What Is the 8-Omega Framework?
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Originally released in 2005 by BPM Group, the 8-Omega framework has been adapted and embraced by a large number of organizations around the world for the improvement of business processes.
When BPM Group CEO Steve Towers presented the latest iteration of the 8-Omega framework in San Francisco, in 2017, he said, “The 8-Omega Framework is specifically designed to be an effective means of building into corporations and organizations the natural ability to react to external pressures with fast, efficient and appropriate internal response. By properly preparing the organization for positive reaction to external forces, these forces no longer create the stress and risk commonplace today.”
What makes the 8-Omega framework different is the fact that it addresses the following four perspectives:
- Strategy: The 8-Omega framework places the whole initiative in a truly strategic context, putting a strong vision of the end game at the center of everyone’s attention. It defines strategy throughout the organization by setting targets and objectives that emphasize their roles and outcomes while balancing time, resources, and ongoing commitments.
- People: So many other frameworks for change neglect the critical role people play in strategic initiatives. The ability to engage people and make them commit with their hearts and souls is often the key differentiator of success and failure. 8-Omega strives to make change the culture by combating workplace negativism and resistance to change.
- Process: The 8-Omega framework helps create processes that create value while, at the same time, illuminating non-value-adding activities that increase costs and reduce competitiveness.
- Technology: One of the core principles behind 8-Omega is the realization that other frameworks for implementing change place too much value on technology. According to 8-Omega, the value of technology is defined by its ability to serve business requirements and objectives.
The name of 8-Omega framework comes from the eight stages, or life cycle phases, through which each of the four key perspectives goes through:
- Discover: The identification of current and future business strategy.
- Analyze: The strategic analysis of current processes and the definition of business requirements.
- Design: The design of new process configurations.
- Integrate: The integration with existing processes and systems.
- Implement: The implementation of new process solutions.
- Manage: The continuous management of new process solutions.
- Control: The continuous review and monitoring of the new process solutions.
- Improve: Continuous performance reviews and adjustments based on changing requirements.
On his blog, Mark McGregor released, in 2007, an updated version of the 8-Omega framework, which adds an additional key perspective: Purpose.
“This is to enable us be sure of what it is we are about and allow us to look at strategy in the context of achieving and maintaining our purpose. All too often great strategies seem to fail, but only because they no longer serve or suit our purpose. Together these five elements provide a comprehensive view of what is required to enable transformation take place,” Mark explains.
Additionally, the integration phrase has been removed, and a management phase has been added. The updated 8-Omega framework should allow organizations move more quickly toward achieving their objectives and ensure tight control on an ongoing basis.
User story maps are an interesting and collaborative way of eliciting user requirements. One of the reasons why I find it so powerful is because it provides a unique approach for aligning discussions relating to the user, their goals, the process that supports the accomplishment of their predefined goals; and the requirements that need to be addressed to solve business problems.