<question>
Trying to figure out if there's a BPM software people really like (or not)
Over the years I bumped into quite a few BPM software systems, but from my side they always seemed either too complicated (i.e. the BPM portions of ERP systems), or focused on one specific industry (i.e. software QA systems).
Curious to know if anyone bumped a software they consider the ultimate solution for general BPM, which you'd be able to use for support common business processes, ranging from QA, to service system (ticketing), to customer support, sales cycles, maybe some simple supply chain management and whatever other simple process comes to mind that you can draw on a whiteboard.
</question>
Any BPM system is a socio-technical system, so _how_ you do something is sometimes more important than _what_ you do. This is the key for a BPM implementation which "people really like" -- the software is not the major issue. It is important to be able to explain to anyone with an enterprise how a BPM system with address people's concerns and how it will change people's working habits for the better.
Thanks, AS
2008-10-18
LinkedIn: Discussions: Are citizens the government’s customers?
<question discussion="eGov Community">
Are citizens the government’s customers?
To what extend should a government treat citizens as its customers? What do you think? Are citizens customers? Or is it a bit more complicated than this?
</question>
In a couple of e-gov projects in Switzerland (cantonal and federal levels) we consider customers as partners. They are explicitly presented in governmental business processes.
Thanks,
AS
Are citizens the government’s customers?
To what extend should a government treat citizens as its customers? What do you think? Are citizens customers? Or is it a bit more complicated than this?
</question>
In a couple of e-gov projects in Switzerland (cantonal and federal levels) we consider customers as partners. They are explicitly presented in governmental business processes.
Thanks,
AS
LinkedIn: What is your definition of BPM?
<question discussion="Business Process Management Professionals Group">
What is your definition of BPM? Also, who are some of the major players in the BPM space?
My company is looking to offer a BPM solution as part of our software portfolio and I’m just looking for more general information about BPM.
/question>
From my terminology...
business process management, BPM (as discipline)
a discipline, which allows you to model, automate, execute, control, measure and optimize the business processes that span the enterprise’s systems, people, customers and partners within and beyond the corporate boundaries.
Remark: BPM uses the following types of business artefact: events,
processes, rules, activities, roles, objects (data structures), objects (documents), audit trails, performance indicators, services.
business process management system or BPM system
a set of business process of an enterprise as well as practices and tools for governing design, execution and evolution of this set
Remark: Any process-centric enterprise has its own BPM system. That BPM system may not be perfect (e.g. some processes may be only documented on paper, some details are only “located” only in the minds of certain people, etc.), but it does exist.
business process management suite or BPM suite
a coherent set of software tools for facilitating the implementation of BPM systems
Abbreviation BPMS is very confusing because diiferent people use it with different meaning. So, better to avoid it or use it only for "BPM suite".
Thanks,
AS
What is your definition of BPM? Also, who are some of the major players in the BPM space?
My company is looking to offer a BPM solution as part of our software portfolio and I’m just looking for more general information about BPM.
/question>
From my terminology...
business process management, BPM (as discipline)
a discipline, which allows you to model, automate, execute, control, measure and optimize the business processes that span the enterprise’s systems, people, customers and partners within and beyond the corporate boundaries.
Remark: BPM uses the following types of business artefact: events,
processes, rules, activities, roles, objects (data structures), objects (documents), audit trails, performance indicators, services.
business process management system or BPM system
a set of business process of an enterprise as well as practices and tools for governing design, execution and evolution of this set
Remark: Any process-centric enterprise has its own BPM system. That BPM system may not be perfect (e.g. some processes may be only documented on paper, some details are only “located” only in the minds of certain people, etc.), but it does exist.
business process management suite or BPM suite
a coherent set of software tools for facilitating the implementation of BPM systems
Abbreviation BPMS is very confusing because diiferent people use it with different meaning. So, better to avoid it or use it only for "BPM suite".
Thanks,
AS
LinkedIn: Discussions: What is your definition of BPM?
<question discussion="Business Process Management Professionals Group">
What is your definition of BPM? Also, who are some of the major players in the BPM space?
My company is looking to offer a BPM solution as part of our software portfolio and I’m just looking for more general information about BPM.
</question>
From my terminology...
business process management, BPM (as discipline)
a discipline, which allows you to model, automate, execute, control, measure and optimize the business processes that span the enterprise’s systems, people, customers and partners within and beyond the corporate boundaries.
Remark: BPM uses the following types of business artefact: events,
processes, rules, activities, roles, objects (data structures), objects (documents), audit trails, performance indicators, services.
business process management system or BPM system
a set of business process of an enterprise as well as practices and tools for governing design, execution and evolution of this set
Remark: Any process-centric enterprise has its own BPM system. That BPM system may not be perfect (e.g. some processes may be only documented on paper, some details are only “located” only in the minds of certain people, etc.), but it does exist.
business process management suite or BPM suite
a coherent set of software tools for facilitating the implementation of BPM systems
Abbreviation BPMS is very confusing because diiferent people use it with different meaning. So, better to avoid it or use it only for "BPM suite".
