Relationship Management Startup EventWednesday 29 July 2009, Aston Business SchoolAlan Paull, APS Ltd

SLRM Landscape Study: http://tinyurl.com/ltn9ns

Practical benefits of systems thinking diagramming process modelling techniques

Derived from the Landscape Study of Student Lifecycle Relationship Management

Q & A

Definition of a system:

A set of components interconnected for a purpose

Sign‐graph diagram showing the effect of induction activities on retention

Control model

Image from Daniel Whiteside, Sterrett, Alabama

Question AnswerWhy do we use diagrams?

Because they’re quicker and easier to understand than all these words!

Why are we doing modelling?

To understand our processes through a coherent and logical representation of them.

What’s the difference between a model and a diagram?

A model is a conceptual description of the complex system in question, whereas a diagram is a visual representation of an aspect of the model.

A sequence of activities followed by individuals in an organisation to achieve a goal.

Alternatively:

Who does what, when and how.

“The important thing is to understand what you’re doing, rather than to get the right answer.”

Tom Lehrer, 1965

Aim To record a common understanding of our processes.

Objective To establish an agreed model of the processes, so that we can investigate and design future interventions.

Means By reviewing and revising our tentative ‘as is’ model.

The journey:Discovery – review documentation; review any existing models.Interrogation –communicate with staff who carry out activities and/or have responsibility for them.Preliminary understanding – reflect on the “intelligence” already collected.Modelling – produce a tentative model and diagrams to illustrate it.Authentication– reflect the model back to the staff for amendment, clarification and confirmation.Telling– informing others of our findings by creating visualisations of the model.

From “Enterprise Architecture at Work”, Marc Lankhorst et al.

Relationship Management Startup EventWednesday 29 July 2009, Aston Business SchoolAlan Paull, APS Ltd

QUESTIONS?