By Dale Farris, Vice President
Golden Triangle PC Club
February 2005

Program Overview

ProcessModel is about the most powerful and sophisticated software program I have worked with in a long time. This unique program allows you to graphically create and improve business processes on an individual PC. The ProcessModel system you create will behave just like your real system. As you modify, visualize, and evaluate your business processes, you will see how much money you can save, how much faster you can service your customers, and how much further you can take your business.

While most quality companies have long since integrated into their quality process the use of process flowcharts, a fundamental quality tool, with ProcessModel these flowcharts will literally come to life as you enter data that further describes the steps and the resources designed in the program. ProcessModel combines the power of flowcharting features with the data analysis features of spreadsheets or relational databases, all in one super program.

Creating the ProcessModel workflow processes is relatively simple, and the true value of this awesome program is the additional capacity to simulate the work processes and help management better structure these processes for the best cost-benefit results. You can import graphics from other programs, edit existing flowcharts from Microsoft's Visio or from Micrografx, or you can start with one of the many pre-built useful sample charts in ProcessModel. Then you simply double-click the objects on the chart to define everything from cost information to processing time to capacity.

This program will support users as it automatically modifies processes to find the best results. You tell the program the objective you want to obtain, then let the PC do the work. The program automatically seeks a course of action that will optimize your entire system's performance.

What is ProcessModel Software?

ProcessModel is a comprehensive process improvement package that identifies waste in your processes and shows the best opportunities for improvement, allowing you to change the process and simulate how it will behave with those changes.

Critical tools include:

Comprehensive capture with a "fast process capture methodology."

Modeling and simulation to replicate current processes and predict future processes. Superb animation communicates quickly.

Optimization hunts for best solutions automatically.

Output report system identifies and graphs the best opportunities for improvement.

Root cause analysis links to the process.

Data analyzer automatically turns raw data into useful data the modeler can use.

Process Optimization

ProcessModel will work best in companies with quality professionals and staff that understand optimization. Optimization technology improves on the "trial and error" process by intelligently and automatically conducting a search for the best solutions to system design problems. 

The program uses newer optimization techniques based on Evolutionary Algorithms (EAs). These make it possible to provide user-friendly tools that allow all analysts to benefit from the problem-solving power of simulation plus optimization. 

EAs are a class of direct search techniques that are based on the concepts from the theory of evolution. EAs mimic the underlying evolutionary process, in that entities adapt to their environment to survive. EAs manipulate a population of solutions to a problem in such a way that poor solutions fade away and good solutions continually evolve in their search for the optimum.

The program uses the information input by the analysts and what is learned about the behavior of the simulated system to guide its search for the solution that yields the best value for the objective function. It first designs an initial population of solutions to conduct a cursory search through the overall space of possible solution (search space). The program then further investigates the promising regions with a more specific search, and uses artificial intelligence to determine when to make the switch from overall to specific search mode. This dual-phased approach saves time and helps avoid local optimums.

Optimization is the process of finding the best solution or setting the components of a system, and can be applied to almost any process in any industry. EAs have proven to be very robust and have been successful in solving a wide variety of difficult problems.

What's New in v. 5?

The Hot Spot Evaluator - This is a focused output report that points out the activities that will really make a performance difference and which ones you should leave alone. This one feature alone could save you days of analysis. You can see all the activities, from top to bottom, showing what non-value-adding activities have the most impact to overall system performance.

Model Objects - This is probably the most exciting addition to ProcessModel software made in the past year! In short, Model Objects are sections of models that are extracted from an existing model. As such, they contain all of the logic, activities, variables, etc. needed to run as soon as they are plugged into a model. Imagine being able to use something as small as an on-screen digital clock or as large as a Kanban construct including all of the relevant inputs, components, operations and characteristics. Now imagine being able to use that construct in under 10 seconds! Well, that's what the use of Model Objects is all about. It enables you to use previously designed models, techniques, flows and every manner of construct to create numerous models using the same logic without having to replicate the Model Object's building effort in the process. 20 Model Objects are available now, included with Version 5.

SimRunner 3.0 - The new SimRunner is awesome! You can save days of analysis and find better solutions than you could manually. SimRunner is designed to optimize model settings to achieve a goal such as: finding the lowest total cost to meet a specific production rate; or what shifts (and quantities of resources) to use to meet service agreements; or any set of objects you want to meet. The new SimRunner alone has sold for $3000 with other simulation products. This is a powerful tool that you're going to love.

Import/Export to Excel - The Excel interface has been significantly improved to provide more accurate and complete data exchange.

Scheduled and daily pattern arrival features have been expanded to allow adding and deleting of rows of data in Excel, rather than requiring complete arrival data entry from ProcessModel.

