ATTACHMENT F - BPV Guidelines and Standards_v6_202106.pdf

VHA Office of Healthcare Informatics Strategic Investment Management

Business Process & Value

BPV Guidelines and Standards Version 6.0

October 2021

DRAFT BPV Guidelines and Standards - i - October 2021

Revision History

Figure 1: BPV Guidelines and Standards Revision History

Date Revision Description Author

09/2014 1.0 Updated document, revised formatting, and copyediting BPV Team

06/2015 1.5 Updated document, revised formatting, and copyediting BPV Team

12/2015 2.0 Finalized updates and copy editing BPV Team

03/2017 2.5

Consolidation with BPV Guiding

Principles and BPV Process

Modeling Guidelines and

Standards

BPV Team

06/2017 3.0 Updated document with BPV

Team input provided Lei Lani Myles & Catherine Burk

10/2017 3.5 Updated document and revised formatting Sarah Samolis

02/2018 3.6 Updated document Sarah Samolis

4/2018 3.7 Updated document with BPV

Team input provided Sarah Samolis

6/2018 4.0 Finalized updates for publishing Sarah Samolis

9/2019 4.5 Updated document with BPV

Team input provided Jose Colon & Holly Bascope

8/2020 5.0 Updated content, formatting and merging of additional artifacts Heather Penzo & Katie Fietzek

10/2020 5.1 Minor updates per Carrie's

Feedback 10/19/2020 Holly Bascope

10/2020 5.2

Added Appendix “How-To

Complete a Process Model

Summary Report (PMSR)”, updated graphics in Appendix D

“PMSR Tables”

Holly Bascope, Heather Penzo, &

Katie Fietzek

DRAFT BPV Guidelines and Standards - ii - October 2021

10/2020 5.3

Reordered Appendices, updated appendix references, added

Deliverable types table (Section

2.1.4)

Holly Bascope

6/2021 6

Model Numers, Model States, Operating Assumptions, Constraints

Holly Bascope

DRAFT BPV Guidelines and Standards - iii - October 2021

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Table of Contents .............................................................................................................................. iii

Table of Figures................................................................................................................................. vi

