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Green Variant

Offer a green alternative with the same outcome, utilizing different steps, resources, or partners, while retaining the previous existing process

How can the environmental impact of a process be decreased while keeping the original process?

Nowak, A., Leymann, F., Schleicher, D., Schumm, D., & Wagner, S. (2011, October 21). Green business process patterns. Proceedings of the 18th Conference on Pattern Languages of Programs. PLoP 11: Pattern Languages of Programs Conference 2011.

Description

Within the optimization of business processes, organizations may not change their business processes to a greener one without making them, for instance, more expensive or violating internal policies (green trade-off). Doing so would probably lead to a decrease in market share. However, organizations may be able to offer an alternative business process variant that has less environmental impact than the original one and gives the customers the opportunity to decide between the conventional and the green variant.

Challanges

In this case it is important to assure the same functional outcome of the process. Consequently, processes must be analyzed and restructured with respect to this objective, however, obtaining a decreased environmental impact.

Solution

The organization provides an alternative green business process variant that achieves the same result as before. However, it may use different process steps, resources, or partners to perform the process. The previous existing business process remains.

Results

Based on certain criteria like the customers decision, different variants of the process with the same functional outcome can be provided. Depending on which of the variants is being executed, different key performance indicators and ecological parameters hold.

Example

A trading company usually uses conventional plastic or styrofoam to wrap their goods. Using this pattern, the company can offer an alternative packaging method, using non-plastic and renewable materials, e.g. made out of corn, to pack the goods. In case of increasing costs they can provide this offer as a customer’s choice, i.e. customers decide whether they want conventional packaging or if they pay an extra charge for alternative packaging.

Variations

In the first place variations are achieved by conditioning the decision based on a certain criteria. Secondly, it would be possible to provide slightly different services or products. Depending on the business partners or customers choice, the service is performed differently (maybe with a different outcome) or products have another shape.

Performance considerations

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Foundational free Patterns

Appoint case managers

Assign a responsible individual for handling each case type

Distinguish case types

Determine whether activities are related to the same type of case and, if necessary, distinguish new business processes

Apply Integral technology

Elevate physical constraints by applying new technology

Minimize numerical involvement

Too many cooks spoil the broth

Parallelize activities

Consider whether activities may be executed in parallel

Apply triage

Consider the division of a general activity into two or more alternative activities

Green Variant

Offer a green alternative with the same outcome, utilizing different steps, resources, or partners, while retaining the previous existing process

Offer temporal flexibility

Let customers interact with your organization whenever they want to.

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Green Compensation

Start implementing actions that can offset or counterbalance the environmental effects generated by business processes that cannot be changed.

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