APQC's Process Classification Framework - Cross-Industry
Version 7.4 • August 2024
Overview
APQC's Process Classification Framework® (PCF)–Cross-Industry is a taxonomy of cross-functional business processes intended to allow the objective comparison of organizational performance within and among organizations. 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 location. The PCF organizes operating and management processes into 13 enterprise-level categories, including process groups and more than 1,000 processes and associated activities. The PCF, its associated measures, and definitions are available for download at no charge at www.apqc.org/pcf.
Framework Structure
Operating Processes
| # | Category |
|---|---|
| 1.0 | Develop Vision and Strategy |
| 2.0 | Develop and Manage Products and Services |
| 3.0 | Market and Sell Products and Services |
| 4.0 | Manage Supply Chain for Physical Products |
| 5.0 | Deliver Services |
| 6.0 | Manage Customer Service |
Management and Support Services
| # | Category |
|---|---|
| 7.0 | Develop and Manage Human Capital |
| 8.0 | Manage Information Technology (IT) |
| 9.0 | Manage Financial Resources |
| 10.0 | Acquire, Construct, and Manage Assets |
| 11.0 | Manage Enterprise Risk, Compliance, Remediation, and Resiliency |
| 12.0 | Manage External Relationships |
| 13.0 | Develop and Manage Business Capabilities |
The Framework for Process Improvement
Experience shows that the potential of benchmarking to drive dramatic improvement lies squarely in making out-of-the-box comparisons and searching for insights not typically found within intra-industry paradigms. To enable this beneficial benchmarking, the PCF serves as a high-level, industry-neutral enterprise process model that allows organizations to see their business processes from a cross-industry viewpoint. The cross-industry framework has experienced more than 30 years of creative use by thousands of organizations worldwide. The PCF provides the foundation for APQC's Open Standards Benchmarking® (OSB) database and the work of its advisory council of global industry leaders. Each version of the PCF will continue to be enhanced as the OSB database further develops definitions, processes, and measures. The PCF and associated measures and benchmarking surveys are available for download from the Open Standards Benchmarking web site at www.apqc.org/osb.
History
The cross-industry Process Classification Framework was originally envisioned as a taxonomy of business processes and a common language through which APQC member organizations could benchmark their processes. The initial design involved APQC and more than 80 organizations with a strong interest in advancing the use of benchmarking in the United States and worldwide. Since its inception in 1992, the PCF has seen updates to most of its content. These updates keep the framework current with the ways that organizations do business around the world. In 2014, APQC worked to enhance the cross-industry PCF and updated a number of industry-specific process classification frameworks.
The PCF is written in United States English language format.
Page 1 of 35 | © 2024 APQC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.