1 Introduction

1.1 Purpose

1.2 BPV Overview

1.3 BPV Roles and Responsibilities

2 BPV Services

2.1 Business Requirements and Architecture Support

2.1.1 Business Requirements and Architecture Elaboration Efforts

2.1.2 Business Process Elaboration Efforts

2.1.3 Business Transformation, Risk and Integration Management (BTRIM)

2.1.4 Deliverables

2.2 Business Process Re-Engineering & Improvement

2.3 Process Architecture Consultation & Collaboration

2.4 Training Development Support

2.5 Internal Improvements

3 BPV Guiding Principles

3.1 Operational Guidelines

3.1.1 Align Process Architecture Work Efforts with Health Information Strategic Plan (HISP)

3.1.2 Maintain the VHA Segment Architecture Line of Sight

3.1.3 Proactively Prepare for BPV Support

3.1.4 Maintain a Customer-Centric Focus

3.1.5 Coordinate with Internal and External Groups

3.1.6 Establish and Meet Performance Goals

3.1.7 Maintain a Transparent Environment

3.2 Process Modeling Guidelines

3.2.1 Apply a Standardized Process Modeling Methodology

3.2.2 Adhere to Standard Process Model Notation

3.2.3 Perform Quality Control

4 Business Process Work Effort Methodology

4.1 Step 1: Work Effort Initiation and Assessment

4.2 Step 2: Prepare for the Work Effort Analysis and Elaboration

4.2.1 Identify Stakeholders

4.2.2 Review Existing Documentation

4.2.3 Define Work Effort Scope

4.2.4 Develop Work Effort Schedule

4.2.5 Create Work Effort Folder within SharePoint

DRAFT BPV Guidelines and Standards - iv - October 2021

4.2.6 Hold Work Effort Kick-Off Meeting

4.3 Step 3: Develop Business Process Architecture – Analysis & Elaboration

4.3.1 Perform Analysis

4.3.2 Perform Elaboration

4.3.3 Business Process Architecture Development Guidance

4.4 Step 4: Closeout – Finalize Business Process Architecture

4.4.1 Validate Current State and Future State Processes

4.4.2 Conduct Peer Review

4.4.3 Receive Business Owner Approval

4.4.4 Archive Final Work Product(s) and Submit Work Product Close-Out Checklist

4.4.5 Update the Process Inventory

4.4.6 Perform Lead Process Architect Transition

5 Business Transformation, Risk and Integration Management (BTRIM)

5.1 VHA Enterprise Capability End to End Efforts

5.2 Enterprise Capability End to End SharePoint Structure

5.3 Site Capability End to End Elaboration Efforts

5.4 Site Capability Elaboration Folders

6 Business Process Model and Notation

6.1 BPMN Overview

6.2 Types of Processes BPMN 2.0 Supports

6.2.1 Internal Processes

6.2.2 Collaboration Process

6.3 BPMN 2.0 Process Elements Descriptions

6.4 Recommended Steps for Creating a Process

7 BPV Alignment to the VHA Business Architecture Framework and Mapping

7.1 Process Alignment to the BFF

7.1.1 Mapping Processes to the Business Functional Framework (BFF)

7.1.2 How to Identify BFF Mappings

7.1.3 BFF Mapping Guidelines

7.2 Process Alignment to Information Models

7.3 Process Alignment to the Organizational Roles

7.4 Process Alignment to Requirements Traceability Matrix

7.5 Identifying and Aligning Operational Activities

7.6 Process Alignment to Enterprise Architecture

8 Appendices

8.1 Appendix A: Internal & EXTERNAL REFERENCE Materials

8.2 Appendix B: Acronyms

8.3 Appendix C: Process Improvement Interview Questions

DRAFT BPV Guidelines and Standards - v - October 2021

8.3.1 Potential questions to discover customer pains and wants:

8.3.2 Questions to collect this data:

8.3.3 Other questions:

8.4 Appendix D: Visio 2016 BPMN Shape Stencil

8.5 Appendix E: Visio Metadata Export Instructions

8.6 Appendix F: Business Architecture Package, Business Owner Approval E-mail Template

8.7 Appendix G: Process Model Summary Report, Business Owner Approval E-mail Template

8.8 Appendix H: PMSR Tables

8.9 Appendix I: How-To Complete a Process Model Summary Report (PMSR)

8.10 Appendix J: Site Visit Preparation Checklist

8.11 Appendix K: Model Timelines and Constraints

DRAFT BPV Guidelines and Standards - vi - October 2021

TABLE OF FIGURES

Figure 1: BPV Guidelines and Standards Revision History ..................................................................................................... i

Figure 2: BA Organizational Alignment

Figure 3: BPV Work Effort Roles and Responsibilities

Figure 4: BPV Internal Operations Roles and Responsibilities

Figure 5: Business Requirements and Architecture Elaboration Effort Phases

Figure 6: Business Process Elaboration Effort Phases

Figure 7: Business Process Elaboration Effort Phases

Figure 8: Business Process Elaboration Effort Phases

Figure 7: Guideline Categories

Figure 8: Implications - Align Work Effort with HISP & OIIG Priorities

Figure 9: Implications - Proactively Prepare for BPV Support

Figure 10: Implications - Maintain a Customer Centric Focus

Figure 11: Implications - Coordinate with Internal and External Groups

Figure 12: Implications - Establish and Meet Performance Goals

Figure 13: Implications - Maintain a Transparent Environment

Figure 14: Implications - Apply a Standard Process Modeling Methodology

Figure 15: Implications – Adhere to Standardized Process Model Notation

Figure 16: Implications – Perform Quality Control

Figure 17: BPV Work Effort Phases

Figure 18: Schedule Example

Figure 19: BPV Visio Stencil Header

Figure 20: BPV Visio Stencil TOC

Figure 21: Visio Activity Metadata Location

Figure 22: Metadata Requirements

Figure 23: BPV Process Inventory

Figure 24: Process List Table Attributes

Figure 25: Enterprise Capability End to End Elaboration Effort Phases

Figure 26: Site Capability End to End Elaboration Effort Phases

Figure 27: Site Capability End to End Elaboration Effort Phases

DRAFT BPV Guidelines and Standards - vii - October 2021

Figure 28: Internal Process

Figure 29: Collaboration Process

Figure 30: Element General Guidelines

Figure 31: Process Creation Steps

Figure 32: Process Alignment with other BA Units

Figure 33: Process Model Alignment to BFF

Figure 34: Data Object Mapping to NDOs

Figure 35: Activity Mapping to RTM

Figure 36: Ratings and Criteria for Reconciling Site-Specific Updates into the Enterprise Capability E2E Process Model

Figure 37: Internal VHA Reference Materials

Figure 38: External Reference Materials

Figure 39: BPV Guidelines and Standards Acronyms

Figure 42: Visio 2016 BPMN 2.0 Stencil

Figure 43: BPMN Shape Stencil Ready to Use

Figure 44: New Visio 2016 Document – Blank Drawing Selected

Figure 45: More Shapes Menu Expanded

Figure 46: BPMN Basic Shapes Selected

Figure 47: Visio 2016 BPMN 2.0 Stencil

Figure 48: Visio 2016 Select Shape Reports

Figure 49: Visio 2016 Select New Report

Figure 50: Visio 2016 Select Report Objects

Figure 51: Visio 2016 Select Displayed Properties

Figure 52: Visio 2016 Name Report Title

Figure 53: Visio 2016 Save Report File

Figure 54: Visio 2016 Run Report

Figure 55: Visio 2016 Run Report Format

Figure 40: PMSR Model Hierarchy Table

Figure 41: PMSR Activity Description Table

DRAFT BPV Guidelines and Standards - 1 - October 2021

1 INTRODUCTION

Veterans’ Health Administration (VHA), Office of Informatics and Information Governance (OIIG), Strategic

Investment Management (SIM) Office, Business Architecture (BA) is made up of 5 units: Operations &

Quality Assurance (OQA), Strategic & Planning (SP), Business Integration & Reference (IR), Business

Process & Value (BPV), and Business Information & Knowledge (BIK).

Figure 2: BA Organizational Alignment

For detailed information on the different BA units refer to the BA Overview Presentation and the BA

Unit Fact Sheets via Appendix A.

1.1 PURPOSE

The BPV Guidelines and Standards document was developed to provide an overall understanding of the

BPV unit, its’ guiding principles, and a detailed understanding of the methodology and procedures used to support work efforts that require BPV services. This document describes BPV’s philosophy and outlook concerning service offerings and standards of practice with respect to process architecture activities and established operations that support these activities. It also provides guidance to BA, BPV, and partnering process development organizations across the health care continuum as well as instruction to new BPV staff on established procedures.