Thanks,
AS
What is your definition of BPM? Also, who are some of the major players in the BPM space?
My company is looking to offer a BPM solution as part of our software portfolio and I’m just looking for more general information about BPM.
</question>
From my terminology...
business process management, BPM (as discipline)
a discipline, which allows you to model, automate, execute, control, measure and optimize the business processes that span the enterprise’s systems, people, customers and partners within and beyond the corporate boundaries.
Remark: BPM uses the following types of business artefact: events,
processes, rules, activities, roles, objects (data structures), objects (documents), audit trails, performance indicators, services.
business process management system or BPM system
a set of business process of an enterprise as well as practices and tools for governing design, execution and evolution of this set
Remark: Any process-centric enterprise has its own BPM system. That BPM system may not be perfect (e.g. some processes may be only documented on paper, some details are only “located” only in the minds of certain people, etc.), but it does exist.
business process management suite or BPM suite
a coherent set of software tools for facilitating the implementation of BPM systems
Abbreviation BPMS is very confusing because diiferent people use it with different meaning. So, better to avoid it or use it only for "BPM suite".
Thanks,
AS
Linkedin: Discussions: Where do I find a comprehensive list of BPM Design Prinicples?
<question discussion="Business Process Development">
Where do I find a comprehensive list of BPM Design Prinicples?
Although BPM's normally evolve as time progresses but a good first time design is very helpful in reducing the time required for the BPM to stabilise. Is there a comprehensive list of such design principles similar to those put forward by the GoF( Gang of Four )?
</question>
From my book...
We strongly recommend that you first establish a set of principles for building your BPM system. This set of principles must be agreed unanimously by all major stakeholders. Take, or make, the time necessary to obtain this agreement – it is a cornerstone for all the work that follows. Remember that ideas agreed by the group are priceless in comparison with those imposed from the outside.
Such a set of principles usually includes a few high-level design heuristics and decisions. (Useful information is found in the book “Toyota Production System” and “Art of System architecting”). But the actual content should depend on the assessment of your needs with respect to the task, and it should also take into consideration the needs of the stakeholders.
1. A few definitions can be useful
2. Endorse the “building block” architectural concept from TOGAF
Building blocks, services and processes can be considered to be intimately related since in real terms
• all our services are building blocks,
• all our processes are services,
• some operation(s) of a service can be implemented as a process, and
• a process may use services for its implementation.
3. Avoid modification of shrink-wrapped commercial or freely available software
4. Danger of premature optimisation
5. Avoid the trap of the selection of “top-down” vs. “bottom-up” – use the “pinball” style
6. Explicit is better than implicit
7. The big picture
8. Horizontal and vertical coordination
9. Long-running processes
10. Avoid dispersion of the business logic
11. The importance of business events
12. BPM stakeholders’ views
13. Digitalisation of artefacts
14. Externalisation of artefacts
15. Virtualisation of artefacts
16. You may break any principle provided that you master it
Sure that any of principle is just an advice. It is quite normal to break any them if you know the reasons which are behind a particular principle and how they do match to a particular situation. For example, in the chess game is it recommended to novices do not exchange the queen vs. a pawn, but such an exchange can be a part of a combination which leads to the checkmate.
Thanks,
AS
Where do I find a comprehensive list of BPM Design Prinicples?
Although BPM's normally evolve as time progresses but a good first time design is very helpful in reducing the time required for the BPM to stabilise. Is there a comprehensive list of such design principles similar to those put forward by the GoF( Gang of Four )?
</question>
From my book...
We strongly recommend that you first establish a set of principles for building your BPM system. This set of principles must be agreed unanimously by all major stakeholders. Take, or make, the time necessary to obtain this agreement – it is a cornerstone for all the work that follows. Remember that ideas agreed by the group are priceless in comparison with those imposed from the outside.
Such a set of principles usually includes a few high-level design heuristics and decisions. (Useful information is found in the book “Toyota Production System” and “Art of System architecting”). But the actual content should depend on the assessment of your needs with respect to the task, and it should also take into consideration the needs of the stakeholders.
1. A few definitions can be useful
2. Endorse the “building block” architectural concept from TOGAF
Building blocks, services and processes can be considered to be intimately related since in real terms
• all our services are building blocks,
• all our processes are services,
• some operation(s) of a service can be implemented as a process, and
• a process may use services for its implementation.
