APQC framework

[TK_Council]

Hi Everyone,

I was wondering if anyone in here has used the APQC framework as best practice for their value stream mapping? What level do you map to in Promapp? Does anyone have a process architecture framework they would share?

Kind Regards

Tanya

[Damian]

Kia ora Tanya,

we used the APQC framework to help develop our process groups, although we modified it to work for us. It was a good basis to start from and helped drive our groups to be more functional (instead of organisational). It's evolved over time and looks a little different than when we started but because it's functional it's survived restructures and name changes.

We created process groups for the first two levels then below that is processes. We have some subfolders for team specific processes although we're trying to lift these up and standardise them.

Worth a look but highly recommend altering to make it work for you, especially terminology wise.

[TK_Council]

Thanks Damian,
Do you have an example of how you used APQC and were you able to show this as a value stream in a mega process?
It will determine if Promapp is still the right tool for us.
Thanks
Tanya

[Damian]

Kia ora Tanya,

I can't show specifics as I'd need to provide too much information that might put our IP at risk (we altered the wording/phrases to make sense in a NZ and AsureQuality context) but the basic principle is to use the process groups in Promapp to create the hirachy you see in the APQC Process Classification Framework (PCF).

For example 

PCF ID	Hierarchy ID	Name	Promapp
10002	1.0	Develop Vision and Strategy	Top level group
17040	1.1	Define the business concept and long-term vision	Sub group
10017	1.1.1	Assess the external environment	Process

We have a process group at the top level called Vision and Strategy, with a sub group called Vision and Concept. Within that we have processes such as Assessing the external environment. We didn't bring across the entire PCF as it didn't always make sense to, but it gave us a good starting point.

We don't currently do Value Steam mapping, but we're starting to capture the times spent on a process (wait and active) so we can do this. For the times that have been captured, the processes and any mega processes that use it correctly display and calculate the times.

Hope that helps!

Ngā mihi nui,

Damian

[KeishaCzysz]

Where have you recorded the PCF ID number in Promapp? I'm trying to determine if it belongs in the background or objectives or somewhere in the title? Do you ever use this to do any comparison to APQC's benchmark data?

[Damian]

We didn't bother recording the PCF ID - partly because we altered the framework to fit with our business and also because it doesn't add much to most users. You could record it in the Background although I'm not sure you'd be able to report on it?

We don't benchmark, although would be an interesting exercise.

[waleria_bueno]

We have added the APQC-PCF processes numbers and descriptions in the background as a reference.

[waleria_bueno]

Hi Tanya,

We've created the "Value Stream" process group at the top level alongside the APQC-PCF level 1 processes.

The value-stream processes are showing processes at level 3 linked in the workflow.

Hope that helps.

Regards

Waleria