1.2 BPV OVERVIEW

The BPV unit acts as a process modeling center of excellence for the VHA. BPV develops process models to clearly and simply represent an organization’s business processes. Business process models are visual depictions of current state (Current State) and desired future state (Future State) processes, designed to support general requirements development, Information Technology (IT) custom development or

DRAFT BPV Guidelines and Standards - 2 - October 2021 software acquisition, business process re-engineering and improvement, business value-chain transformation initiatives. Business process models assist in identifying relationships, business rules and information exchanges between organizations/departments; improve operational efficiencies; allow for better decision making and improve process communication. BPV has adopted Business Process Model and Notation (BPMN) 2.0 as its standard and BPV currently uses Microsoft Visio 2016 as its primary modeling tool. For more information on BPMN please refer to Section 6, Business Process Model and

Notation of this document and the external reference materials in Appendix A.

In summary, the BPV capabilities provide the following benefits to the organization:

• Provide a logical and visual flow of the activities within the business process for subject matter experts to better understand process scope

• Improve operational efficiencies through the identification of pain points, business needs, bottlenecks, and areas for improvement

• Drive the elicitation and documentation of information needs and business requirements

• Map the process model data objects to the VHA Business Information Model

• Cultivate and establish linkages/traceability from process models to the Business Function

Framework (BFF)

• Assist IT development by offering a preliminary design of the business process

• Increase business process consistency and compliance resulting in the generation of measurable results, linking people, process and technology

1.3 BPV ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

BPV personnel play several supporting roles that will be referenced throughout this document. Principal roles focus on responsibilities related to work efforts, while other roles ensure consistent internal operations.

During a work effort, BPV personnel typically assume the role of “Business Process Architects.” In Figure

3: BPV Work Effort Roles and Responsibilities, below, the business process architect roles is further defined (i.e., Lead or Secondary) to illustrate individual contributions which support a work effort from beginning to end. The assigned business process architects are expected to attend all work effort related sessions, such as kick-off, planning, elaboration, and working sessions.

Figure 3: BPV Work Effort Roles and Responsibilities

BPV Role Responsibilities BPV Government Lead • Oversees the execution of the work effort

• Validates all processes and documentation for compliance

• Addresses all issues that require government decision-making

• BA Director/Deputy Director abreast of BPV’s internal and

Strategic Planning tasks

Lead Business Process Architect • Responsible for the development and maintenance of all process modeling documentation for the work effort

• Serves as the primary BPV point of contact for the work effort

• Leads working sessions with stakeholders focused on process creation and elaboration

Secondary Business Process Architect • Attends all calls with Lead Process Architect and captures meeting minutes when there is no scribe

DRAFT BPV Guidelines and Standards - 3 - October 2021

• Assists in the development of process models and pertinent documentation, when necessary and available

• Reviews all processes and documentation for compliance and accuracy

• Assumes Lead Process Architect role if lead architect is unavailable

For internal operations, several different roles exist within BPV in Figure 4: BPV Internal Operations Roles and Responsibilities, below, to ensure that internal tasks are carried out daily. Examples of internal tasks may include leading and managing the BPV Team, performing project management functions, and completing administrative and strategic tasks, such as Strategic tasks.

Figure 4: BPV Internal Operations Roles and Responsibilities

BPV Role Responsibilities BPV Contractor Lead • Oversees the entire BPV Team

• Makes final decisions regarding resourcing and internal tasks

• Keeps BA leadership abreast of BPV’s administrative and strategic tasks

BPV Government Lead • Manages work products produced during work efforts

• Provides oversight across internal tasks that span BPV and other units and groups

Contract Project Manager (PM) • PM ensures contractual obligations and tasks are completed and delivered, in compliance with the contract.

Business Process Team Members • Executes Strategic tasks to improve BPV operations

• Participates in BPV status briefings

• Works with other BA units and the Requirements

Development and Management (RDM) unit to improve work effort collaboration

• Provides ad-hoc support (e.g. data calls, business case review, etc.)

• Participates as Business Process Architects during work efforts

BPV Guidelines and Standards - 42 - October 2021

2 BPV SERVICES

BPV provides the following five core services: 1) Business Requirements and Architecture Support; 2)

Business Process Re-Engineering & Improvement; 3) Process Architecture Consultation & Collaboration,

4) Business Processes for Training, and 5) Internal Improvements. Customer facing Business Process

Architects may be responsible for providing core services 1-4, while any BPV internal roles outlined in

Figure 4: BPV Internal Operations Roles and Responsibilities, perform Internal Improvements. The below sections provide an overview of each services’ primary functions. BPV supports the elaboration and development of business requirements and business architecture for VHA IT transformation work efforts.

2.1 BUSINESS REQUIREMENTS AND ARCHITECTURE SUPPORT

Business Requirements and Architecture Support Work efforts involve collecting and adjudicating business needs, generating and managing business requirement statements, and developing and managing associated business architecture products.

There are three distinct types of Business Requirements and Architecture Support Efforts the BPV team participates in:

1. Business Requirements and Architecture Elaboration Efforts

2. Business Process Elaboration Efforts

3. Business Transformation, Risk and Integration Management (BTRIM) Effort

a. VHA Enterprise Capability End to End Management Effort

b. Site Capability End to End Elaboration Efforts

2.1.1 Business Requirements and Architecture Elaboration Efforts BA and Requirements Development and Management (RDM) teams leverage a business process driven approach to facilitate the elicitation and documentation of information needs and business requirements based on discussions with Subject Matter Experts (SMEs). Work efforts are guided by the

Business Requirements and Architecture Management Plan (BRAMP). The BRAMP is split into three phases: define and prioritize VHA needs, planning and scope coordination, and develop VHA business requirements and architecture. Figure 5: Business Requirements and Architecture Elaboration Effort

Phases, below, provides a high-level description of all three phases and corresponding BPV responsibilities. The BRAMP can be found in Appendix A and more information on BPV responsibilities may be found in Section 4, Business Process Work Effort Methodology, of this document. The procedures outlined in this guidance agree with the BRAMP document.

