I very much respect this view, and am convinced that there is value in modeling business processes without walking down the execution path, but it’s not what I call BPM, and calling this BPM will only lead to confusion in the mind of customers.

Also in the past it was the idea of many BPM guys and vendors to automate what you model. This is nothing new. However, today we are at a point where we can at least partly derive executable models from the business process models.

From my personal experience, I learnt that just sketching your business processes also has a great value, because people start to think how they work. Of course they could achieve more by automation, but often they are already satisfied with just the new insights.

So I do not really feel well if you claim that it is BPM only if execution is part of it. From a more abstract point you are talking about implementing what you have modeled — so acting upon it. Today, this might mean to execute, but it can also mean to change how people work through good change management.

Regards,

-Sebastian

I think you’re right on target. The ‘M’ in BPM does not mean modeling.

We are not listed on the quadrant. More on this here.

I have the impression that many companies just model their processes in order to fulfill the ISO 9001:2000 quality standard, and to fill a QM book (so that they can get a quality certificate). I think they even do not think of process execution, or let their processes even be influenced by the execution part (”SAP rules our processes”).

The real benefits of BPM and IT-supported processes, the process lifecycle Ryan was referring to, are not always known, or well communicated. I think BPM could also help many governmental institutions and former state companies in reducing their costs, and not just the number of employees.

In a nutshell, that’s my idea of the whole thing. I see lots of potential, but also the need for a real process orientation within companies and the will to improve — this should be the first driver.

Best regards,

Valerio Neri

Earlier this year, Gartner unveiled the 2006 Magic Quadrant for BPM Suites. I tried to take a peek, but I could not find a free version, and I was not $495 curious, but I was wondering, do you know which quadrant Intalio is listed in?

-Ryan

I’d be happy for now if I could understand and map the business processes I am responsible for. I think my industry, chemicals, is a little behind in the process approach to the value chain, as well as in the BPM area. But that’s just my read on it and I hope I am wrong.

-Ryan

I think you’re absolutely right.

I am the farthest thing from an expert on the subject, but I am a process owner responsible for its profitability. As such, I want to be able to:

1. Analyze, understand, define, and map the process workflow;
2. Generate a process map with a simple visual tool;
3. Execute the process with an application without having to write any code;
4. Simulate and optimize the process on the fly for continuous improvement.

I have done quite a bit of business process reengineering (BPR) in my career, and I noticed that without the execution part, significant process improvements can be very rapidly lost.

Just my 2 cents.

-Ryan