Roland DGA needed to automate and improve
several core organizational processes, while
leveraging its investments in existing
technology infrastructure.
Synthesis of silver electrodeposited onto titanium mesh
Skelta BPM Enables Process Applications at a High-tech Manufacturing Firm
1. C A S E S T U DY
Skelta BPM Enables Process Applications at a OVERVIEW
High-tech Manufacturing Firm LOCATION: North and South America
INDUSTRY: Manufacturing, High Technology
PRODUCT: Skelta BPM
As a worldwide leader in signmaking, graphics arts, fine art reproduction,
CUSTOMER PROFILE
vehicle graphics, UV printing, engraving and 3D modeling industries, Roland DGA relies on
Roland DGA is a world-wide leader in sign,
human centric business processes to be efficient and profitable. By using Skelta BPM as graphic arts and allied industries and relies on
the Business Process Management platform, Roland DGA kick started an initiative to human centric business processes to be
efficient and profitable.
become a process driven organization.
SITUATION
THE SITUATION AT ROLAND DGA Roland DGA needed to automate and improve
several core organizational processes, while
Roland DGA’s Information Systems strategy is to use Microsoft technologies for infrastructure and leveraging its investments in existing
productivity needs. Roland DGA undertook an initiative to leverage its investments in these technology infrastructure.
technologies by automating business processes across the organization. One such initiative, a
process portal, was aimed at automating and improving several common organizational processes SOLUTION
Roland DGA uses Skelta BPM to build a
using centralized technology that worked closely with its intranet – Microsoft Office SharePoint
process portal to host cross-functional
Server (MOSS). The process portal would host cross-functional processes and become a central
processes, make relevant information centrally
location for employees to complete tasks and manipulate process content including documents, accessible to stakeholders and interface with
reports and forms. An Employee Performance Evaluation process was designed as the first step Microsoft Office SharePoint Server (MOSS).
towards deploying the process portal.
.
BENEFITS
Complete
n Process visibility
EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE EVALUATION PROCESS AT ROLAND DGA
n on
Focus Fixing Bottlenecks
At Roland DGA, employee appraisals are taken very seriously, and in most cases require the Easy Access
n to Information
n based
Rights Access
approval of the employee’s supervisor, the next level manager and the Human Resources(HR)
Increased
n Productivity & Efficiency
department, each of who might review and comment on several drafts of a performance
evaluation before they are in agreement. To enable the process, hard copies of documents were
manually routed to and between managers and the HR department. Appraisal status had to be
maintained in spreadsheets and there was no way for the HR team to proactively know about
bottlenecks or delays.
2. AUTOMATING THE PERFORMANCE EVALUATION PROCESS USING SKELTA BPM
WHY SKELTA BPM
Roland DGA deployed the process portal using Skelta BPM integrated with existing Microsoft
technologies. Roland DGA analyzed more than 70 solutions before deciding to go with Skelta BPM.
The rigorous assessment was based on the categories of workflow, document management, ease
of use, Microsoft Dynamics GP integration, MOSS integration, technical architecture, notification
alerts, reporting/data access, support capabilities, total cost of ownership and the vendor’s overall
vision.
Skelta provides a flexible platform that
allows us to build what we need while
still taking full advantage of our
existing Microsoft technology
AUTOMATING THE PROCESS
investment.
A cross-functional team from Roland DGA, and members of Skelta Professional Services designed Diane Bullock,
and deployed the automated Employee Performance Evaluation process on the Skelta BPM &
Business Systems Manager,
MOSS based process portal. Skelta BPM’s visual development tools like the Skelta Process
Modeler and Skelta Forms Designer enabled rapid (when compared to starting from scratch) Roland DGA Corp.
design and deployment of the new Employee Performance Evaluation process. The deployed
solution used MOSS for managing documents, accessed employee information from Microsoft
Active Directory to determine routing rules and employee hierarchy, and used Skelta BPM for the
process flow and to integrate the various pieces of the application.
THE PROCESS IN ACTION
Via the portal, the reviewing manager starts the evaluation by selecting an evaluation template
based on the employee’s current status as exempt, non-exempt, supervisor or non-supervisor,
which defines the content of the document. While completing the evaluation the supervisor works
directly in the Microsoft Word template on MOSS which gives them the ability to track changes in
the document as well as save versions of the document as a whole. The document is then routed
to the next level manager for further comments. Collaboration can take place back and forth
between the managers and the HR department until the final version of the evaluation is sent to
the HR department for record keeping.
The process is browser based and automated, including email notifications of assignments,
reminders & escalations, appraisal version control, and the archival of appraisals upon completion.
3. BENEFITS
The solution has streamlined the performance evaluation process at Roland DGA:
! The HR department has complete visibility into the status of an performance evaluation at
any moment, and doesn’t need to maintain error prone spreadsheets.
Everything seems to be going
! HR teams don’t need to spend time sending reminders since the solution automatically
does that for them. Instead the teams can focus on identifying true bottlenecks in the perfectly with the Automated
process and fixing them. Performance Evaluation Process.
! Managers can better plan their work, since performance evaluation content is online and I am getting copied in on all
changes to the evaluation documents are automatically tracked with version control.
notifications, and the approval
! Performance evaluation documents are automatically archived and easy for the HR
department to search and query for information later. All information is kept confidential process is running smoothly. We are
and only people with the appropriate access rights can view it. also getting nice feedback from the
! The entire organization has benefitted from a more efficient performance evaluation users. Great job! Thank you!
process.
Sue Grove,
Director- Human Resources,
Roland DGA Corp.
FUTURE PLANS
Roland DGA has just begun its journey in becoming a process driven organization. Besides
enhancements to the Employee Performance Evaluation process, in the future Roland DGA plans to
automate dozens of core and supporting processes using the process portal. Of the wide range of
processes being planned, some examples are: Roland DGA is looking forward to
efficiently automating 30+
! Employee expense reimbursement submission and approval business processes using the Skelta
! Addition, modification and deletion of new product SKUs BPM system.
Bob Castle,
! Employee On-boarding, Status change and Off-Boarding
VP Operations & CIO,
! Creation, updating and approval of Purchase Orders
Roland DGA Corp.
! Requisition of standard and non-standard office supplies
! End-to-end vendor document management
! Dealer On-boarding, Status Change and Off-Boarding