Figure 5: Business Requirements and Architecture Elaboration Effort Phases

Business Requirements and Architecture Effort Phases

Description BPV Responsibilities

Define and Prioritize VHA Needs (VHA IT Governance)

• Support the Business Customer in identifying the business needs, and identifying gaps (IT and non-IT) to

• Process architecture artifacts are not developed in this phase enhance the process and accomplish goals

Planning and Scope Coordination

• Coordinate all groups to ensure the right people participate and collaborate, and plan the work effort schedule

• Understand scope

• Verify expected deliverables

• Perform scope area research

• Draft Current State strawman model

Develop VHA Business Requirements and Architecture

• Gather and analyze business architecture to inform project planning and development

• Follow business process driven requirements elaboration methodology

• High, mid, and low-level processes (Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3) may be developed based on the amount of detail necessary to support the scope of the work effort.

• Determine whether to leverage business process re-engineering or business process improvement

• Develop Process Model Summary Report (PMSR)

2.1.2 Business Process Elaboration Efforts

Like the Business Requirements and Architecture Elaboration Efforts, BA teams leverage a business process driven approach to facilitate the elicitation and documentation of information needs and business requirements based on discussions with Subject Matter Experts (SMEs). The key difference of these efforts and Business Requirements and Architecture Elaboration Efforts is that these efforts don’t always include participation with RDM and may produce a different set of deliverables (if any). The

Business Process Elaboration Efforts is split into three phases: define and prioritize VHA needs, planning and scope coordination, and develop VHA business architecture. Figure 6: Business Process Elaboration

Effort Phases, below, provides a high-level description of all three phases and corresponding BPV responsibilities. More information on BPV responsibilities may be found in Section 4, Business Process

Work Effort Methodology, of this document.

Figure 6: Business Process Elaboration Effort Phases

Business Process Effort Phases

Description BPV Responsibilities

Define and Prioritize VHA Needs (VHA IT Governance)

• Support the Business Customer in identifying the business needs, and identifying gaps (IT and non-IT) to enhance the process and accomplish goals

• Process architecture artifacts are not developed in this phase

Planning and Scope Coordination

• Coordinate all groups to ensure the right people participate and collaborate, and plan the work effort schedule

• Understand scope

• Verify expected deliverables

• Perform scope area research

• Draft Current State and/or Future

State strawman model(s)

Develop VHA Business Architecture

• Gather and analyze business requirements and architecture to inform project planning and development

• High, mid, and low-level processes (Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3) may be developed based on the amount of detail necessary to

• Follow business process driven elaboration methodology support the scope of the work effort.

• Determine whether to leverage business process re-engineering or business process improvement

• May Develop Process Model Summary Report (PMSR), but not required.

2.1.3 Business Transformation, Risk and Integration Management (BTRIM) The near simultaneous deployment of three major IT systems in areas such as Logistics, Finance, and the

Electronic Health Record poses significant challenges and risks to daily operations of VHA, particularly during the Initial Operating Capability (IOC) to Future Operating Capability (FOC) transition for these systems. While each major IT system is functionally sound and capable in its segment, End to End operations of the VHA Healthcare System requires robust business focused integration among these three IT systems as well as integration into legacy systems. Without carefully managed planning and rollout, the insight and visibility necessary for decision making by VA/VHA leadership is at risk.

Development of site-specific and enterprise E2E process models will allow VA OEHRM leadership and

Cerner representatives to gain a greater understanding of current-state operations and systems in use.

Comparison between the E2E process models and the Cerner Millennium workflows will help provide a better understanding of where the Cerner solutions will meet VAMC needs, as well as where legacy and/or new solutions may be needed to supplement the Cerner Millennium solution. This analysis will also validate the master VA list of interfaces and workarounds required between new Cerner solutions and legacy/new solutions and data sources

VHA benefits and value:

• Links portfolio objectives and Business Architecture (BA) work efforts to the VHA End to Ends

• Creates traceability to additional BA artifacts (e.g. Business Information Model (BIM), or

Business Function Framework (BFF))

• Allows for the education of external stakeholders on the VHA End to Ends; growing an external understanding and navigation knowledge that may help determine future portfolio objectives

(e.g. Department of Defense (DoD) and Cerner)

• Allows sites a baseline to document their current state processes before engaging with transformation and solution groups (such as OI&T).

• Identifies capability gaps, opportunities for improvement, and potential redundancies

• Allows building and sequencing “VHA industry best practices” into an End to End format

• Provides an option for process architects to leverage an End to End as strawman model

• Stronger alignment to DoD Architecture

2.1.4 Deliverables

BPV delivers PMSRs and/or models with metadata to stakeholders, as shown in the below Table 7. The package delivered can vary based upon the stakeholder and/or the work effort needs.

Figure 7: Business Process Elaboration Effort Phases

Types of Packages and BPV Deliverables

Package Type Work Effort PMSR RAP Models Only

Description of

Package

A Process Model Summary Report

(PMSR) is a deliverable compiled for efforts when BPV provides modeling support. The PMSR includes a summary of the work effort, the process models, and the associated model metadata.

The Requirements

Architecture Package

(RAP) is compiled when the support team includes

RDM, BIK and BPV (e.g., BRAMP) and provides requirements and architectural artifacts.

Visio File with metadata documentation.