An Import and Run button has been added to the ProcessModel toolbar to import data and begin a simulation by clicking a single mouse click.

Spreadsheet formatting has been modified to make the data more readable.

Model Protection - Protect company proprietary information. Build a model that solves complex problems then hide the underlying methods and logic from prying eyes.

Dialog Entry Lists - Reduce user entry errors in dialog fields. Pick lists of variables, attributes and scenario parameters lets you quickly build complex models reducing errors.

Submodels - Faster linking of submodels, with less information needed. Error messages pinpoint problems.

MSI Install - The installation process of ProcessModel has been completely reworked. Now, this process is a smaller, faster, more intelligent product install. The install process is optimized for each operating system, which allows installs to take 75% less time than previous versions.

Network Models - Models can now reside on the network rather than requiring the models to be moved from computer to computer.

Error Checking - Better error checking to eliminate common data entry errors as well as errors that will cause file corruption.

Copy and Paste - Significant work has been done with copy and paste functionality to eliminate model corruption issues in 4.x. Duplication rules have been added to modify pasted attribute, variable and scenario parameter names if those names already exist in the model.

Data Synchronization - Attributes, variables, and scenario parameters are now synchronized between main models and submodels when opening or closing model files.

New Student License - A student license type has been added which only allows a maximum of 50 graphical objects, but the license never expires.

Network License Manager - Improvements have been made to the network license manager to make it more robust and reliable.

Improved Connection Validation - Routing connections are now validated when opening models. This includes more helpful error messages when user tries to create an invalid connection.

Benefits of Using ProcessModel

First, ProcessModel helps analyze mission-critical processes. Using ProcessModel, you’ll document existing business processes by creating a process map, typically in the form of a flowchart.

Adding data about how the process operates takes the flowchart to the next level of sophistication, and allows a more rigorous analysis of potential problems. The type of data required is relatively simple, but more detailed data can also be used if it is available.

ProcessModel combines the process map and data to create a ‘model’ that is used to identify problems within the process. The model has two powerful diagnostic tools—an animation of your processes in action, and a detailed statistical report. The animation works similar to video, allowing you to fast forward, zoom-in, and pause to identify problem areas. The statistical report is also invaluable in identifying problems and their causes.

Typical process-related problems include duplication, bottlenecks, staff scheduling issues, excessive nonvalue added time, and so on.

ProcessModel clients often see the effects of these problems in their businesses in the form of long waiting times, late deliveries, high internal costs, dissatisfied customers, etc.

Second, ProcessModel allows you to experiment—risk free. Once problems have been identified, these models are used to experiment with multiple ideas for improving your processes. Ideas can be measured and directly compared against your specific performance metrics. This means no more expensive trial and error—all the experimentation takes place in a simulated model that is entirely risk free.

ProcessModel’s optimization module will even automate the process of defining experiments. Simply define your success criteria, and let the software go to work.

Now, every decision you make takes on new levels of confidence and predictability. You’re fully aware of the effects of changing processes long before you begin implementation. And, ProcessModel’s animation capability is a powerful visual tool for generating “buy-in” for proposed process changes.

Third, ProcessModel helps you improve your actual operations. Confident in your plan, you’ll implement one set of changes in the real world—the right one. ProcessModel clients don’t make expensive mistakes, or upset actual operations with “well-intentioned” fixes. Instead, mission-critical processes are dramatically improved, risk free, building competitive advantage and aligning processes with customer requirements.

Metrics Reporting - ProcessModel provides a detailed statistical report which allows you to directly compare your existing process with proposed fixes.

Automatic reporting of numerous key metrics, as well as the ability to create custom measurements, gives you the information you need to make critical decisions.

Instant conversion from raw data to compelling charts and graphs for easy incorporation into presentations.

Easy export to Excel for advanced data manipulation.

Training - ProcessModel clients receive introductory training, designed to provide the basic skills required for process improvement using ProcessModel. Advanced, Expert and “Train the Trainer” programs are available to help you successfully implement ProcessModel and gain maximum return from your process improvement investment.

Mentoring - Expert consultants provide mentoring for new improvement teams, or on critical projects. Mentoring takes place both on-site and remotely via web conferencing. Consultants can be involved at every key stage of your project, advising and coaching your team members on data collection, model building, results analysis, and process optimization. Participation in mentored projects also assists you in developing your own internal mentors.

Process Models

A process model is a flow diagram with associated operational information for simulating a process. The process flow diagram consists of objects (the graphic shapes in the flowchart), and connections (the lines connecting the graphic shapes). Objects represent the elements of the process while connections depict element relationships. A Properties Dialog box displays the operational information for each object and connection.

