This may also involve interaction with a supplier via S/P Requisition
Management, etc. Eventually, if all is well, a sales proposal is offered or an
alternative solution offered.
Order Completion
Customer places Order Notification
Internal
Service Management & Operations
Design Service
Requested Order
Initiated Service Details
Design Service
for Billing
Completed Activated
External Supplier
Selection Required Service Configuration & Activation
Figure 11: Process Interaction Flow Diagram for DSL Fulfillment (Ordering)
Figure 11 is also another example of this diagram type, for the main
Ordering phase of Fulfillment. It kicks-off with the Customer placing an
order, and then tracks through Selling, Order handling, and the service
and resource layer processes that actually configure the product instance.
As the product instance is brought into service, there are external
interactions with Billing (now, Billing & Revenue Management)) to set up
charging for this.
However, even though interactions are labeled in these diagrams,
sequencing and dependencies in the flow are still not explicit. For this, we
need to generate another kind of diagram.
Customer Order
Confirmed Resource
Aw aiting resource Alloccation A llocated
Customer Interface
Customer
Market Management
Request
Product &
Service
Customer
Pr iority Pr iority
Requested Advised
Design
r equested
Retention &
Loyalty
Service
Ex ternal Resource
Component A llocation
r equested r equested
Resource(Ap
plication,
Computing
and Netw ork) Resource
Pr ovisioning
Figure 12: Process Dynamics Flow Diagram for DSL Fulfillment (Ordering)
Figure 12 represents a process dynamics flow diagram, showing the
process dynamics explicitly. Each process typically appears several times,
on each occasion providing a specific step in the process flow sequence.
As there is therefore typically different functionality employed on each
appearance, this diagram can provide insight into the decomposition of the
Level 2 process into Level 3 processes. It shows equivalent information to
the Ordering process interaction diagram of Figure 11, but is more
technically complete and is a better basis for further design.
Developing process flows in this way is a valuable source of insight and
additional detail to validate process decompositions, and to address
specific areas of business priority for Business Process Framework
application.
It should also be added that the adoption of the Business Process
Framework in no way precludes the adoption of specific best practice flow
schemas such as ITIL®. In such a case the ITIL® diagrams determine
the flow designs and the swimlanes align with the suggested best practice
role differentiation. The value of the Business Process Framework is then
in delivering reusable, well defined, process components.
Service Providers
1. Assign your technical personnel to review the Business Process
Framework and Model, and to present recommendations on it for your
enterprise (see www.tmforum.org for download advice).
2. Encourage your vendors to understand the Business Process
Framework, and. to describe their software applications in relation to the
Business Process Framework.
3. If you want your company’s view incorporated in future versions of the
Business Process Framework, send a representative to participate
actively in its ongoing development.
Vendors
1. Provide materials on your software products for customers using the
Business Process Framework structure and concepts.
2. Assist your customers’ understanding of your software products by
explaining your software products in relation to the Business Process
Framework.
3. Use the Business Process Framework as a guide to help generate
product gap analysis, market analysis, competitive analysis, etc.
4. Establish and build partnerships to produce more complete solutions for
service providers.
5. Leverage the Business process framework to deliver reusable, and thus
cheaper to deliver, solutions to products based on other best practices
such as ITIL®, TOGAF®, COBIT® and others.
6. To ensure the Business Process Framework accurately reflects how
the telecom business operates, send a representative to participate in its
ongoing development.
Note: Vendors, System Integrators and related companies are generally
comprised of common roles. The common roles are shown below with a
brief description of each role. These common roles are not prescriptive.
Rather, they are provided to illustrate the breadth of the Business Process
Framework impact on vendor and system integrator organizational roles.
Senior Management:
o Mission & strategy
Business:
o Customer, market needs & issues
o Portfolio generation & management
o Value proposition
o Business case development
o Partnerships
Marketing:
o Market & competitive analysis
o Branding, advertising, promotions, etc.
o Public relations
Sales:
o RFQs, RFIs, RFPs, contracts, etc.
Finance :
o Revenue & cost forecasting
o Order to cash, billing, etc.
Systems Engineering:
o Research and Design
o System design: architecture, interfaces, etc.
o Technology, etc. roadmaps
Development Engineering:
o Hardware, software, services products and
solutions
Test:
o System, product, field, compliance, “X-ility”
(Availability, Operability, …), etc. testing &
certification
Manufacturing:
o Supply chain (in)
o Warranty, etc.
Deployment:
o Supply chain (out)
o Delivery & installation
o Acceptance test
o Field trials, Field problem resolution, MOL
It is also critical to identify and assess the area where the Business
Process Framework may bring benefit , and to define success criteria for
any trial or application of the Business Process Framework, so that results
can be used to build confidence and then to justify further work.
In using the Business Process Framework, it is important to recognize that
it provides a ready-made generic business process framework, which may
need adjustment for your business, and that it is progressively being
further developed to lower-level detail.
So, the Business Process Framework can be used directly:
to assist your business partitioning (Business Process
Framework process groupings and definitions to define
roles and responsibilities within your organization)
to seek supply of system and solutions from vendors that
identify which processes within the Business Process
Framework are being automated, so as to:
brings economies of scale across industry
accelerates availability of products
allows customization and extension
In addition, the Business Process Framework can be adapted and
extended to accommodate specific needs in your own area:
use Business Process Framework as baseline
define additional detail and modifications in areas specific
to your business
extend the Business Process Framework for use within
your company
influence ongoing Business Process Framework
development through direct participation
o share ideas and gain insight
o ensure the Business Process Framework evolves
in line with your needs
o maximize the relevance of industry products
8. Administrative Appendix
8.1 Acknowledgements
comments
Version 4.9 March 2010 Alicja Kawecki Minor cosmetic
corrections for
web posting
Version 4.10 April 2011 Alicja Kawecki Updated to reflect
TM Forum
Approved status
comments
14.0 May 2014 Hugo Vaughan Assimilation of the
vertical processes
as simple
groupings, minor
edits to reflect
changing industry
terms and co-
solutions
15.0 May 2015 Viviane Cohen Amendments
based on changes
to Frameworx