Package

Contents

• Model Hierarchy Table

• Activity Description Table

(ADT)

• Work Effort Summary

• Model images (SVG)

• Business Owner and/or BPV

Government Lead Approval

• RTM

• PMSR

• IMSR

• Metadata reports

• Model images (SVG)

Sample

Stakeholders

VA or VHA Business

Owners/Subject Matter Experts

VA or VHA Business

Owners/Subject Matter

Experts

Internal stakeholders (i.e. OHI, VA Medical Facilities, OEHRM, VISN level leadership, etc.)

External stakeholders (i.e.

Cerner, DHA, etc.)

VA or VHA Business

Owners/Subject Matter Experts

BPV

Deliverable for

Package

PMSR PMSR Model images with metadata reports

Additional instructions on how to develop the Process Model Summary report can be found in Appendix

I. The deliverable content included in the various packages are outlined below in Table 8. More information about BPV attributes can be found in Figure 24: Process List Table Attributes.

Figure 8: Business Process Elaboration Effort Phases

BPV Deliverable Contents Definition

Contents Definition How Content is Generated

Metadata Report The extract includes the following metadata for ALL models:

1) Process Table - List of all models and descriptions

2) Activity Table

Director’s office generates a daily extract which includes all metadata from all models.

a) Actor

b) Task/ Event and System Name

c) Description

d) Data Input

e) Data Output

f) Comments

3) Data Object Table

Model Hierarchy Table This table contains attributes about each process and the corresponding model:

theModel ID, Process Name, Model

State, Model Constraint, Operating

Assumption, Parent Model, Level, Process Description, and a hyperlink to model image.

BPV modeler copies and pastes a subset of this information from the Metadata Report and manually enters the remaining content

(Model Constraint, Operating Assumption, Parent Model, Level, model image).

Model Images Static Images of the process model saved as .SVG file types.

This is manually created by BPV modeler, by converting Visio models to SVG files.

Activity Description

Table (ADT)

Information in this table includes; the

Actors, Task/Event and System Name, Description, Data Input, Data Output, and any comments related to the process being descripted.

BPV modeler copies and pastes this information from the Activity Table in the

Metadata Report.

Work Effort Summary

Table

This table includes a description of the

Work Effort, the names and links to additional background sources, and the list of stakeholders.

This is manually entered by BPV modeler.

Business Owner and/or

BPV Government Lead

Approval

Inserted image of the Business Owner and/or BPV Government Lead approval.

This is manually entered by BPV modeler.

2.2 BUSINESS PROCESS RE-ENGINEERING & IMPROVEMENT

BPV provides Business Process Re-engineering (BPR) and Business Process Improvement (BPI) support for work efforts. BPR emphasizes a holistic focus on business objectives and how processes relate to those objectives, encouraging full-scale recreation of processes rather than iterative optimization of sub-processes. BPI focuses on reducing negative variations in the process or its outputs by identifying the root causes of those variation that exist either in the Current State process or among its inputs.

BPR is ideal for situations when establishing a new functional area that has not previously existed within

VHA, or when a new IT system will be acquired or will “rip and replace” an existing system. BPI is ideally used when implementing changes impacting existing functional areas or when an existing IT system will be enhanced or upgraded.

The primary goal of any business process effort is to identify and understand business challenges and pain points, define business needs, and maximize efficacy in delivering excellent healthcare and services to

Veterans. BPR/BPI can leverage multiple strategies for achieving the work effort goals.

2.3 PROCESS ARCHITECTURE CONSULTATION & COLLABORATION

As the resident experts on process modeling (including the use of BPMN 2.0 within the VHA), BPV offers consultation services that does not necessarily result in the delivery of formal documentation.

Consultation and collaboration are critical to disseminate and formalize enterprise process standards.

BPV provides consultation services by providing training on process development and BPMN 2.0. BPV also performs process reviews for VA internal organizations and partners to ensure completeness and/or

BPMN compliance. BPV collaborates with RDM to maintain, enhance, and deploy BRAMP practices. BPV provides presentations to the VHA Office of Information and Technology (OI&T), and external stakeholders to ensure understanding of BPV processes and standards. While the OI&T Enterprise

Program Management Office (EPMO) evolves the Veteran-focused Integration Process (VIP), BPV must build a positive relationship to foster broader reference and awareness of process artifacts. We also collaborate with the EPMO to maintain Rational Team Concert (RTC) where BA artifacts are shared and how consistent version control provides up-to-date processes.

The above consultation and collaboration services are only a few examples. As BPV continues to grow and expand, the team may be asked to support many other several types of consultation and collaboration services.

2.4 TRAINING DEVELOPMENT SUPPORT

In addition to providing consultation through training for process development skills (see 2.3 above), BPV also develops process diagrams for business line/organization operations training upon request.

Interested Business Owners (BOs)/organizations can work with BPV architects to develop new step-by-step processes to demonstrate how a new or updated business process (staff workflow) should be executed. BPV can help socialize these new processes and support staff training via process walk-throughs, reference model distribution, and Q&A sessions.

2.5 INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS

The BPV team performs tasks to improve the service and architecture products that BPV provides. BPV continuously evaluates the methodologies used for process modeling as well as maintaining and tracking work effort business process models, updating, developing, and delivering architecture products (i.e., PMSR, VHA Capabilities End to End models), maintaining and updating the usage of the BPMN standard, and updating guidance documents. Internal improvements ensure that BPV stays abreast of changes in industry standards, policies and direction, and best in class architectural products.