This approach to process flowcharts is how ProcessModel outshines the many other flowcharting programs now on the market. While most of these other products allow you to design a process flowchart, ProcessModel goes beyond this to allow you to enter operational information about these shapes and connections, in order to then complete the process optimization that simulates the process flowchart and provides real data that summarizes this process analysis.

Basics of Use

The general modeling procedure using ProcessModel involves first defining the objectives, or purpose of the model, so it is clear what information the model will provide and how it will improve your business planning. Then you gather data to further define the process, including logical data that defines the process sequence and how decisions are made, and numeric data that defines input rates, activity times, etc. 

Next you construct the model, and then you conduct experiments in order to thoroughly understand the process model. You either run multiple scenarios of a single model in which one or more decision variables are changed, or you run and compare completely separate models. Lastly you will draw conclusions by interpreting the results of the simulation from the contents of the scoreboard and the output reports and graphs the software provides.

The design of the flowchart is as easy as dragging and dropping shapes that represent key steps in the process. Then the simulation features are added on top of this charting ability, to further analyze the objects (steps) in the process, the tasks being performed, the agent, or resource that is performing the task, a place where these are stored, and any connections to other steps in the process or other processes,

Of course, in order for this software to perform its magic, users are going to have to spend more time with process modeling than merely designing the steps in the process. You map the process, and then you provide relevant information for each step. This may include unit cost, or hourly cost for people, or other costs associated with nonactivity. Time to perform a task, size of batches, costs of activities, and hourly costs are but a few of the types of cost data you enter about the process objects and connections. Resource data includes the number of resources available, such as number of operators to take calls, resource availability, and cost of the resource.

You can also define time spent on an activity as a random distribution rather than as a fixed time. Common distributions include triangular, normal, and exponential, with several other continuous and discreet distributions also available. You have several choices to describe how an entity arrives at a process step, either continuous, periodic, scheduled, or order-based. The arrival can also be user-defined based on a schedule that simulates the entity's flow during a day or week. All that flows into and out of tasks may be defined by conditional statements based on the values of variables set at various task steps.

When you run the simulation, you can actually see how the entities move through the process, how the program calculates costs, how it uses resources, and other information. This really does help better understand how the program is simulating a real process, based on the data the user enters to define the process. The program can then run various "what-ifs" to alter the variables to strive to reach desired goals.

With this very powerful program comes an extensive user's guide that contains nearly 800 pages of excellent assistance as you work with the program. I also strongly urge customers to also seriously consider taking the company's training program, in order to fully maximize the power of this program in their company. Although the program is relatively simple to learn and use, the deeper and more complex features and data analysis capabilities will challenge some users. I recommend companies consider seeding their quality and engineering professionals first, to then be available to assist other professionals with using ProcessModel.

Super Features Included

The key features of this important program include the following.

Process optimization
Process engineering tool for improving business processes
Decision-making tool
Tool for trying out new ideas in existing processes
Tool for performing "what-if" analyses
Provides replication analysis, user definable variables and attributes
Standard and customized reports
Create hierarchical models to better larger projects
Create different parts of complex processes and merge into one
LIVE animation to see people, paperwork, and other objects flow
OneStep modeling approach
Visual staffing
Different types of modeling
Realistic visual representations
On-screen variables
Changing of graphics during simulation
Import graphics from other programs
Use multiple or alternative resources
Analyze shift assignments
Analyze downtime specifications
Route and control items
Match orders to the correct customer
Multiple scenario analysis
Multiple replication analysis
Cost tracking
Valued added, nonvalue added, and book value added
Total project cost analysis
Cost per entity analysis
Pre-defined and user-defined attributes and variables
User-defined logic for special circumstances
Data spreadsheet export and import capability
Process templates
Model objects for reusable building blocks
Complete VBA integration
Additional and customizable menus
Linkage of models or model objects to Excel, Access, SQL

Targeted Customers

ProcessModel has wide application in any process in any business. You can use the program to best understand such critical processes as staff scheduling and shift planning, task prioritization and interruption, method selection, capacity planning, lot sizing, appointment scheduling, job sequencing, production scheduling, productivity improvement, cycle time reduction, cost reduction, quality management, bottleneck analyses, activity and resource-based costing, and resource scheduling for breaks and downtime. The professionals most likely to more quickly learn the powerful capabilities of ProcessModel will probably be quality professionals in the quality management and improvement function, along with the engineering professionals or scientific technicians.

Price

Contact the company for information about pricing, as well as multiple user license pricing and the introductory training classes. With the relatively complex features of ProcessModel, new customers might want to seriously consider also investing in the 3-day, hands-on training also offered by ProcessModel, Inc.

Version 5 is a free upgrade to all registered users of version 4.x. A complete online manual is included. You may download the full program or if you are using version 5.0.204 or higher you may download the upgrade patch, which is considerably smaller.

