The present invention relates to a technique of diagnosing a business process of an organization. Recently, promotion of improvement of a business process of an organization is attempted by diagnosing the business process and presenting its improvement method. As an example, process improvement by acquisition of ISO-9001 and ISO-14000 and by internal inspection may be mentioned. As another example, appraisal of CMM (Capability Maturity Model), CMMI (Capability Maturity Model Integration), or ISO-15504 to extract weak points in a business process may be mentioned. As other examples, there are methods based on a business process diagnosis model determined originally. In an inspection of ISO-9001, appraisal of CMM or CMMI, or the like, a business process is diagnosed by means of a combination of a definition of a business process of an organization, inspection of documents made according to that business process, interview examination of persons who carry out the business process, and the like. As a result, many preparation and operation man-hours are required for diagnosis. Thus, business process diagnostic methods based on answers to a simpler questionnaire have been developed.
For example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2002-109081 discloses a system in which a questionnaire for business diagnosis is provided through a network to prompt input of reply and a business diagnosis result is presented based on a result of the reply. Further, as another example, it is considered to provide a service in which a questionnaire for diagnosis of a corporate climate is provided through a network and a diagnostic result is presented.
In the case where a business process of an organization is diagnosed based on a result of reply to a questionnaire as described above, when it is intended that a common questionnaire is prepared for various organizations, it is unavoidable to prepare an abstract questionnaire since a business process is different for each organization. Thus, sometimes a questionnaire is so abstract for a process worker who works actually according to a business process that he wavers in his judgment on the meaning of the questionnaire. On the other hand, for a process definer who defines a business process and performs process-improving activities, it is possible to answer questions relating to the defined business process, but it is difficult to answer questions relating to an actual working state, since he does not work actually according to the business process. Thus, there is a problem that accuracy of answers to a questionnaire is injured and a result of diagnosis becomes readily inaccurate.
The present invention has been made considering the above-described states, and is to provide a technique of increasing accuracy of reply to a questionnaire.
To solve the above problems, the present invention provides a method in which a question sheet containing common questions is presented to a process definer to receive answers to the common questions and to receive questions proper to the organization from the process definer. Further, a question sheet containing the common questions, the answers to the common questions, and questions proper to the organization is presented to a process worker to receive answers to the questions proper to the organization from the process worker.
For example, the present invention provides a business process diagnostic method wherein a computer diagnoses a business process of an organization based on answers to questions, said method comprising: a first answer reception step in which a first question sheet containing common questions is displayed to receive answers to said common questions and to receive questions proper to the organization, and then a second question sheet containing said common questions, said answers to the common questions, and said questions proper to the organization is generated; a second answer reception step in which said second question sheet is displayed to receive answers to said questions proper to the organization, and then a third question sheet containing said common questions, said answers to the common questions, said questions proper to the organization, and said answers to the questions proper to the organization is generated; and a diagnosis step in which the business process of said organization is diagnosed based on the answers to said common questions and the answers to said questions proper to the organization, with said answers to said common questions and said answers to said questions proper to the organization being filled in said third question sheet.
According to the present invention, it is easy for each of a process definer and a process worker to answer questions, and thereby the answers are improved in their accuracy.
[First Embodiment]
A first embodiment of the present invention will be described taking an example where a business process is diagnosed using an application such as a spreadsheet tool, i.e., which is a program executed by a computer. In the present embodiment, a question sheet (input form data) is prepared by using a spreadsheet tool or the like and answers are filled in the question sheet. For example, a question sheet 100 having at least one question/answer column 104 as shown in
In the step S201, a process definer, who has defined the business process and performs process-improving activities, makes an application such as a spread sheet tool present(display) a question sheet 100 prepared in advance as shown in
In the step S202, the process definer fills with answers to those questions and also fills with questions proper to the organization in entries 102 of the question sheet 100 presented by the application such as a spread sheet. For example, as shown in
On the other hand, as shown in
In the step S203, if necessary, the process definer makes the application such as a spreadsheet duplicate the question sheet 100 obtained as a result of the step S202. And, the process definer distributes a duplicate of the question sheet 100 to each of the process workers.