BPV works on Strategic Tasks which contributes to internal operational improvements. Strategic Tasks are born out of the annual BA Strategic Planning Meeting. IMP Tasks align to the goals of BA and set the activities that BPV must work towards over the next year. Some Strategic Tasks result in new methodologies that improve internal operations.

BPV also collaborates with BIK and IR to improve and maintain the mapping of the process models to the

BFF and Information Models. Collaboration with OQA is critical to better define and improve the use of

Microsoft Visio and establish an integrated architecture environment.

3 BPV GUIDING PRINCIPLES

The key to the efficient, safe and appropriate management of health information systems is a coordinated approach that supports and encourages continuity in all areas of the development community and health care sector. Guiding principles are designed to provide the foundational direction to ensure consistency across work efforts, and to demonstrate greater efficiency in gathering business requirements. The guiding principles are a useful baseline for standard operating procedures and complement BA’s mission to:

“Honor Veterans by informing VHA healthcare business transformation and optimization of information system utilization, through identification, classification, and modeling of business strategies, functions, processes, information and services, to support the needs of Veterans, providers, and sharing partners.”

BPV’s guiding principles cover both overarching guiding principles that apply to the unit and process development guiding principles that direct BPV’s daily operations. These guiding principles have broad implications not only for members of the VHA and VA management teams, but also, for business and IT decision-makers, strategic partners, project managers, initiative owners, staff, and other stakeholders.

The BPV Guiding Principles have been categorized according to the descriptions provided in Figure 9:

Guideline Categories.

Figure 9: Guideline Categories

Category Description Operational Groups together guidelines that apply across all BPV services

Process Development Covers practices to create and manage BPV artifacts

3.1 OPERATIONAL GUIDELINES

The operational guidelines apply to BPV as a unit and drive the decisions in determining our scope of work and the way BPV manages expectations and fosters work effort satisfaction.

3.1.1 Align Process Architecture Work Efforts with Health Information Strategic Plan (HISP)

Work efforts should support and provide traceability to the HISP, Office of Informatics and Information

Governance (OIIG) and other BA priorities to enable cross-coordination and a purpose that is consistent with the overall organization. OIIG and VHA Leadership work together to prioritize and select the various

IT programs required to achieve objectives identified in the HISP.

Figure 10: Implications - Align Work Effort with HISP & OIIG Priorities

Activities Benefits Document Mapping

• Work with Strategic Planning and additional organizations in SIM to ensure alignment to the

HISP

• Work with BA units to ensure work efforts connect and synchronize

• Ensures that funding and resourcing of service requests are aligned to the VHA HISP and OIIG Priorities

• Ensures that the process architect resources are applied to efforts that contribute to realizing the HISP

• Ensures work efforts align with Strategic Planning Guidance (SPG)

• Process Architecture Consultation & Collaboration (Section 2.3)

• Step 1: Work Effort Initiation and Assessment (Section 4.1)

3.1.2 Maintain the VHA Segment Architecture Line of Sight

The ability to map Business Architecture products throughout BA will assist management in identifying the greatest concentration of effort and gaps.

Figure 11: Implications - Maintain the VHA Segment Architecture Line of Sight

Activities Benefits Document Mapping

• Traceability to the Enterprise Architecture

• Map to the BFF

• Traceability to the Normalized

Data Objects (NDOs) and Business Information Model

(BIM)

• Traceability to the Requirements Traceability Matrix (RTM)

• Ability to identify and leverage processes across BA for re-use

• Step 3: Develop Business Process Architecture – Analysis

& Elaboration (Section 4.3)

• Process Alignment to the BFF

(Section 7.1)

• Process Alignment to

Information Models (Section 7.2)

• Process Alignment to Requirements Traceability

Matrix (Section 7.4)

3.1.3 Proactively Prepare for BPV Support

By planning and forecasting engagement needs, BPV can meet urgent requests as they arise. Leveraging existing process and organizational knowledge contributes to the ability to forecast and reliably estimate results. BPV should foster both short- and long-term horizons while predicting workloads and priorities.

Figure 122: Implications Proactively Prepare for BPV Support with all BA work products and SIM priorities (such as the Business Function Framework) so that business objectives and stakeholder need drive IT development efforts

• Validate Current State and Future State Processes (Section 4.4.1)

• Conduct Peer Review (Section 4.4.2)

• Process Alignment to the BFF (Section 7.1)

Activities Benefits Document Mapping

• Plan work effort engagement timelines and expected outcomes

• Provide weekly status updates and an overview of near-term responsibilities

• Re-use existing artifacts (i.e., process models)

• Streamlines and standardizes business process activities

• Eliminates duplication of efforts/artifacts

• Sets appropriate customer expectations

• Improves forecasting ability

• Step 1: Work Effort Initiation and Assessment (Section 4.1)

• Updating Processes already in the Process Inventory (Section 4.4.5.1)

• Business Process Architecture Development Guidance (Section 4.3.3)

3.1.4 Maintain a Customer-Centric Focus

BPV fosters a customer-centric focus where constructive feedback leads to innovation and internal improvements.

Figure 13: Implications - Maintain a Customer Centric Focus

3.1.5 Coordinate with Internal and External Groups

BPV closely collaborates with internal and external groups to effectively engage with SMEs. During a work effort engagement, there will be unified collaboration between RDM, other BA units, and other VA entities or partners to deliver consistent messages and ensure artifacts reflect a work effort perspective.

Figure 14: Implications - Coordinate with Internal and External Groups

3.1.6 Establish and Meet Performance Goals

BPV meets goals and performance measures by delivering timely and quality work.

