BPM is about improving business and effective change management, together with a supporting systems implementation methodology that allows business processes to be updated in line with operational requirements.
So says Andrew Kellett, Butler Group senior research analyst and co-author of the study: "Business Process Management: Building End-to-end Process Solutions for the Agile Business".
The report, published by Butler Group, says BPM is often introduced to solve a specific problem, or to provide cover for a gap in a technology or an integration shortfall. It is technology's ability to allow for the development of operational processes that accurately reflects business requirements that drives the value-to-business model for BPM.
Benefits provided
BPM's standpoint has always been its focus on processes, according to the report. As a result, it has the potential to revolutionise the way business users could interact with manual and technology systems.
It adds that BPM advocates automation where appropriate, but continues to focus on the delivery of services where the most efficient combinations of human and technology-driven interactions are brought together for the benefit of all concerned.
For business professionals, the major benefit of BPM is as a solution that builds links and bridges between various IT application systems. It does this by providing a build methodology that reduces the need for IT involvement when new processes are required or existing processes need to change.
Kellet says: "Furthermore, it helps remove the functional mismatch that occurs with more traditional development methodologies. This, he warns, must be underpinned by a codified structure, which involves bringing together the management of process activities with the rules that underpin their use."
The great divide
Despite the perceived benefits of BPM, there is a need to deal with some of the issues that are part and parcel of today's mainstream BPM products, states Kellet.
The difference between what the vendors see as the most important components of their offerings and the basic function-driven approaches to BPM application development, modelling, and integration services that business users require is an example of this, he says. "Many of the latest features that vendors feel add value to their offerings are seen by the end-users as non-essential.
"Another issue adding to the vendor and user divide is the vendor position of 'automation' versus the business analyst's 'human workflow' point of view. Many vendors, to the detriment of human interaction, still see BPM as a technology sell," he adds.
"The ownership and business knowledge of such processes must remain with the users. Their views of the business world and its operational requirements start out from a very human-centric standpoint. Therefore, in Butler Group's opinion, the way forward for BPM involves getting a better alignment between what the technology vendors think is required, and what the end-users are actually looking to do with their BPM solutions," concludes Kellet.
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