In this series, we discuss the future of Business Process Management with Paul McGlynn, CEO of Caseblocks. This week we are looking at the advantages of handling complex business processes as cases through Adaptive Case Management.

Give me an example of a complex business process or a case?

I think that some processes are complex by their very nature, and then there are simple processes which become complex to implement and work within because of various environment factors, including operational legacy and people. These processes come across as messy to the observer or participant, but they are not inherently complex in their own right.

But, the general characteristics of a complex process would be indicated by the number of different roles involved, the number of business rules being catered for, the range of decisions which need to be made, the likelihood of decisions being reversed and the unpredictability of the outcome.

Criminal case work is probably quite high up there in complexity, because the only realistic goal at the start might be ‘solve the crime’. In a commercial world, agreeing contracts for the supply of a new power station will also be complex. And in general, as soon as people as free actors exist within a process value chain, complexity will emerge.

For these complex processes, I believe end-users require a simple approach, and that’s where ACM can also help by providing simple tools to managing information, workflow, tasks, communication and collaboration.

How does that complexity of process apply to customer experience in a competitive marketplace?

Complexity has to be avoided at all costs when dealing with consumers. Your average consumer loses patience very quickly when customer touchpoints don’t behave consistently, or information isn’t freely and easily accessible.

Opaque organisations who make themselves difficult to deal with or force their customers to jump through hoops to do the simplest things will hemorrhage customers to new market entrants who can build simpler propositions quickly, with better economic advantage.

Challenger banks and opening banking are a great example of this in action. I firmly believe that complexity costs money and can ruin organisations, and most of that complexity comes from legacy.

Read more on how you can better serve your customers with Order Management.