• Prioritize work efforts and establish resource assignments

Activities Benefits Document Mapping

• Engage SMEs in defining the scope, specifics, and impact of processes being developed

• Iteratively produce and solicit feedback on artifacts and deliverables

• Utilize customer feedback

• Facilitate customer consensus during engagements

• Understand the implications of BPV actions upon the business

• Activities are measured in terms that are relevant to the business

• Enables BPV to understand internal strengths and weaknesses to proactively improve service offerings

• Step 2: Prepare for the Work Effort Analysis and Elaboration (Section 4.2)

• Step 3: Develop Business

Process Architecture – Analysis

& Elaboration (Section 4.3)

• Set up communication and collaboration tools to share information

• Incorporate lessons learned

• Represent BA in architectural standards and governance activities

• Establishes and promotes working relationships and ground rules

• Ensures the most efficient use of Stakeholder and Subject Matter Expert (SME) time

• Ensures adherence to a single vision and scope for the effort

• Adopts and promotes standards and practices

• Strengthen BA influence

• Process Architecture Consultation & Collaboration (Section 2.3)

• Step 2: Prepare for the Work Effort Analysis and Elaboration (Section 4.2)

• Updating Processes already in the Process Inventory (Section 4.4.5.1)

Figure 15: Implications - Establish and Meet Performance Goals

3.1.7 Maintain a Transparent Environment

BPV demonstrates stakeholders’ return on investment and enables understanding of BPV services through a transparent environment.

Figure 16: Implications - Maintain a Transparent Environment

3.2 PROCESS MODELING GUIDELINES

The business process guidelines describe how BPV should follow the application of process architecture development activities.

3.2.1 Apply a Standardized Process Modeling Methodology

By consistently following a methodology for developing BPV artifacts, BPV can reliably predict the cycle and timeline that a work effort will require. The characteristics of each methodology step depends on the scope and the nature of the service engagement.

Figure 17: Implications - Apply a Standard Process Modeling Methodology

Activities Benefits Document Mapping

• Establish and align BPV goals to BA and VHA strategic goals

• Report on progress of goals

• Maintain the process inventory

• Provides awareness into BPV work activities

• Step 4: Closeout – Finalize Business Process Architecture (Section 4.4)

• Adding a New Set of Processes to the Process Inventory (Section 4.4.5.1)

Activities Benefits Document Mapping

• Provide quarterly and annual status briefs

• Track the number of process models and diagrams produced per quarter/fiscal year

• Track consultation and internal improvement engagements and level of effort expended

• Update the BA SharePoint site

• Provides a method for capturing pertinent data and monitoring engagement on a regular basis

• Establishes an action-oriented and reporting culture

• Enables the measuring of BPV unit and engagement goals established

• Adding a New Set of Processes to the Process Inventory (Section 4.4.5.1)

• Update the Process Inventory (Section 4.4.5)

Activities Benefits Document Mapping

• Engage stakeholder to provide input on process modeling steps that are necessary for a given work effort

• Stakeholders understand the progression of activities that lead to the development of process models and supporting artifacts

• Develop Business Process Architecture – Analysis and Elaboration (Section 4.3)

3.2.2 Adhere to Standard Process Model Notation

Based on a variety of criteria and industry best practices, the BPV team has selected BPMN version 2.0 as the most effective object-oriented notation for decomposing business goals and objectives. A standardized notation promotes streamlined training, improved understanding, and effective change management.

Figure 18: Implications– Adhere to Standardized Process Model Notation

3.2.3 Perform Quality Control

The quality of process architecture directly impacts the quality of related products including requirements and information models. BPV employs several measures to ensure and improve the quality of our services to the end user.

Figure 19: Implications– Perform Quality Control

• Capture required information cascading from the highest level down to progressively greater detail

• Work Product Review

• Improved planning during engagements involving integrated project teams

• Process improvement opportunities can be easily identified and incorporated

• Conduct Peer Review (Section 4.4.2)

• Provide BPMN element overview describing the purpose and use of each symbol

• Updates occur when the Object Management Group (OMG) publishes a new BPMN version

• Select the core set of BPMN elements

• Controls for differences in process diagrams among team members

• Effective asset and configuration management is in place

• Provides process diagrams that are easily understood by internal and external stakeholders

• Hold Work Effort Kick-Off Meeting (Section 4.2.6)

• Business Process Model and Notation (Section 6)

Activities Benefits Document Mapping

• Perform research and benchmarking against the guiding principles and best practices to stay abreast of the evolving industry

• Apply a standard process modeling methodology

• Implement Work Product Peer Reviews

• Fosters a culture of change among BPV

• Ensures consistency across team processes which facilitates process improvement and object re-use across organizational boundaries

• Process Architecture Consultation & Collaboration (Section 2.3)

• Business Process Work Effort Methodology (Section 4)

• Conduct Peer Review (Section 4.4.2)

• Process Model Title Guidance (Section 4.3.3.1)

4 BUSINESS PROCESS WORK EFFORT METHODOLOGY

BPV uses a proven process development methodology to support work efforts, which includes the following four phases as shown in Figure 20: BPV Work Effort Phases.

Figure 20: BPV Work Effort Phases

Each step and corresponding BPV responsibilities are further detailed in Sections 4.1-4.4 below.

4.1 STEP 1: WORK EFFORT INITIATION AND ASSESSMENT

BPV typically receives a request for process modeling support directly from BA leadership or from RDM.

All work effort requests are assessed by the BPV Gov lead and discussed with the BA Director or Deputy

Director before approval is given to engage.

