Your guide to Business Process Management: 2023

Introduction

In a dynamic and competitive market marked by the use of new information technologies, companies need to be able to adapt quickly to changes. They often have systems and software that are optimized for their current situation but do not allow them to make changes rapidly. To face these new challenges and to be able to compete in the market, they need a focus on adaptability and technology. This is where business process management (BPM) tools - including modern solutions like a low code platform - become essential.

With this guide, we hope to answer some of the most common and tricky questions about business process management and low code solutions, such as:

• What is a low code platform, and how does it help with business process management?
• Can low code tools really replace traditional BPM software?
• Is a low code platform better than a no-code one for larger businesses?
• How do low-code BPM solutions improve speed and reduce manual work?
• What are the real-world benefits of using a low code platform for business process automation?
• Can small businesses also benefit from low-code BPM tools?
• How is a low code platform different from regular process management software?

Let’s start with a definition for business process management. 

Definition of process management

What is business process management?

Business process management can be understood as managing, optimizing, and automating processes - an approach used to analyze and improve core processes that drive a company’s operations. It starts with identifying the processes on which a business depends. Then, it is necessary to analyze how to improve these processes, implement the changes and measure their results.

To stay competitive, many businesses are adopting modern solutions like a to accelerate how these processes are designed and optimized.

Process management, optimization, and automation differ from project management, which ensures that specific projects, such as implementing a new marketing campaign or designing a product - are completed efficiently. Business process management is useful for identifying and improving processes that contribute to project management.

Learn more: What is process management? How can Amoga help?

Process management can be categorized based on the purpose that it serves. Here are three types –

1. Integration-orientedIntegration-centric business process management mainly focuses on the software side of the business, creating a smooth data flow between the network of software tools (e.g., HRMS, CRM, ERP) without much human intervention. With extensive connectors and API access, this automated and integrated set of tools saves time, share information, and quickly improves collaboration among all stakeholders, leading to higher productivity.

Modern low-code software solutions enable this kind of seamless integration by reducing the need for heavy custom development.

1. Human-orientedHuman-centric business process management aims to improve human-related business processes and workflows by considering people first, supported by various automated functions. There are some tasks that only humans can execute, and automation cannot easily replace them-for instance, onboarding employees, client handling, providing human-centric customer service, etc. So, the human-centric process provides a visual interface that helps employees understand the process and manage work efficiently.

Teams leveraging a low-code platform can improve these interfaces and workflows rapidly.

1. Document-orientedA document-centric BPM largely deals with paper or digital documentation, where the entire process works on a particular document at its core. The goal here is to streamline the workflow by providing accurate and current documentation to relevant parties, reducing the manual tasks. Moreover, with a document-oriented BPM, it is possible to create a centralized workspace where all the current and relevant documents are stored. And ensure that everyone is working from the same, up-to-date information.

This type of BPM is often enhanced by low-code application development, which allows teams to build document tracking and workflow apps quickly.

Process management life cycle

According to the CBOK – Guide to Business Process Management, which is maintained by the ABPMP (Association of Business Process Management Professionals), a process management cycle involves 5 steps. However, the number of steps may vary according to the company’s maturity in using the BPM concept.

Let’s explain a little bit about these steps!

1. DesignFirst, identify the processes necessary to achieve the expected goals and design processes to meet those specific needs. Whether your company already exists, or you are building a new business, the goal is to understand the business rules that will lay the foundation for effective BPM.

In many modern organizations, this design phase is simplified using a low-code development approach, which allows for visual modeling and faster adjustments.

1. ModelBusiness process modeling allows you to build a representation of how individual processes fit together. You can map how processes interact and identify essential features to support the current business rules, various processes, etc.‍

Visual tools in a low-code platform often support drag-and-drop modeling, enabling faster collaboration between business and technical teams.

1. ExecuteOnce you’ve modeled your processes, it’s time to implement them. Execute the processes identified and designed in the previous step. This can be done manually or through automation.

With low-code platform development, execution becomes more efficient, especially for companies aiming to reduce dependence on traditional IT cycles.

1. MonitorTrack processes to stay informed of their status and performance. Flag areas that are underperforming or appear as potential bottlenecks.‍

BPM systems built with a no-code low-code platform often include monitoring dashboards out of the box.

1. OptimizeUse the information gathered in the monitoring phase to make process improvements, resulting in cost savings or greater efficiencies.

Low-code approaches allow organizations to test and iterate on process improvements with minimal turnaround time - one of the benefits of low-code no-code platforms that makes them a popular choice today.

