Case management concept
This chapter discusses case management, its unique features compared to other business applications, the relationship between case management and enterprise content management, collaboration and business process management, and the concept of case management solutions.
We will discuss:
What is case management?
Case Management is the people, processes, and content required to complete a case end-to-end. Every case must have a clear beginning and end. But unlink traditional workflows. Cases require a more holistic approach to managing work that isn’t always repeatable. Cases typically orchestrate work across departments, bring data in from multiple systems, and automate steps that typically had to be done by hand.
Case Management Software is a tool that manages case-based work end-to-end. It can range from general-purpose tracking software to specialized systems for legal matters, customer service, IT service requests, insurance claim processes, and more.
Case Management Software is sometimes referred to as Dynamic Case Management (DCM), Advanced Case Management (ACM), and Intelligent Case Management (ICM).
Isn’t it just Business Process Management (BPM) software?
Case Management is often considered an evolution of Business Process Management (BPM) that deals with case-based work rather than consistently predefined steps. Its workflow can range from structured (e.g., customer onboarding) to unstructured (e.g., criminal investigation). Similarly, the data collected during case processing can be structured (e.g., auto insurance claim) or unstructured (e.g., construction change request).
Many software vendors have case management features within their BPM suites, but actual case management systems typically have advanced features that support predictable and unpredictable work. Organizations that standardize on a comprehensive case management solution usually have a better ROI because they can accomplish many different use cases rather than just the structured workflow ones.
How did it evolve?
BPM software, like Robotic Process Automation (RPA), was a big hit because it could automate many repeatable processes. But as the low-hanging fruit was picked, the following processes involved more people, more rules, and more “exceptions” that became difficult to model.
Take, for example, a simple process of changing your address at a bank. In how many different systems does this address need to be changed? Are those systems connected? How do we verify your new address? What happens if you are moving to another country? Is there potential fraud happening because you changed your address four times this year? Does the bank need to notify a government agency of this? And who is responsible for making this all work?
This workflow can consist of a hundred individual steps and combine automatic and manual steps with hundreds of decision points. And the data to make those steps can live in multiple systems. It became clear that such multi-layered processes needed more than just workflow – it required a holistic approach that combined workflow, data, people, rules, and much more. It also required all employees involved in the process to work in a single unified platform because training staff on how to differently resolve every possible account change process was impossible.
Thus, Case Management Software was born. It took BPM to the next level.
How big of a problem does Case Management solve?
We like to oversimplify it with “everything that could be automated has already been automated.” This leaves us with a large hole where humans must make decisions one way or another. We’ve found that most processes requiring multiple people, diverse content, human decision-making, and automation will benefit from a Case Management system.
Most of the work done by government agencies, customer service teams, investigators, and decision markets can be considered case-based. Classical BPM still plays a massive role in automating very specific, repeatable sub-processes. Case Management is what lets organizations orchestrate this work end-to-end.
Popular Use Cases for Case Management
There are numerous challenges that various industries face, including the need to enhance the efficiency of their knowledge workers while also improving customer satisfaction. The solution lies in leveraging case management technology, which provides a versatile toolset to build knowledge worker applications that streamline customer interactions. Despite the common goal, each industry has unique applications particularly suitable for case management implementation.
| Government | Healthcare | Insurance |
|---|---|---|
Social Services Pension management Legal services Permitting and licensing Emergency management | Care coordination Patient engagement Disputes and complaints Member Services Provider network management | Claims management Customer service Fraud investigation Compliance Member Services |
| Utilities | Banking | Retail |
Asset management Service Requests Regulatory Compliance Incident Management Customer Complaints | Customer service and inquiries Customer onboarding Collections Loan and mortgage processing Wealth management | Omnichannel Product returns and exchanges Inventory management Employee management Technical support |