3. Avoid modification of shrink-wrapped commercial or freely available software
4. Danger of premature optimisation
5. Avoid the trap of the selection of “top-down” vs. “bottom-up” – use the “pinball” style
6. Explicit is better than implicit
7. The big picture
8. Horizontal and vertical coordination
9. Long-running processes
10. Avoid dispersion of the business logic
11. The importance of business events
12. BPM stakeholders’ views
13. Digitalisation of artefacts
14. Externalisation of artefacts
15. Virtualisation of artefacts
16. You may break any principle provided that you master it
Sure that any of principle is just an advice. It is quite normal to break any them if you know the reasons which are behind a particular principle and how they do match to a particular situation. For example, in the chess game is it recommended to novices do not exchange the queen vs. a pawn, but such an exchange can be a part of a combination which leads to the checkmate.
Thanks,
AS
2008-04-24
Architecture and Process conference 2008, Bangalore
Small, but very interesting conference with excellent keynotes.
I gave two presentations
Thanks,
AS
I gave two presentations
Thanks,
AS
2008-04-20
Training course "Modelling of business processes with an open source BPM suite" is available
This training is based on a forthcoming book “Improving business process management systems” (see www.improving-BPM-systems.com for details). The aim of this book is to address and eliminate the existing business-IT gap in a very practical way. The book provides an architectural framework which explains how to implement BPM/SOA systems which are easy to evolve thus achieving flexibility of the IT and agility of the business.
This training is an intensive teaching of the third part of the book which addresses business process modelling issues, including a set of guidelines for developing implementable business processes by modelling them as executable processes.
The training course will be customized for the needs of the client by linking the modelling issues with practical cases of business process management in the areas of electronic publishing, quality management, enterprise content management, enterprise application integration and production automation.
Day 1, first half, first quarter – theory of BPM/SOA
0 Introduce myself and planning
1 Concepts BPM & SOA
Exercise: Your company maturity level now and desired
2 Related concepts
Exercise: How the BPM system will change your working habits?
3 Some standards, tools, etc.
Exercise: Do you use other IT abbreviations & buzzwords?
4 Architecting your system
Exercise: A big picture for you company
Day 1, first half, second quarter – Introducing an open source BPM suite
5 Introduce an open source BPM suite
Parts of the open source BPM suite
Manipulations in the BPMN Designer
Full run
6 Typology of artefacts
Exercises: Describe BPM artefacts for your project(s)
Day 1, second half – Initial modeling
7 BPMN constructs
Learn the BPMN symbols and its usage
The core set
The complete set
Exercises: modeling of simple cases
8 BPMN Diagramming style and patterns
A few examples of difficult diagrams
WF patterns
Some practical patterns
Exercises: modeling of some patterns
Discussion of recommendations from other specialists (Dr Bruce Silver)
BPMN review from AU
9 BPMN Advanced features in the open source BPM suite
Human tasks
Sub-processes
External services
Day 2, Practical modeling
10 Modeling procedure
11 Practical modeling (including client's processes)
Days 3 and 4 – Workshops (optional)
Assisted modeling and execution of clients examples by the participants
This training is an intensive teaching of the third part of the book which addresses business process modelling issues, including a set of guidelines for developing implementable business processes by modelling them as executable processes.
The training course will be customized for the needs of the client by linking the modelling issues with practical cases of business process management in the areas of electronic publishing, quality management, enterprise content management, enterprise application integration and production automation.
Day 1, first half, first quarter – theory of BPM/SOA
0 Introduce myself and planning
1 Concepts BPM & SOA
Exercise: Your company maturity level now and desired
2 Related concepts
Exercise: How the BPM system will change your working habits?
3 Some standards, tools, etc.
Exercise: Do you use other IT abbreviations & buzzwords?
4 Architecting your system
Exercise: A big picture for you company
Day 1, first half, second quarter – Introducing an open source BPM suite
5 Introduce an open source BPM suite
Parts of the open source BPM suite
Manipulations in the BPMN Designer
Full run
6 Typology of artefacts
Exercises: Describe BPM artefacts for your project(s)
Day 1, second half – Initial modeling
7 BPMN constructs
Learn the BPMN symbols and its usage
The core set
The complete set
Exercises: modeling of simple cases
8 BPMN Diagramming style and patterns
A few examples of difficult diagrams
WF patterns
Some practical patterns
Exercises: modeling of some patterns
Discussion of recommendations from other specialists (Dr Bruce Silver)
BPMN review from AU
9 BPMN Advanced features in the open source BPM suite
Human tasks
Sub-processes
External services
Day 2, Practical modeling
10 Modeling procedure
11 Practical modeling (including client's processes)
Days 3 and 4 – Workshops (optional)
Assisted modeling and execution of clients examples by the participants
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