Contemporary Application of Workflow Management Systems - Case Study Example

CONTEMPORARY APPLICATION OF WORKFLOW MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS IN PROJECT/PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT Name Institution Professor Course Date Contemporary Application of Workflow Management Systems in Project/Portfolio Management Table of Contents Table of Contents 2 Introduction 3 Definition 3 History 4 Market Analysis 4 Purpose 5 Features/Benefits 5 Strengths vs. Weaknesses 6 Comparison & Evaluation: UAE vs. International Organisation in United States 8 Trends 9 Recommendations 10 Conclusion 11 List of References 12 List of figures (charts, diagrams etc…) Figure 1: Workflow Management System List of tables Table 1: Strengths and weaknesses of WFMS Abbreviations WFMS: Workflow Management System Introduction In contemporary contexts, project or portfolio managers prefer to change diverse administrative procedures, which might have far-reaching consequences for numerous structural issues as well as processes within the business entity. Integration of workflow management systems has been essential in enabling managers to solve such dilemmas or problems limiting the achievement of goals and targets in the market and industry of transaction. Workflow system has the ability to manage workflows while organising the routing of case data among the human resources as well as application programs. The purpose of this study is to examine contemporary application of workflow management systems in project or portfolio management. Definition Workflow refers to the movement of documents and tasks through a business, project, or portfolio process. From this perspective, workflow is a sequential progression of work activities as well as complex set of processes taking place concurrently, which have eventual impact on each other in accordance with the existing rules, routes, and roles (Aalst et al, 2004). Workflow Management Systems (WFMS) are techniques and mechanisms enabling business entities and organisations to define as well as control diverse activities in association with the business process, project, and relevant portfolio for effectiveness and efficiency in the management. In addition, such systems are essential in enabling business organisations to measure and analyse the execution of the project or portfolio for integration and achievement of continuous improvements. Some of these improvements include reallocation of tasks for quality balance of workload and redefinition of the portions of the workflow process to eliminate similar problems in the future contexts. History In the 1960s, business entities focused on exploitation of information and workflow management systems built for small operating system under the influence of limited functionality. It is essential to note that the workflow management systems consisted mainly of particular applications in accordance with the needs and preferences of the consumers at the end of the fiscal year. In the 20th century, the business entities focused on integration of new software tools and programs with improved functionalities such as database management in the course of realizing effectiveness and efficiency in the management of workflow (Fensel, 2003). The evolution trend has led to emphasis from programming towards achievement of complex software systems for the management of workflow in relation to project and portfolio management. In addition, the new systems focus on integration of the old approach with reference to coding of individual modules (Yu, 2005). Nevertheless, the complex-workflow management systems in the contemporary contexts have to overcome diverse challenges in relation to orchestrating and combining pieces of software. In the modern context, business entities have focused on adoption and implementation of such systems to aid the achievement of competitive advantage while reducing the cost of operation at the end of the fiscal year. Furthermore, the complex WFMS is ideal in handling diverse needs and preferences of the consumers at the end of the fiscal year. Market Analysis The purpose of this section is to examine the strengths, weaknesses, purpose, benefits, features, and relevant trends in relation to adoption and implementation of the Workflow Management Systems in UAE. Purpose Workflow Management Systems (WFMS) are techniques and mechanisms enabling business entities and organisations to define as well as control diverse activities in association with the business process, project, and relevant portfolio for effectiveness and efficiency in the management. From this perspective, it is essential to note that workflow management systems are critical in assigning of roles and activities to the employees in accordance with the needs and preferences of the consumers. In addition, business entities tend to focus on the following tools to minimise cost of operation while seeking to achieve competitive advantage at the end of the fiscal period. Moreover, such systems are essential in enabling business organisations to measure and analyse the execution of the project or portfolio for integration and achievement of continuous improvements (Leymann and Roller, 2000). This indicates that workflow management systems are vital in realisation of short and long-term goals while operating in a competitive market or industry. Features/Benefits There are some critical features enabling Workflow Management Systems to operate effectively and efficiently in accordance with the demands and perceptions of the consumers in the market and industry of transaction. For instance, the system has the process definition tool, which is a graphical or textual tool essential in defining diverse business processes and projects or portfolios. In this context, each activity within the process relates to an individual or computer application operating under the influence of the rules and regulations. Another essential feature of the system is the simulation, prototyping, and piloting. This feature is essential for the system to demonstrate validity and reliability in accordance with the goals and targets of the business entity (Casati, 2000). The third feature of the system relates to task initiation and control. The feature is vital in initiating business process and project while exploiting appropriate human and IT resources for the completion of each activity with reference to the existing rules and regulations (Decker et al, 2007). The system also focuses on incorporation of rules based decision-making feature. There is need to note that the process focuses on creation of rules for each step towards determining the processing, routing, tracking, and controlling facets of each workflow-related data. the system exploits the document routing feature, which is essential in passing a file or folder from one recipient to another while checking the documents within the central repository aspect. There are also other features of the system such as word processors, spreadsheets, GIS systems, and production applications, which are invocation applications for the viewership and manipulation of essential data (Crusson, 2003). In addition, workflow management system incorporates features such as distribution routing, access to information, process monitoring, work-lists, task automation, and tracking and logging features for effective and efficient management of the project and portfolios (Alonso, 2004). From this perspective, it is essential to note that business entities focus on exploitation of the specifications and features of the system for the acquisition of competitive advantage against stiff competition in the market and industry of transaction. Strengths vs. Weaknesses The system has diverse strengths and weaknesses in relation to its implementation for the achievement of