Benefits of process management

When done right, process management can bring many benefits to your business. Here are some of them:

1. Cost efficiencyBy streamlining operations, with working collaboratively, and reducing duplication of effort with a low code development platform, companies can reduce costs while improving productivity.
2. Error reductionBPM helps companies find ways to make their processes more reliable, reducing the risk of errors caused by human oversight or excessive complexity. This is especially valuable when using modern low-code software that simplifies how business logic is implemented.
3. Customer satisfactionBy optimizing business operations, process automation reduces the chances of problems that can impact customers, such as delays in product shipments or communication failures.
4. Employee satisfactionEfficient business processes reduce the number of repetitive tasks, resulting in more pleasant and less tedious work experience for the team. This is also why many companies turn to low-code application development - to enable employees with tools that make their jobs easier.
5. Brings more agilityWith transparent processes, companies can improve overall performance and resource optimization more easily.
6. Increased productivityLeveraging process management often automates repetitive tasks, removes bottlenecks, and reduces unnecessary steps. Teams using low-code development tools often see productivity gains thanks to rapid iterations and reduced reliance on IT.
7. Better employee satisfactionInstead of spending time on tedious and repetitive tasks, employees can spend more time on activities that bring more value to the company and the customer. 

Use Cases

1. Process documentation – Improve collaboration with business users and formalize operational processes and procedures.
2. Process automation – Improve process efficiency. Achieve flawless execution with cost reduction, delays, and errors; provide instance traceability.
3. Work management and workforce optimization – Improve operational efficiency, distribute workload across teams, monitor deadlines and manage activity prioritization.
4. Digitization and case management – Build low-code enterprise grade apps and customer-centric, collaborative, dynamic, less prescriptive, and mixed processes.

Using Low code Business Process Management for your business

Now, you might be wondering: What is the benefit of using a instead of traditional business process management software?

Here are the benefits of low code coupled BPM:

• Build and deliver digital processes to the business 10x faster than traditional development methods. This way, you can build and deploy your processes in days instead of months (or years).
• Develop customer-centric processes that address customers’ real needs while eliminating internal process silos and replacing tools that hamper customer satisfaction. This is a key strength of a no-code low-code platform.
• Test, measure, and experiment with new business processes and models, easily create minimum workable processes, and gather insights that support continuous improvement. Choosing the best low-code platform for your needs can help accelerate this cycle.

To decide on low code versus no-code, consider how much flexibility and customization your processes require - low-code tools tend to offer more control for complex enterprise needs.

Amoga for your business process – how can we help?

Using a low code development platform like Amoga as your business process management software can prove to be highly beneficial. We enable organizations to implement better business processes and streamline workflows cost-effectively.

Quickly create or modify simple or complex BPM solutions with minimal effort through an integrated workflow engine without worrying about the various steps of modeling and implementing business processes.

With our drag-and-drop low code workflow builder, organizations can build dynamic workflows and solve problems across all areas and teams. You no longer have to depend on your IT/Engineering team to automate projects.

To understand how Amoga works, get a product demo scheduled by clicking here.

Frequently Asked Questions - Low-code No-code BPM

1. What is a low-code business process management platform and how does it actually work?

A low-code business process management platform helps companies automate workflows using drag-and-drop tools instead of complex coding. It allows both business users and IT teams to streamline processes, build applications, and adapt faster to change. These platforms are ideal for driving digital transformation with minimal development effort.

2. How is low-code different from no-code when it comes to BPM?

A low-code platform requires minimal coding and offers more flexibility, making it great for customizing complex processes. In contrast, a no-code low-code platform is fully visual and ideal for non-technical users who want to build simple workflows quickly. Both support automation and faster app delivery, but low-code gives more control for scaling and integration-heavy tasks in BPM.

3. Can someone without a tech background use a low-code platform to automate workflows?

Yes! One of the main benefits of low-code no-code platforms is that they empower citizen developers-people without formal tech training-to build workflows with ease. With intuitive drag-and-drop interfaces and prebuilt templates, business users in HR, operations, or marketing can automate tasks without writing code. These platforms remove IT bottlenecks and help teams stay agile while keeping control over their processes. It’s designed to be fast, easy, and collaborative.

1. What are the biggest benefits of using a low-code platform for business automation?

A low-code platform lets you build and automate business processes faster, cut development costs, reduce reliance on IT, and adapt to changes quickly. It boosts team productivity while offering scalability and flexibility for both small teams and large enterprises.

5. Does low-code BPM work well for mobile app development too?

Yes, many low-code no-code platforms for mobile app development offer responsive design, allowing you to build once and deploy across web and mobile. These platforms are perfect for creating apps for field staff or remote workflows. You can quickly develop forms, task apps, and approval flows without heavy coding or mobile-specific skills.

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