If you currently use ProcessModel version 5.0.204 or higher and would like to download the upgrade patch, the patch will not upgrade versions earlier that 5.0.204.

System Configuration Requirements

Windows 98 & ME
Pentium processor (Pentium 400MHz or faster recommended)
24MB RAM (128MB RAM recommended)
75MB free disk space (100MB recommended)
VGA monitor (640 x 480) (SVGA recommended - 1024 x 768
Mouse

Windows NT, 2000, XP
Pentium processor (Pentium 400MHz or faster recommended)
32MB RAM (128MB RAM recommended - 256MB RAM for Win XP)
100MB free hard disk space
VGA monitor (640 x 480) (SVGA recommended - 1024 x 768)
Mouse

Install and Setup

ProcessModel uses iGrafx Flowcharter as a graphical front end. If you currently have iGrafx or MicroGrafx software installed on your computer, you must uninstall it before installing ProcessModel, due to potential file and registry conflicts. You must be logged in as a local administrator on Windows NT, 2000, and XP to install and license ProcessModel. To overwrite a previous 5.0 installation, you must uninstall the previous copy using the Windows Add/Remove Program applet before installing the new one.

Note: After uninstalling ProcessModel 5.x on Windows XP, Microsoft Office may require you to insert the Office installation CD due to a known issue in the iGrafx uninstall process. You may be prompted to insert the CD either when starting an Office application, or when exporting a model to Excel from within ProcessModel. Using Windows Explorer or My Computer, browse to the location where you saved the downloaded .zip file. Double click on the downloaded .zip file. That will open Winzip (or whatever zipping application you have installed).

DO NOT install ProcessModel or run any setup application from within Winzip. You must first "extract" all files to your hard drive, making sure you enable the option to “use folder names.” That will ensure that the required folder structure is maintained during the extraction process. If you need help running Winzip, contact your local technical support personnel. Close Winzip Using Windows Explorer or My Computer, browse to the folder where you extracted the installation files to and double click PCM.EXE.

Installing Patch Install
The patch will upgrade your system from versions 5.0.204, 5.0.205, 5.0.206, 5.1.7, or 5.1.10. If you have any other version of ProcessModel currently installed on your system, you will need to use the "Full" install rather than the patch. Double click on the downloaded .zip file. That will open Winzip (or whatever zipping application you have installed).

DO NOT install the patch from within Winzip. You must first "extract" the .msp file to your hard drive. If you need help running Winzip, contact your local technical support personnel. Close Winzip. Using Windows Explorer or My Computer, browse to the folder where you extracted to and double click on the .msp file.

License Keys
4.2.7 license keys are compatible with 5.x. If you have been running 4.2.7 you will not need to enter a new license key. Your old license will be retained and used. If you have been running a version older than 4.2.7, you will need to contact ProcessModel at 801-356-7165 for an updated license key.

Compatibility
Model files are upward and downward compatible between 4.x and 5.x. 4.2.7 package files (.pak) are upward compatible to 5.x. But 5.x package files (.zip) are not downward compatible with 4.2.7. Package files from 4.2.5 and earlier are not compatible with 5.x.

With the power and complexity of this software, and the potential for hugely complex process models many customers may wish to work with in this program, I would advise these types of customers to consider running this powerful program on a "high-end" machine, with as fast a processor you can manage, along with as much RAM and free hard disk space you also can manage.

About ProcessModel, Inc.

ProcessModel, Inc. is a highly specialized quality software and consulting company that has completely upgraded the process flowchart tool to become a tool of even greater value in businesses. With this super program, not only can you diagram key processes, but you can use the software to also dramatically improve your processes. The company also provides extensive training, support and services to accompany the program, and they are so confident customers will find the program will improve their processes they offer a one-year, no-risk, money-back guarantee!

ProcessModel is the software used by General Electric worldwide by their Six Sigma black belts. Many other Fortune 500 companies have also selected ProcessModel for business process modeling, including Motorola, Kodak, Johnson & Johnson, IBM, John Deere Credit, AT&T, Bank of America, Boeing, Fannie Mae, Anderson Consulting, Thiokol, Hewlett Packard, Becton Dickinson, KPMG, Owens Corning, and Xerox.

The company also now sells mentoring service to customers needing telephone and on-site technical assistance with using ProcessModel in their company.

Contact Information

L. Travis Healy
Sales and Business Development
ProcessModel, Inc.
32 West Center Street, Suite 301
P.O. Box M
Provo, Utah 84601
801-356-7165, ext 166
FAX 801-356-7175
thealy@processmodel.com
info@processmodel.com
support@processmodel.com
www.processmodel.com