Business Process Framework (eTOM) In Depth

Technical Description The Business Process Framework (also known as eTOM) is a widely deployed and accepted model and framework for business processes in the Information, Communications and Entertainment industries. As a key part of TM Forum's Frameworx, the Business Process Framework represents the whole of a Service Provider's enterprise environment in a hierarchy of process elements that capture process detail at various levels.  At the conceptual level, the framework has three major process areas, reflecting major focuses within typical enterprises: Strategy, Infrastructure, and Product, covering planning and lifecycle management Operations, covering the core of operational management Enterprise Management, covering corporate or business support management. The Business Process Framework has multiple groupings for the processes that it contains: Vertical process groupings: Focus on end-to-end activities (for example, Assurance). Each vertical group links together the customer, supporting services, resources, and supplier/partners. Taken together, these vertical groupings can be visualized as a "lifecycle" view moving left to right across the Framework from the initial strategy for the products and their components, through development and delivery, and on into operations and billing. Horizontal process groupings: Focus on functionally related areas, like Customer Relationship Management. These groupings can be visualized as a "layered" view of the enterprise's processes, moving from top to bottom, with the customers and products supported by the underlying services, resources, and (where relevant) interaction with suppliers and partners. Where a vertical process grouping and a horizontal process grouping intersect across the map, further process detail can be applied in either that horizontal or vertical context, according to the user's needs. The process structure in the Framework uses hierarchical decomposition, so that the business processes of the enterprise are successively decomposed in a series of levels that expose increasing detail. As an example, below is the process decomposition for Customer Relationship Management Click here to view a full version The Business Process Framework defines the process structure, with descriptions, linkages between these processes, identification of potential interfaces, inputs and outputs, as well as other key elements. Fully Compliant and Integrated with ITIL and ITU-T Service Providers are increasingly incorporating IT-based services and therefore need to bring their IT and Business aspects closer together. To address this need, TM Forum together with itSMF community (whose members develop ITIL, originally the IT Infrastructure Library) have analyzed and defined integration of the two frameworks that leverages the best of both. As a result, the Business Process Framework has embedded direct support for ITIL processes by integrating these as Best Practices processes within the TM Forum Business Process Framework. Also, the Business Process Framework has been absorbed into a formal ITU-T Recommendation M.3050 and has been published by the ITU-T as an international standard. Process Flow Example One of the ways to use the Framework is to build process flows. While TM Forum does not mandate how to build process flows it does provide recommendations. The graph below shows a process flow fragment that demonstrates how the Business Process Framework integrates with ITIL Best Practices (in this case for ITIL Change Management applied to a resource-oriented change) and includes low-level Business Process Framework elements mapped against a background of ITIL process steps. More process flows examples can be found in the Business Process Framework Flows (GB921F). Of course using the Framework for drafting or evaluating process flows is not the only benefit. Below are more ways to take advantage of the Business Process Framework. Using the Framework For Service Providers, the Business Process Framework serves as their master plan for process direction and provides a neutral reference point for internal process reengineering, partnerships, alliances, and general working agreements with other enterprises. For Suppliers and Integrators, the Business Process Framework outlines potential boundaries of software components to align with the customers' needs and provides insight on the required functions, inputs, and outputs that must be supported by products. For users of the Business Process Framework, demonstrating alignment with the Framework is important and compliance results are in the TM Forum's Certified Compliance Testing Program. The Business Process Framework can be used as a tool for analyzing an organization' s existing processes and for developing new processes. Often, it reveals instances in which different processes deliver the same business functionality, which helps to eliminate duplication and uncover gaps. Using the Framework, enterprises can assess the value, cost, and performance of individual processes within their organizations. The Business Process Framework provides: Standard structure, terminology, and classification scheme for capturing an Enterprise's processes Basis for sharing and agreeing these processes internally and externally Foundation for an Enterprise-wide discipline in developing and refining business processes within, and between, Enterprises Consistent end to end process flows to be created that address end-end business needs A framework for understanding and managing portfolios of IT applications in terms of business process support and linkage Tools for analysis of value, cost and performance of individual processes within organizations Ability to re-use process areas and flows, and the systems/application s supporting them