Introducción al ERP (1)

En las organizaciones tradicionales, con sistemas informáticos tradicionales nacidos a partir de la década de los 60, los empleados se concentraban en sus tareas funcionales específicas y tenían acceso solamente a una limitada información que provenía del sistema informativo de su departamento. Los viejos sistemas reforzaban el tradicional modelo vertical orientado a funciones específicas – contabilidad, comercial, y producción, construidos uno a uno en forma independiente, con modelos de datos independientes entre sí y con muy poca integración con los otros. Cuando se requería la interacción entre sistemas diferentes, la solución técnica aconsejaba la construcción de una interface. Esto es, para completar un proceso que atravesaba a varias funciones o compartir datos entre distintos modelos de datos se debía construir una interface, habitualmente una pieza de software batch (y más modernamente on-line) que cubría la necesidad, transfiriendo los datos de un lado al otro.

El aumento en la complejidad de los negocios, sumado al hecho de la mayor demanda a los sistemas computarizados sobre nuevas funcionalidades y la complejidad creciente de las interfaces, llevaron a la construcción de verdaderas arquitecturas de sistemas con un alto costo de mantenimiento y muy bajo nivel de calidad en términos de prestación de servicios al usuario final. Al momento de diseñar un Sistema de Información se pretende modelizar el real funcionamiento de una Empresa, pero una vez implementado este define una forma de operar.

El advenimiento de los Sistemas Integrados de Información (ERPs) trajo consigo la posibilidad de concretar una transformación radical de los negocios a través de la revisión integral de sus procesos. Es oportuno rescatar una de las definiciones más precisas y concisas del término “proceso” dentro del ambiente de las empresas, del libro de Hammer y Champy (1993): “Un proceso de negocios es un conjunto de actividades que, a partir de una o más entradas, produce una salida que tiene valor para el cliente”. ¿Qué fue primero? ¿La visión por proceso de los gurúes del estudio de las organizaciones o el advenimiento de los ERP’s por parte de los gurúes de la tecnología informática? Difícil responder a esa pregunta, pero la historia cuenta que durante la década de los 90, ambos conceptos transitaron un camino paralelo hasta conformar una solución única para las organizaciones modernas, orientadas por proceso y soportadas por medio de un Sistema Integrado de Información.

Los empleados que hoy utilizan un ERP tienen acceso a la información de todos los departamentos que participan del proceso completo, de punta a punta y en forma on-line. Rápidamente, el proceso se torna visible. Los empleados entienden cómo su trabajo afecta al trabajo del resto de la organización. Los datos se ingresan al sistema en el momento y en el lugar donde se generan por el responsable de los mismos. Se eliminan las transcripciones y los errores de consistencia de los datos.

La capacidad de un ERP de operar en múltiples lenguajes, utilizando múltiples monedas y adaptándose a las normas legales y fiscales de todos los países donde opera lo convierte en una herramienta poderosa para las Empresas multinacionales que han expandido sus operaciones alrededor del mundo. Las Empresas multinacionales apreciaron rápidamente las ventajas de imponer un sistema (“su sistema”) en Empresas a incorporar, logrando rápidamente información integrada para el control de las mismas y para la adecuada toma de decisiones.

Durante los últimos 30 años se ha producido una rápida expansión y evolución de la tecnología de los Sistemas de Información con una disminución de su coste y una mayor facilidad para incorporarla y difundirla en las organizaciones. Sin embargo, el estado de las aplicaciones de las empresas no ha evolucionado con sus necesidades. La mayor parte tienen aplicaciones muy pobres, con características atrasadas y no hacen sino automatizar algunas de las funciones básicas de la empresa.

Debido a que la aplicación informática servirá a la empresa de apoyo en todas sus acciones y estrategias, es importante que la aplicación sea actualizada para que cubra, lo mejor posible, las necesidades de la empresa. Cuando una empresa decide actualizar su aplicación principal, se debe elegir una teniendo en cuenta los puntos a favor y en contra de cada una de ellas y, teniendo claro qué necesita la empresa en cuestión.

