What do the BPO working groups do, and why does BPO take so long?
In our research into projects that succeed, we learned that it’s critical to change processes and not just implement software. This requires careful planning and the involvement of a high number of stakeholders from throughout the University. BUworks identified business areas where enhancing current processes, such as the budget process, would have the greatest positive impact on the University as a whole. BUworks team members and IBM consultants then facilitated working groups with University representatives to pursue Business Process Optimization – redesigning inefficient procedures, eliminating unnecessary processes, and adding some new processes in strategic areas. The goals in each case were to reduce cost and cycle times and/or improve service and quality. Each phase of BPO involves 3-6 hours of meetings per week for eight weeks for each business area. This investment of time allows the groups to document and understand existing processes before embarking on changes to those proc
