Dynamic Case Management (DCM) vs Business Process Management (BPM) – The Key Differences

From a distance, Dynamic Case Management (DCM) and Business Process Management (BPM) look similar. They accomplish the same job—organizing business processes for better results. However, the two are very different. They are applied in different situations and utilize different techniques.

Dynamic Case Management (DCM) is used for solving unstructured, incident-related processes that are mostly adaptive in nature. It is best suited to exclusive cases that need knowledge-based solutions. Knowledge workers or subject matter experts (employees whose primary contribution is knowledge and expertise on a specific subject) believe that process improvement is more effective when the need for automation is considered exclusively.

Business Process Management (BPM), on the other hand, is all about automating processes, minimizing human intervention, and reducing the chances of errors. It is mostly used to automate repeatable processes.

DCM: A Subset of Case Management

To help you understand DCM better, let’s talk about case management first. A case is a collection of information about a particular instance, incident, or problem. Insurance claims, customer complaints, and service requests are all examples of cases. Case management is the management of processes that make up a case. A case may require a strong knowledge of the subject, the authority to define the route, and coordinated actions by multiple people and departments for resolution.

Dynamic case management is a subset of case management that involves the adaptation of action based on events. As new information is added or events occur within the case, the case handler or case manager assimilates the information, brings it into context, and coordinates resolution with the help of technology.

Dynamic case management is used to solve cases such as service requests, incidents (like customer complaints or processing insurance claims), and process-through decision cases (like underwriting loans).

Now that you understand case management and the importance of dynamic case management, let’s look at its applications.

When should you use DCM?

When you want to improve case outcomes and the resolution times: Knowledge workers can quickly connect with the data and the people they need to resolve cases.

• To increase customer satisfaction: DCM software allows an organization to maintain flexibility and alter processes to fit individual circumstances.
• To boost business productivity: DCM can help reduce the human effort needed to create and manage cases.
• To meet service level agreements with predictability and ease: DCM is crucial in setting goals, meeting SLAs, and analyzing patterns
• To improve process deployment: DCM empowers caseworkers with a low-code application framework and pre-built accelerators. 

DCM vs BPM: The Key Differences

Linear vs Non-Linear Workflows

Both BPM and DCM are techniques used to accomplish work. However, DCM is used to handle non-linear workflows—cases that are highly reliant on the available information. DCM is suitable for real-life scenarios where processes aren’t organized or predictable. A DCM case relies on information from several sources and on the knowledge worker’s ability to make decisions that actively move the case forward.

In BPM, a process comprises well-defined activities expected to happen in the normal course of business. These processes have a beginning and an end (are linear) and are carried out frequently but not continuously. Many of the processes are predictable and can be handled automatically without human intervention. An example of a BPM process is onboarding a new employee and carrying out joining formalities.

Delegation of Responsibility

DCM hands the power over to the knowledge worker. The person who is most knowledgeable about the processes. They can intervene and change the flow of the case for a quick resolution. And so, the delegation of responsibility is case-wise. In other words, the knowledge worker needs to take control over the whole case which includes steps and delegation of action within each step of the case to drive context and bring about the best outcomes.

BPM, on the other hand, uses step-wise delegation. Since the BPM is responsible for automating steps within the process. The delegation of responsibility is based on the role of the collaborator. The individual is only responsible for a specific action within the step and that is precisely where their responsibility ends.

Revisiting Steps May Have Implications

With DCM, altering previous case steps can have implications. There is no predefined flow because of human intervention, and cases may require intervention from both internal and external knowledge workers. Case workers must be agile and flexible without losing control. This is because a lot of the information they base their decisions on is structured and unstructured.

With BPM, the outcome is always the same, and adjusting previous steps has no implications. BPM is all about workflow automation. Processes are structured and have a predictable path from beginning to end. Repeatable and structured processes or workflows make good candidates for BPM.

Decision-Making

BPM utilizes a process-centric approach as opposed to dynamic case management which uses a knowledge-based approach.

With BPM, collaborators cannot be innovative because set processes must be followed—there is a predefined process that dictates the sequence of events.

With dynamic case management, the process is determined by the actions, events, or information. The nature of case work is unpredictable and activities occur in an unpredictable manner. These ad-hoc activities allow knowledge workers to create, assign, and complete work items based on the context of the case. They have to use their own knowledge and expertise to drive the case to resolution.

Introduction of New Information

With DCM, the introduction of new information can affect the course of the case. This can mean that complex cases may require intervention from both internal and external knowledge workers and can require deviations or forced interventions based on context and new information. Caseworkers must be agile and flexible to tackle this.

Processes are structured and have a predictable path from beginning to end. With BPM, the outcome is always defined. Since every service request follows a set workflow, the introduction of new information does not change or affect the path. Repeatable and structured processes or workflows make good candidates for BPM.

Productivity

With DCM, not one case is the same. Each case is unique and requires unique processes to be solved in the most efficient way. Given the unpredictability of cases, the time taken to solve a case may not always be a great indicator of productivity. Some cases may not require much effort while more complicated ones may take longer and require more collaboration to complete.

BPM on the other hand is highly measured and precise. Each step within a task is structured and defined and so the resolution times are a more accurate assessment of productivity. In fact, the time taken to resolve service requests may often be used to benchmark productivity for each collaborator within the process.

DCM and BPM may have fundamental differences in how they can be used and the benefits they bring. But if you’re looking for a comprehensive solution that solves both dynamic case management and business process management needs, look no further. Try Kissflow Workflow.