Process Design (TO-BE): the principles, and how to redesign without automating the mess

Analysis shows where the process fails. Design is creating how it ought to be — the future state (TO-BE). And there is one motto that avoids the most expensive mistake in BPM: redesign first, automate later. Automating a bad process only speeds up the error. In this guide, based on the BPM CBOK, you will see logical vs. physical design, handoffs, the design principles and simulation.

1. What is Process Design (TO-BE)?

Process Design is the second stage of Phase 2: the creation or remodelling of the processes that deliver value to the Customer. It has two layers:

• THE WHAT (logical design) — which activities, and in what order.
• THE HOW (physical design) — manual or automated, with which technologies and where the data sits.

Start with the logical: think about the flow before tying it to a tool.

2. Handoff: the villain to minimize

A handoff is any point where work or information passes from one person, group or system to another. The CBOK compares it to passing the baton in a relay race: that is exactly where the race is won or lost. Handoffs are vulnerable to disconnects — it is where work waits and gets lost. Good design minimizes handoffs.

3. Why design is worth money

The study The Business Value of Design (McKinsey, 2018) created the MDI: companies in the top quartile of design capability saw nearly double the revenue and shareholder return. The lessons: measure design with rigour, make it everyone’s responsibility (cross-functional), iterate with the user and take care of the experience — research with the user before specifying.

4. The design principles (CBOK §6.5)

The heart of the lesson. In short, the CBOK holds that good design:

• Works outside-in, starting from the Customer.
• Focuses on the activities that add value.
• Minimizes handoffs.
• Offers a single point of contact (one owner, one repository).
• Ensures continuous flow, without interruptions.
• Captures information only once, at the source.
• Involves the fewest possible actors.
• Redesigns, then automates.
• Builds quality in from the start and standardizes.
• Considers outsourcing whatever is not your differentiator.

Expense reimbursement TO-BE: a digital form that validates the receipt on entry (capture at the source, quality from the start — returns disappear); automatic approval up to a limit (fewer handoffs, less waiting); weekly batch payment with a notification to the employee (continuous flow, single point of contact). Fewer steps, less waiting, zero rework.

5. Simulation and Gap Analysis

Before implementing, simulate: represent the process with its parameters (time, cost, volume) to find the gaps between the AS-IS and the TO-BE (the Gap Analysis). With no simulation software, use proofs of concept and pilots with reduced scope. In BPM Together, the AI gives your TO-BE a second reading, pointing out risks, unhandled exceptions and remaining handoffs — you decide what goes in.

6. Frequently asked questions

Why not automate straight away?

Because automating a bad process only speeds up the error. The principle is clear: redesign first, automate later.

What is the difference between logical and physical design?

Logical is the “what” (activities and order); physical is the “how” (manual/automated, technology, data).

What is a Gap Analysis?

The comparison between the current state (AS-IS) and the desired one (TO-BE), flagging what needs to change.

Do I need expensive simulation software?

No. Proofs of concept and small pilots already reduce the risk before go-live.

Conclusion and next steps

Now you know how to design the TO-BE: separate the logical from the physical, minimize handoffs, apply the principles and simulate before implementing — without automating the mess. The next step is detailing the process in the tool (Lesson 5). Answer the quiz below; it counts towards your BPM Together Certificate.

References

ABPMP. BPM CBOK — Guide to the Business Process Management Common Body of Knowledge, version 4.0. · McKinsey. The Business Value of Design, 2018.

Content based on the BPM CBOK 4.0 (ABPMP) and on the practical experience of Escritório de Projetos. This is an independent practitioner’s guide: it is not an official ABPMP publication and has not been endorsed by the association.