Sweden's largest real estate company use ProcessMap for SharePoint

When the AP Properties, current Vasakronan, were to introduce a new intranet containing real estate and user portals, it was decided that also "Kompassen" - the part of the intranet containing processes, utilities, and support processes, templates and other support related to their daily work - would be upgraded. Since the choice of platform fell on SharePoint it was required that "Kompassen" would be integrated into the environment. In the choice between developing themselves, or build in an application the choice fell on Meridium and the application ProcessMap. The project started in 2007 and was launched in August 2009.

The Challenge

After AP Properties bought Vasakronan the entire company took on the name Vasakronan, and the two companies' intranet site went through a phase of integration in which they would merge and coordinate their processes. "Kompassen" was originally developed to facilitate efforts to develop methods and support tools so that employees and management in the AP Buildings could effectively carry out their duties and thus achieve their goals. Now it was a large challenge for Vasakronan to get it all into one organization and also to document everything in a structured way. Vasakronan needed a user-friendly tool to clearly demonstrate processes in order to better communicate the structures. It should also make it easier to find weaknesses and see what needed to be improved.

The objectives were to ensure the quality of business-critical areas of the business and to give employees the opportunity to systematically share knowledge. It would also be a platform for further development of operations. The choice was easy when Meridium came up with the solution ProcessMap.

- It is important that the process owner can engage in the process work and put a large amount of time into it. It actually is a challenge to cope with the ordinary work at the same time, says Sören Sandell, CIO at Vasakronan

Solution

Vasakronan worked along a plan of action: they would identify working method, processes, and the cutting activity descriptions. An important part of this work also lay in identifying and developing support tools such as help documents. After that they worked the results into "Kompassen" at the intranet "Sofia". The aim was to spread knowledge, training and practice, and to administer and improve work procedures and support tools. Based on these key concepts Meridium integrated ProcessMap into the intranet "Sofia".

The development of working methods and support tools is an ongoing process and is mainly focused on ensuring the quality of the everyday moments that are critical points of business, internally and for customers. To succeed in this a systematic effort is a constantly ongoing process to identify and develop key working methods and support tools.

Results

Process management is now easier to manage than before. This is a basic requirement to work up clear process descriptions. Those who work with the "Kompassen" on a daily basis experience that ProcessMap has facilitated the process development. Now Vasakronan has a close dialogue with Meridium since they are still in a development phase. They have begun the documentation of processes and there is a constant work in progress.

A major benefit of ProcessMap, Vasakronan finds, is that you can graphically present processes, and navigate easily. Now it's easy to visualize processes and possible to skip through images and links. It has also become easier to initiate flow and the people who work with ProcessMap experience a clear simplification of the work.

- It is important to define the process map and to be responsible for each process. Process, region, function - we must ensure that all parts fit together, Sören Sandell says.

About working with Meridium Sören says:

- It has worked out great. We have had both personal meetings and telephone conferences when we looked at a screen together. They are talented, professional and delivered very well. Meridium is nice to work with and they have talented consultants.