Las grandes y medianas empresas precisan aplicaciones globales que cubran de modo integrado todas las áreas de su actividad (Finanzas, Distribución y Ventas y Producción) y además, otros elementos tecnológicos que son imprescindibles en organizaciones de este volumen como EDI, Intranet, Workflow, etc. que estarán totalmente integrados con la aplicación. Estas aplicaciones son los ERP. Un ERP es una solución, la cual se caracteriza por apoyar los procesos de las áreas operativas de las empresas por medio de múltiples módulos, los cuales se integran entre sí y se ven reflejados en las áreas administrativas financieras, integrando así la información, dando universalidad a la misma, estandarización de sistemas e interfaces con otras aplicaciones. Son sistemas que pueden ayudar a permitir cambios y en la mayoría de los casos funcionales para varias bases de datos y sistemas operativos.

Es un sistema de manejo de la información estructurado que satisface la demanda de soluciones de gestión de empresas, basado en el ofrecimiento de una solución completa que permite a las empresas evaluar, implementar y manejar más fácilmente su negocio.

Los retos de disponer de sistemas apropiados a la nueva economía afectan a todas las empresas, las cuales deben responder a las oportunidades que nacen en la nueva tecnología o bien desaparecerán. Todas las empresas necesitarán la actualización de sus infraestructuras empresariales y cambiar el modo en que trabajan para responder a las necesidades del cliente. Las infraestructuras internas existentes de las empresas de hoy representan una gigantesca inversión en tecnología, en formación, en investigación, en la ingeniería de los negocios que, en algunos casos, ha estado funcionando durante cientos de años.

Las empresas que triunfarán serán aquellas que se apoyen en esta inversión, con inversiones en sistemas ERP, en soluciones e-business que funcionen de forma totalmente integrada.

Actualización de CMMi v1.3 (2)

ORGANIZATIONAL PROCESS FOCUS -- PROCESS MANAGEMENT (ML3)

The purpose of Organizational Process Focus (OPF) is to plan, implement, and deploy organizational process improvements based on a thorough understanding of current strengths and weaknesses of the organization’s processes and process assets.

SG 1 Strengths, weaknesses, and improvement opportunities for the organization’s processes are identified periodically and as needed.

SP 1.1 Establish and maintain the description of process needs and objectives for the organization. SP 1.2 Appraise the organization’s processes periodically and as needed to maintain an understanding of their strengths and weaknesses. SP 1.3 Identify improvements to the organization’s processes and process assets.

SG 2 Process actions that address improvements to the organization’s processes and process assets are planned and implemented.

SP 2.1 Establish and maintain process action plans to address improvements to the organization’s processes and process assets. SP 2.2 Implement process action plans.

SG 3 Organizational process assets are deployed across the organization and process related experiences are incorporated into organizational process assets.

SP 3.1 Deploy organizational process assets across the organization. SP 3.2 Deploy the organization’s set of standard processes to projects at their startup and deploy changes to them as appropriate throughout the life of each project. SP 3.3 Monitor the implementation of the organization’s set of standard processes and use of process assets on all projects. SP 3.4 Incorporate process related experiences derived from planning and performing the process into organizational process assets.

ORGANIZATIONAL PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT -- PROCESS MANAGEMENT (ML5)

The purpose of Organizational Performance Management (OPM) is to proactively manage the organization’s performance to meet its business objectives.

SG 1 Manage the organization’s business performance using statistical and other quantitative techniques to understand process performance shortfalls and identify areas for process improvement.

SP 1.1 Maintain business objectives based on an understanding of business strategies and actual performance results. SP 1.2 Analyze process performance data to determine the organization’s ability to meet identified business objectives. SP 1.3 Identify potential areas for improvement that could contribute to meeting business objectives.

SG 2 Improvements are proactively identified, evaluated using statistical and other quantitative techniques, and selected for deployment based on their contribution to meeting quality and process performance objectives.

SP 2.1 Elicit and categorize suggested improvements. SP 2.2 Analyze suggested improvements for their possible impact on achieving the organization’s quality and process performance objectives. SP 2.3 Validate selected improvements. SP 2.4 Select and implement improvements for deployment throughout the organization based on an evaluation of costs, benefits and other factors.

SG 3 Measurable improvements to the organization’s processes and technologies are deployed and evaluated using statistical and other quantitative techniques.