goals and targets at the end of the fiscal year. The following section will focus on evaluation of the strengths vs. weaknesses of the system with the intention of generating adequate recommendations for the achievement of success by business entities in internal and global contexts (Van, 2004). Table 1: Strengths and weaknesses of WFMS Strengths Weaknesses The system is ideal for maximization of diverse opportunities for organisational change to operate effectively and efficiently in the global context. This is through enabling business entities to separate IT from workflow management thus efficiency in handling the needs and preferences of the consumers. On the other hand, the system might be susceptible to issues such as worker resistance. It is ideal to note that human-factor issues contribute to more than 50 percent ineffective implementation and integration of workflow management systems in diverse entities across the globe. The system is ideal in enabling organisations to examine and define their business process, project, and portfolio thus a crucial tool in reengineering business process. From this perspective, business organisations have the perfect chance to eliminate or avoid further embedding of bad practices. Some of the benefits emanating from this concept include minimisation of process time, maximisation of value added content, and flexibility in handling the needs of consumers. There is also the issue of over-management, which relates to critical definition of workflow processes at any level of detail. Since the system attempts to dictate and monitor every detail of the process, it might be excessive while incurring unnecessary overhead and worker resistance thus limiting efficiency in service delivery. There is increased and improved access to information hence an opportunity for business organisations to enhance their corporate knowledge. This strength is vital for the newer employees with limited understanding of the complex business and project operations. The system might also suffer from loss of flexibility since some of the business processes require employees to remain flexible while exploiting their personal judgment. The system is an ideal for the improvement of security and reliability in accordance with the operations of the business entities. This is through provision of secure storage and accessibility to consistent set of data in relation to business operations and activities. Business entities also incur technical implementation costs since it might be difficult to define as well as reengineer diverse business processes within the organisation. In addition, implementation of the system tends to create new work in the management of business facets of the system. Comparison & Evaluation: UAE vs. International Organisation in United States In the UAE, numerous entities (private and public institutions) focus on exploitation of the workflow management systems to aid effectiveness and efficiency in the market and industry of operation. This is also applicable in the case of global entities such as the case of Coca-Cola and FedEx Companies seeking to exploit technological advancements and globalisation at the end of the financial period in the United States (Arsanjani et al, 2008). These attributes are similar in UAE as well as other entities in different nations across the globe because of the increased essence of globalisation as well as ease in transfer of resources in the form of outsourcing. It is also critical to note that business entities in such locations tend to focus on similar factors while adopting and implementing modern workflow management systems in handling diverse project and portfolio management. From this perspective, the achievement of success in the modern entities and institutions relate to effective and efficient application of the tools in accordance with the demands and needs of the consumers in different markets and industries of transactions (Liu et al, 2012). Workflow Management Systems are ideal in the achievement of success as well as excellence within the public institutions in the case of UAE as well as other nations within the developing nations’ context. The attribute is ideal towards increasing the needs and preferences of the consumers while aiding the achievement of competitive advantage at the end of the fiscal period. Main providers of the workflow management systems There are numerous service providers of the workflow management systems in the context of the UAE. One of the major service providers in the case of UAE is the case of STC. The business entity focuses on provision of numerous services as well as systems such as workforce management system, workflow management systems, ERP, and other relevant technologies in relation to automation of the provision of services and products in accordance with the needs and preferences of the consumers. Another essential service provider in the UAE is the MTNL. The company focuses on provision of the WFMS to enhance operations of the organisations in accordance with the need and preferences of the consumers at the end of the fiscal period. Trends There are numerous trends in relation to adoption and implementation of workflow management systems by business entities in the modern society. In the first instance, business entities focus on faster deployment as well as real-time data management in relation to exploitation of the services. In addition, medium and small-sized entities maximize the advantages of these systems in the course of improving output of the employees at the end of the financial year. These trends relate to massive impact of technology in minimisation of cost while seeking to automate numerous activities within the organisation with reference to satisfaction of the needs and preferences of the consumers and other relevant stakeholders. Figure 1: Recommendations Business entities in UAE and other entities operating across the globe should focus on considering numerous factors in the course of selecting an appropriate workflow management system. In the first instance, it is ideal to focus the speed of the system in relation to complaints from customers, managers, and suppliers, which offer incentive for improvement. Moreover, organisations should consider costs, which indicate that they must be aware of high labour costs as well as frequent routing of the simple tasks to high-priced personnel. There is also need to concentrate on accuracy through elimination of problems and issues pertaining to accurate management of workflow in diverse projects and portfolios (Lehmann, 2006). Other factors include quality, customer satisfaction, and flexibility to aid the achievement of the goals and targets at the end of the fiscal year while handling the needs and preferences of the consumers. Conclusion Workflow Management Systems (WFMS) are techniques and mechanisms enabling business entities and organisations to define as well as control diverse activities in association with the business process, project, and relevant portfolio for effectiveness and efficiency in the management. Such systems are essential in enabling business organisations to measure and analyse the execution of the project or portfolio for integration and achievement of continuous improvements. Categorically, it is ideal to note that workflow management systems have the ability to enable business entities to achieve competitive advantage against major competitors in the market and industry of transaction. List of References Aalst W.V.D. 2002a. ‘Workflow Management: Models, Methods and Systems’. The MIT Press. Cambridge, Massachusetts, London, England. Aalst W.V.D. 2002b. ‘Patterns Based Analysis of BPEL4WS’. Report. Aalst, W. V. D., & Hee, K. V. 2004. Workflow management: models, methods and systems. 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