The term ''business process redesign'' describes a managerial effort to improve the performance of an organization's business functions and increase customer satisfaction. In an academic setting, these ''customers'' include faculty, staff, students, sponsors and others. A key goal of business process redesign is to simplify processes, making an institution's operations more efficient and effective.

At Harvard, the transition to new business systems over the next few years presents an opportunity for administrators across the campus to implement some of the concepts of business process redesign. Project ADAPT is assisting the schools and departments in this effort by providing them with a conceptual framework and a specific set of guidelines to complete the redesign effort.

This framework for redesign builds upon the work begun by ADAPT in 1994 and 1995 (the project was then known as ADP, the ''Administrative Data Project''), the current plans of Harvard's financial administration, and the capabilities of the Oracle application software. ADAPT has designed the framework to be simple to implement, yet take into account the needs of Harvard's diverse community.

Over the next months, the local ADAPT Implementation teams are focusing their efforts on assessing existing business processes, which include purchasing; invoice payments; journal entries; travel, entertainment, and employee reimbursements; and financial reporting. From now until April, the teams will be:

1) documenting and assessing their current business processes; ADAPT is providing assistance in this effort with workshops and learning tools; and

2) identifying objectives which they may have for improving their business processes. Objectives may include such goals as service improvements, improved management reporting, and improved regulatory reporting.

With the assessment finished, objectives identified, and more complete information about the new financial environment known later this spring, schools and departments will be poised to begin the actual process of redesign or modifications to existing business processes.

 

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Copyright 1998 President and Fellows of Harvard College