Process owner
| Process owner |
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| See also |
Process owner is a person who takes responsibility for reaching the process's objectives by managing and supervising its performance through Key Performance Indicators (KPI). Process owner is authorized to make any required changes in the particular process if it is necessary to realize the process objectives [1].
The role of process owner is being implemented in most of process oriented organizations. That person is managing and supervising particular aspects of the specific process, but it does not mean that all the people involved in performing the process creation are reporting to the process owner.
Being a process owner means taking responsibility for most steps of the given process from beginning to end by designing it - the way how it is carried out, its interactions and connections with other processes or ways of measuring the process efficiency. All of these aspects are ongoing tasks on each step of the process development.
Process owner responsibilities
Specific responsibilities of the process owner includes [2]:
- Projecting strategy of the process which includes defining the mission and main objectives of the process and its tactics, procedures and instructions
- Defining risks and opportunities on each stage of the process
- Describing intention of the process in an easy to understand way
- Defining Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and ways of measuring it
- Monitoring process performances in relation to the KPIs and reporting it to senior management
- Developing, implementing and synchronizing process improvements actions
- Synchronizing interactions of the process with other processes in the organization
- Requesting and making available necessary trainings, documentation, resources and information
- Ensuring meeting requirements of the process customers
- Negotiating process internal and external conflicts, identifying and resolving daily basis problems
- Analysing and approving process changes and communicating it to the process users
Process owner competencies
Competencies of the process owner can be categorized into 3 main categories: related to tasks, related to people and related to thinking[3].
Among task related competencies we can distinguish:
- Business Process Management competencies - analytical skills, knowledge of Business Process Management frameworks, improvement methodologies, process metrics monitoring and process design tools and technologies, economic knowledge,
- Customer Focus - understanding customer expectations of the process and ability to adapt the process to these expectations,
- Process Change Facilitation - changes management and presentation skills,
- Process Governance - legal conditions of the process and risk mitigation activities.
People competencies are categorised as:
- Interpersonal - negotiating and influencing skills, communication skills, motivating abilities, innovative thinking, leadership capabilities,
- Organisation Understanding - knowledge of organizational design principles and its culture.
Thinking competencies refer to::
- Systemic Thinking - understanding of associations and relationships of all the aspects forming the whole system,
- Conceptual Strategic Thinking - thinking in the context of achieving goals.
Footnotes
References
- Garbutt M., Rudman A., Seymour L. (2017), Toward a Business Process Owner Competency Framework South African Computer Journal 29(1), 122–146
- Hrabal M., Tuček D. (2018), What Does it Mean to Own a Process: Defining Process Owner´s Competencies FME Transactions vol. 46, br. 1, 138-150
- Kohlbacher M., Gruenwald S. (2011), Process ownership, process performance measurement and firm performance International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management, Vol. 60 Issue: 7, 709-720
- Long K.A. (2012), Process Roles — Who are the Process Owners? Business Rules Journal Vol. 13, No. 9
Author: Natalia Kobos
