The American Producitivity & Quality Center (APQC)
APQC delivers a Process Classification Framework (PCF) SM is a high-level, industry-neutral enterprise process model that allows organizations to see their business processes from a cross-industry viewpoint.
The PCF was developed by APQC and its member companies as an open standard to facilitate improvement through process management and benchmarking, regardless of industry, size, or geography.
The PCF organizes operating and management processes into 12 enterprise level categories, including process groups, and over 1,000 processes and associated activities.
APQC Develop in the early 1990ies
Category: The highest level within the PCF, currently 12 major enterprise-wide macro-processes through which an organization delivers value to its customers and stakeholders.
Process Groups: PCF items with one decimal numbering (e.g. 8.1) indicate a process group. A logical collection of processes that deliver a major output or outcome inside the macro-enterprise process.
Process: PCF items with two decimal numberings (e.g. 8.1.1) indicate processes. A collection of activities that deliver an output for a subsequent process in the process group. Together they allow the process group to achieve its objective within the larger macro-enterprise process category.
Activity: items with three decimals (e.g. 8.3.1.1) indicate activities
The PCF provides the foundation for the Open Standards Benchmarking CollaborativeSM (OSBC) database and the work of its advisory council of global
industry leaders. The PCF will continue to be enhanced as the OSBC database further develops definitions, processes, and measures. The PCF and associated measures and benchmarking surveys are available for download and completion at no charge from the
Open Standards Benchmarking Collaborative Web site at www.apqc.org/OSBCdatabase.