In the step S204, a process worker, who actually works according to the business process, makes the application such as a spreadsheet present (display) the duplicate of the question sheet 100 (See
In the step S205, the process worker fills with answers in entries 103 of the duplicate of the question sheet 100 presented by the application such as a spread sheet. For example, as to the question proper to the organization, i.e., “Have you listed risk factors in a project check sheet at the time of receiving an order” which has been filled in by the process definer and is seen in the entry 102 of the presented duplicate of the question sheet 100, as shown in
In the step S206, the process worker makes the application such as a spreadsheet diagnose the business process of the organization to which the process worker belongs, based on the answers filled in the duplicate of the question sheet 100 (i.e., the answers obtained in the steps S201-S205). For example, in the case where, as an answer of the process definer to a common question, “Nonexistent” is filled or marked in “Actual working state” of the entry 102 in the duplicate of the question sheet 100, then 0 point is given. On the other hand, in the case where “Existent” is filled or marked, then 2 points are given. Further, in the case where, as an answer of the process worker to a question proper to the organization, “No” is filled or marked in “Actual working state”, i.e., the entry 103, then 0 point is given. On the other hand, in the case where “Yes” is filled or marked, then 1 point is given. The total of points given as described above is calculated, and taken as a result of diagnosis of the business process of the organization to which the process worker belongs, to whom the duplicate of the question sheet 100 has been distributed.
In the step S207, the process worker makes the application such as a spreadsheet tool present the result of diagnosis of the business process of the organization, which was calculated in the step S206. Further, the process worker returns the duplicate of the question sheet 100 with the entry 103 containing the answer, to the process definer.
In the step S208, the process definer makes the application such as a spreadsheet tool generally diagnose the business process of the organization as a whole, based on the answers filled in the duplicates of the question sheet 100 returned respectively from the process workers. For example, the application such as a spreadsheet is used to obtain an average and a variance of the organization's business process diagnostic results calculated in the steps S206 for the respective process workers (the respective duplicates of the question sheet 100), and these average and variance are taken as the general diagnosis on the business process of the organization as a whole.
In the step S209, the process definer makes the application such as a spreadsheet present (display) the general diagnostic result on the business process of the organization as a whole, which has been calculated in the step S208.
In the flow shown in
Further, although the above embodiment has been described taking the example where an application such as a spreadsheet is used for diagnosing a business process, the present invention is not limited to this. It is possible to use a paper-made question sheet 100 for diagnosing a business process.
[Second Embodiment]
A second embodiment of the present invention will be described taking an example where a business process is diagnosed using a computer system that includes a client terminal connected with a server apparatus through a network.
The client terminal 620 comprises a network IF (interface) unit 621 and a GUI (Graphical User Interface) unit 622. The network IF unit 621 is an interface for connecting the client terminal 620 to the computer network 630. The GUI unit 622 displays information received from the server apparatus 610 through the network IF unit 621 and sends information received from a user of the client terminal 620 to the server apparatus 610 through the network IF unit 621.
The server apparatus 610 comprises a network IF unit 611, a login processing unit 612, a question/answer receiving unit 613, a process diagnosing unit 614, a process definer question sheet storing unit 615, a process worker question sheet storing unit 616, a question sheet reply storing unit 617, a process definer login information storing unit 618, and a process worker login information storing unit 619.
The network IF unit 611 is an interface for connecting the server apparatus 610 to the computer network 630. The login processing unit 612 performs login processing of a user of the client terminal 620. The question/answer receiving unit 613 presents the question sheet 100 described in the first embodiment to the client terminal 620, to receive information such as questions, answers, and the like. The process diagnosing unit 614 makes a diagnosis on the business process, based on the answers received from the client terminal 620 through the question/answer receiving unit 613. The process definer question sheet storing unit 615 stores the question sheet 100 (See
Here, each of the client terminals 620 and the server apparatus 610 shown in
In the server apparatus 610, when the network IF unit 611 is accessed from a client terminal 620 through the computer network 630 (YES in the step S701), the login processing unit 612 sends login input screen data (which is used for receiving login information from a user of the client terminal 620) to the client terminal 620 as the access source through the network IF unit 611. In the client terminal 620, the GUI unit 622 displays the login input screen data received from the server apparatus 610 through the network IF unit 621, to receive the login information (a login name and a password) from the user. Then, the received login information is sent to the server apparatus 610 through the network IF unit 621. Then, in the server apparatus 610, the login processing unit 612 receives the login information from the client terminal 620 through the network IF unit 611 (the step S702).