SP 3.1 Establish and maintain plans for deploying selected improvements. SP 3.2 Manage the deployment of selected improvements. SP 3.3 Evaluate the effects of deployed improvements on quality and process performance using statistical and other quantitative techniques.

ORGANIZATIONAL PROCESS PERFORMANCE -- PROCESS MANAGEMENT (ML4)

The purpose of Organizational Process Performance (OPP) is to establish and maintain a quantitative understanding of the performance of selected processes in the organization’s set of standard processes in support of achieving quality and process performance objectives, and to provide process performance data, baselines, and models to quantitatively manage the organization’s projects.

SG 1 Baselines and models, which characterize the expected process performance of the organization’s set of standard processes, are established and maintained.

SP 1.1 Establish and maintain the organization’s quantitative objectives for quality and process performance, which are traceable to business objectives. SP 1.2 Select processes or subprocesses in the organization’s set of standard processes to be included in the organization’s process performance analyses and maintain traceability to business objectives. SP 1.3 Establish and maintain definitions of measures to be included in the organization’s process performance analyses. SP 1.4 Analyze the performance of the selected processes, and establish and maintain the process performance baselines. SP 1.5 Establish and maintain process performance models for the organization’s set of standard processes.

ORGANIZATIONAL TRAINING -- PROCESS MANAGEMENT (ML3)

The purpose of Organizational Training (OT) is to develop skills and knowledge of people so they can perform their roles effectively and efficiently.

SG 1 A training capability, which supports the roles in the organization, is established and maintained.

SP 1.1 Establish and maintain strategic training needs of the organization. SP 1.2 Determine which training needs are the responsibility of the organization and which are left to the individual project or support group. SP 1.3 Establish and maintain an organizational training tactical plan. SP 1.4 Establish and maintain a training capability to address organizational training needs.

SG 2 Training for individuals to perform their roles effectively is provided.

SP 2.1 Deliver training following the organizational training tactical plan. SP 2.2 Establish and maintain records of organizational training. SP 2.3 Assess the effectiveness of the organization’s training program. PRODUCT INTEGRATION -- ENGINEERING (ML3)

The purpose of Product Integration (PI) is to assemble the product from the product components, ensure that the product, as integrated, behaves properly (i.e., possesses the required functionality and quality attributes), and deliver the product.

SG 1 Preparation for product integration is conducted.

SP 1.1 Establish and maintain a product integration strategy. SP 1.2 Establish and maintain the environment needed to support the integration of the product components. SP 1.3 Establish and maintain procedures and criteria for integration of the product components.

SG 2 The product component interfaces, both internal and external, are compatible.

SP 2.1 Review interface descriptions for coverage and completeness. SP 2.2 Manage internal and external interface definitions, designs and changes for products and product components.

SG 3 Verified product components are assembled and the integrated, verified and validated product is delivered.

SP 3.1 Confirm, prior to assembly, that each product component required to assemble the product has been properly identified, behaves according to its description, and that the product component interfaces comply with the interface descriptions. SP 3.2 Assemble product components according to the product integration strategy and procedures. SP 3.2 Evaluate assembled product components for interface compatibility. SP 3.2 Package the assembled product or product component and deliver it to the customer.

Actualización de CMMi V1.3 (1)

CAUSAL ANALYSIS AND RESOLUTION -- SUPPORT (ML5)

The purpose of Causal Analysis and Resolution (CAR) is to identify causes of selected outcomes and take action to improve process performance.

SG 1 Root causes of selected outcomes are systematically determined.

SP 1.1 Select outcomes for analysis. SP 1.2 Perform causal analysis of selected outcomes and propose actions to address them.

SG 2 Root causes of selected outcomes are systematically addressed.

SP 2.1 Implement selected action proposals developed in causal analysis. SP 2.2 Evaluate the effect of implemented actions on process performance. SP 2.3 Record causal analysis and resolution data for use across projects and the organization.

CONFIGURATION MANAGEMENT -- SUPPORT (ML2)

The purpose of Configuration Management (CM) is to establish and maintain the integrity of work products using configuration identification, configuration control, configuration status accounting, and configuration audits.

SG 1 Baselines of identified work products are established.

