1.3. Use Case: Process-based solutions in the loan industry
Red Hat JBoss BPM Suite (BPMS) can be deployed to automate business processes, such as automating the loan approval process at a retail bank. This is a typical 'Specific Process-Based' deployment that might be the first step in a wider adoption of BPM throughout an enterprise. It leverages both the BPM and business rules features of BPMS.
A retail bank offers several types of loan products each with varying terms and eligibility requirements. Customers requiring a loan must file a loan application with the bank, which then processes the application in several steps, verifying eligibility, determining terms, checking for fraudulent activity, and determining the most appropriate loan product. Once approved, the bank creates and funds a loan account for the applicant, who can then access funds. The bank must be sure to comply with all relevant banking regulations at each step of the process, and needs to manage its loan portfolio to maximize profitability. Policies are in place to aid in decision making at each step, and those policies are actively managed to optimize outcomes for the bank.
Business analysts at the bank model the loan application processes using the BPMN2 authoring tools (Process Designer) in BPM Suite:
Figure 1.1. High-level loan application process flow
Business rules are developed with the rule authoring tools in BPM Suite to enforce policies and make decisions. Rules are linked with the process models to enforce the correct policies at each process step.
The bank's IT organization deploys the BPM Suite so that the entire loan application process can be automated.
Figure 1.2. Loan Application Process Automation
The entire loan process and rules can be modified at any time by the bank's business analysts. The bank is able to maintain constant compliance with changing regulations, and is able to quickly introduce new loan products and improve loan policies in order to compete effectively and drive profitability.