Next, the login processing unit 612 examines whether the login information received from the client terminal 620 is stored in either the process definer login information storing unit 618 or the process worker login information storing unit 619, to judge whether the login of the user of the client terminal 620 should be permitted (the step S703).
In the case where, in the step S702, the login information received from the client terminal 620 is stored in neither the process definer login information storing unit 618 nor the process worker login information storing unit 619, then predetermined error processing is performed such that, for example, an error message indicating rejection of the login is sent to the client terminal 620 as the sender of the login information, through the network IF unit 611, to make the client terminal 620 display an error indication (the step S716). Then, the flow returns to the step S701.
On the other hand, in the step S703, in the case where the login information received from the client terminal 620 is stored in either the process definer login information storing unit 618 or the process worker login information storing unit 619, then the login processing unit 612 permits the login. In the case where the login information received from the client terminal 620 is stored in the process definer login information storing unit 618, then it is judged that the user of the client terminal 620 is the process definer, and the flow proceeds to the step S705. On the other hand, the login information received from the client terminal 620 is stored in the process worker login information storing unit 619, then it is judged that the user of the client terminal 620 is a process worker, and the flow proceeds to the step S711.
In the step S705, the question/answer receiving unit 613 sends selection screen data for making a user select either generation of a question sheet or diagnosis of the business process to the client terminal 620 of the process definer, for which the login has been permitted, through the network IF unit 611. In the client terminal 620, the GUI unit 622 displays the selection screen data received from the server apparatus 610 through the network IF unit 621, to make the user, i.e., the process definer, select either generation of a question sheet or diagnosis of the business process. Then, a selection result is sent to the server apparatus 610 through the network IF unit 621. In the server apparatus 610, the question/answer receiving unit 613 receives the selection result from the client terminal 620 through the network IF unit 611. In the case where the selection result indicates a selection of generation of a question sheet, then the flow proceeds to the step S706. On the other hand, in the case where the selection result indicates a selection of diagnosis of the business process, then the flow proceeds to the step S709.
In the step S706, the question/answer receiving unit 613 reads the question sheet 100 (See
In the step S708, the question/answer receiving unit 613 sends process worker input screen data for receiving login information of each process worker to the client terminal 620 of the process definer whose login has been permitted. In the client terminal 620, the GUI unit 622 displays the process worker input screen data received from the server apparatus 610 through the network IF unit 621, to receive login information (a login name and a password) of each process worker whose answers are to be collected, from the user, i.e., the process definer. Then, the received login information of each process worker is sent to the server apparatus 610 through the network IF unit 621. In the server apparatus 610, the question/answer receiving unit 613 receives the login information of each process worker whose answers are to be collected, from the client terminal 620 of the process definer whose login has been permitted, through the network IF unit 611. The received login information is registered in the process worker login information storing unit 619.
In the step S711, the question/answer receiving unit 613 reads the question sheet 100 (See
In the step S713, the process diagnosing unit 614 makes an individual diagnosis on the business process of the organization to which the process worker belongs, based on the answered question sheet 100 stored in the question sheet reply storing unit 617 being associated with the login information of the process worker whose login has been permitted. For example, similarly to the first embodiment (the step S206 of
In the step S709, the process diagnosing unit 614 makes a general diagnosis on the business process of the organization as a whole, based on the answered question sheet 100 stored in the question sheet reply storing unit 617 for each process worker. For example, for each answered question sheet 100, processing similar to the step S713 is performed for making an individual diagnosis of the business process. Then, similarly to the first embodiment (the step S208 of
In the flow shown in
Hereinabove, the embodiments of the present invention have been described.
According to the embodiments of the present invention, a question sheet 100 containing common questions is presented to a process definer. In the question sheet 100, it is sufficient for the process definer to fill with answers to the common questions and to fill with questions proper to the organization. In other words, the process definer does not need to answer detailed questions that are difficult to answer unless he actually works according to the business process. Further, according to the embodiments of the present invention, a question sheet 100 containing the common questions, the answers to the common questions, and the questions proper to the organization is presented to each process worker. In the question sheet 100, it is sufficient for a process worker to fill with answers to the questions proper to the organization. In other words, the process worker does not need to answer abstract questions that are difficult to answer unless he is the definer of the business process. Thus, according to the embodiments of the present invention, for each of the process definer and the process workers, it is easy to answer questions, and accordingly, the answers are improved in their accuracy.
The present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and can be changed variously within the scope of the invention.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2003-343915 | Oct 2003 | JP | national |