SP 1.1 Identify configuration items, components, and related work products to be placed under configuration management. SP 1.2 Establish and maintain a configuration management and change management system for controlling work products. SP 1.3 Create or release baselines for internal use and for delivery to the customer.

SG 2 Changes to the work products under configuration management are tracked and controlled.

SP 2.1 Track change requests for configuration items. SP 2.2 Control changes to configuration items.

SG 3 Integrity of baselines is established and maintained.

SP 3.1 Established and maintain records describing configuration items. SP 3.2 Perform configuration audits to maintain the integrity of configuration baselines.

DECISION ANALYSIS AND RESOLUTION -- SUPPORT (ML3)

The purpose of Decision Analysis and Resolution (DAR) is to analyze possible decisions using a formal evaluation process that evaluates identified alternatives against established criteria.

SG 1 Decisions are based on an evaluation of alternatives using established criteria.

SP 1.1 Establish and maintain guidelines to determine which issues are subject to a formal evaluation process. SP 1.2 Establish and maintain criteria for evaluating alternatives and the relative ranking of these criteria. SP 1.3 Identify alternative solutions to address issues. SP 1.4 Select evaluation methods. SP 1.5 Evaluate alternative solutions using established criteria and methods. SP 1.6 Select solutions from alternatives based on evaluation criteria.

INTEGRATED PROJECT MANAGEMENT -- PROJECT MANAGEMENT (ML3)

The purpose of Integrated Project Management (IPM) is to establish and manage the project and the involvement of relevant stakeholders according to an integrated and defined process that is tailored from the organization’s set of standard processes.

SG 1 The project is conducted using a defined process tailored from the organization’s set of standard processes.

SP 1.1 Establish and maintain the project’s defined process from project startup through the life of the project. SP 1.2 Use organizational process assets and the measurement repository for estimating and planning project activities. SP 1.3 Establish and maintain the project’s work environment based on the organization’s work environment standards. SP 1.4 Integrate the project plan and other plans that affect the project to describe the project’s defined process. SP 1.5 Manage the project using the project plan, other plans that affect the project, and the project’s defined process. SP 1.6 Establish and maintain teams. SP 1.7 Contribute process related experiences to organizational process assets.

SG 2 Coordination and collaboration between the project and relevant stakeholders is conducted.

SP 2.1 Manage the involvement of relevant stakeholders in the project. SP 2.2 Participate with relevant stakeholders to identify, negotiate, and track critical dependencies. SP 2.3 Resolve issues with relevant stakeholders.

MEASUREMENT AND ANALYSIS -- SUPPORT (ML2)

The purpose of Measurement and Analysis (MA) is to develop and sustain a measurement capability used to support management information needs.

SG 1 Measurement objectives and activities are aligned with identified information needs and objectives.

SP 1.1 Establish and maintain measurement objectives derived from identified information needs and objectives. SP 1.2 Specify measures to address measurement objectives. SP 1.3 Specify how measurement data are obtained and stored. SP 1.4 Specify how measurement data are analyzed and communicated.

SG 2 Measurement results, which address identified information needs and objectives, are provided.

SP 2.1 Obtain specified measurement data. SP 2.2 Analyze and interpret measurement data. SP 2.3 Manage and store measurement data, measurement specifications, and analysis results. SP 2.4 Communicate results of measurement and analysis activities to all relevant stakeholders.

ORGANIZATIONAL PROCESS DEFINITION -- PROCESS MANAGEMENT (ML3)

The purpose of Organizational Process Definition (OPD) is to establish and maintain a usable set of organizational process assets, work environment standards, and rules and guidelines for teams.

SG 1 A set of organizational process assets is established and maintained.

SP 1.1 Establish and maintain the organization’s set of standard processes. SP 1.2 Establish and maintain descriptions of lifecycle models approved for use in the organization. SP 1.3 Establish and maintain tailoring criteria and guidelines for the organization’s set of standard processes. SP 1.4 Establish and maintain the organization’s measurement repository. SP 1.5 Establish and maintain the organization’s process asset library. SP 1.6 Establish and maintain work environment standards. SP 1.7 Establish and maintain organizational rules and guidelines for the structure, formation, and operation of teams.