RDM requests are normally for business requirements and architecture support on a New Service Request

(NSR). NSRs are maintained via the New Service Request Database (NSRD), which is a website accessible

BPV Work Effort Phases BPV Responsibilities Alignment to BRAMP

1. Work Effort Initiation and Assessment

• Determine if the work effort will be supported by BPV

• Assign Government Representative and Lead and Secondary Process Architects

• Define and Prioritize VHA Needs

2. Prepare for the Work Effort Analysis and Elaboration

• Define Work Effort Scope and Schedule

• Identify Stakeholders

• Review Existing Documentation

• Coordinate the Work Effort Planning

• Hold Work Effort Kick-Off Meeting

• Define Model State, Constraints and Operating

Assumptions applicable to the scope of models needed

• Planning and Scope Coordination

3. Develop Business Process Architecture - Analysis & Elaboration

• Develop Current State Processes

• Complete Current State Processes

• Conduct Periodic Peer Reviews on Findings

• Conduct Current State Validation

• Prepare Current State Documentation

• Develop Future State Business Processes

• Complete Future State Development

• Conduct Periodic Peer Reviews on Findings

• Conduct Future State Validation

• Document Future State Process

• Perform Architecture Mappings

• Develop VHA Business Requirements and Architecture

4. Finalize Business Process Architecture

• Complete Final Work Products

• Assign Model Number

• Assign Operational Activity and Validate

Assignments

• Map Process to BFF and Validate Mappings

• Conduct Peer Review

• Receive BO Approval

• Archive the Final Work Product

• Update the BPV Process Inventory

• Update the BPV Quarterly Status Brief to users within the VA for requesting new IT systems or enhancements to existing IT systems (see

Appendix A). Once RDM receives a request, they undergo the BRAMP phase, Define and Prioritize VHA

Needs, prior to requesting BA support.

Requests from BA leadership are typically for one of the other core services: business process re-engineering/improvement, process architecture consultation and collaboration, or internal improvements (Section 2, BPV Services).

The BPV Government staff, with assistance by the contract leads, will:

1. Determine if the work effort will be supported: The BPV Gov lead makes an initial assessment of the work effort by considering resource availability, level of effort and the engagement period.

If a work effort will not be supported, the BPV Gov lead will notify BA leadership and the original requestor of the decision not to provide support.

2. Assign Government Representative and Lead and Secondary Process Architects: The BPV Gov lead will assess resource bandwidth, the process architects’ experience, and work effort complexity to choose the appropriate process architects. The BPV Gov lead may also assign a

Government representative. Depending on the work effort, the Government representative may be from BPV or another BA unit.

4.2 STEP 2: PREPARE FOR THE WORK EFFORT ANALYSIS AND ELABORATION

The launching of a work effort entails some tasks that will be conducted by BPV independently. When conducting a business requirements and architecture support effort, RDM collaboration will be required, and may include collaboration with other partners. The BRAMP terms this collaborative group of analysts as the “Work Effort Team”, and terms the entire team that includes the BO(s), SMEs, and stakeholders as the “Work Effort Team”.

This section will focus on tasks performed specifically by the lead process architect and will strive not to repeat information described in the BRAMP. The order in which these tasks are performed is highly dependent upon the services requested and the needs of the BO(s) and/or stakeholders.

During this step, the Lead Process Architect should begin building rapport with other Work Effort Team members, contribute to project planning, and perform research to support project kick-off and initial process model strawman development. It is important to ensure everyone on the Work Effort Team understands their roles and responsibilities, which can be located within the established BRAMP RASCI

(Responsible, Accountable, Supporting, Consulted, Informed) matrix.

4.2.1 Identify Stakeholders

The Lead Process Architect may be responsible for identifying the appropriate stakeholders. The Work

Effort Team along with the BOs will collaborate to identify business as well as technical SMEs that will be able to provide inputs into the development of process architecture and other work effort deliverables.

Once all stakeholders are identified, the Work Effort Team may schedule and begin preparing for a Kick-off meeting.

4.2.2 Review Existing Documentation

In order to contribute to scope development (Section 4.2.3, Define Work Effort Scope), prepare for the work effort Kick-Off Meeting (Section 4.2.6, Hold Work Effort Kick-Off Meeting), and initiate strawman development (Section 4.3.1.1, Develop Current State Strawman Processes), the Lead Process Architect should perform a thorough search of VA available repositories for information relevant to the work effort.

Some suggested sources (only available to users with VA credentials) may be found on the BA Jump Page

(see link in Appendix A) which serves as a hub for links to relevant resources such as reference architecture, such as the BFF or Business Architecture repository (BAR), process architecture, information architecture, and strategy and planning resources.

Architects may also search the internet for related publications or articles that are relevant to the work effort and/or collaborate with Stakeholders/SMEs to track down background documentation (i.e.

procedures, training manuals, reference guides, existing process artifacts from other sources or in other formats, etc.).

4.2.3 Define Work Effort Scope

All Work Effort Team members should participate in the overall scope prioritization discussions based on the current understanding of primary business functions and work effort complexity. In preparation for the work effort kick-off meeting, the Work Effort Team must define scope, assumptions, constraints and dependencies based on a thorough review of existing documentation. Initial scope assumptions, dependencies will be presented and validated at the Kick-off meeting. The Lead Process Architect must also use scope discussions to develop initial, high-level strawman processes and define initial start and end boundaries of process models. Moving forward, the Work Effort Team must effectively manage scope throughout the lifecycle of the work effort.

During scope discussions the Work Effort Team should determine the model state, model constraints and operating assumptions needed for this effort. (see table in Appendix K)If changes to scope are identified during analysis and/or elaboration discussions (see Section 4.3, Step 3: Develop…