In the following article a couple of guys discuss their reasons behind their view that Workflow and BPM are different.
http://www.transformmag.com/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=16400140
http://www.transformmag.com/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=16400140
I disagree with many of there arguments.
Nathaniel Palmer writes:
Workflow is concerned with the application-specific sequencing of activities via predefined instruction sets, involving either or both automated procedures (software-based) and manual activities (people work)…BPM is concerned with the definition, execution and management of business processes defined independently of any single application. BPM is a superset of workflow, further differentiated by the ability to coordinate activities across multiple applications with fine grain control.
First off I have not heard of a modern workflow system that did not control the definition, execution and management of business processes defined independently of any single application.
Second workflow systems coordinate activities across multiple applications.
Third the phrase fine grain control does not differential between anything. A bicycle is a bicycle whatever the size.
Palmer then writes: As workflow processes are tied to single applications, process flow is hardwired and does accommodate alternative means for reaching the same task or goal.
Again I have not come across any modern workflow system where this is the case, perhaps he is confusing a system with workflow and a workflow system.
Finally Palmer writes: Distilled into single-word definitions, workflow is about repetition and BPM is about coordination (also automation and orchestration, respectively)
So if workflow is not about coordination, automation and orchestration what is workflow about?
Next in the article Jim Sinur gives his definition:
BPM is supercharged workflow that has sophisticated flow design through process modeling and analysis. BPM supports hyper volumes of work and numbers of users with sophisticated event-state engines for long-running business events and transactions. It is user friendly, “insanely open,” has smart agility features supported by rules engines and utilizes commodity integration technologies.
OK I have highlighted all the rediculous sales adjectives here. What he is saying essentially is BPM is workflow with more adjectives. According to Sinur BPM is more supercharged, sophisticated, hyper, long-running, friendly, open, and smart workflow. So he is either saying BPM is workflow with more adjectives in front of it. A bicycle is a bicycle whatever the hyper-superchargedness it may have.
In summing Sinur declares:
Finally, BPM links to legacy composite components and applications, orchestrates Web services, measures business activity and optimizes processes for better business result and work throughput.
Again workflow systems have done all of the following for a long time now, except for web services which is a relatively new technology. In addition Business Activity Monitoring in someform has always been a part of some workflow systems it just didn’t have such a fancy title.
Now this may be an almost religious belief but to me it seems that workflow + marketing = BPM, and that is the only real difference.
PS let me apologize for the long delay between posts. I have been away alot.
Nathaniel Palmer writes:
Workflow is concerned with the application-specific sequencing of activities via predefined instruction sets, involving either or both automated procedures (software-based) and manual activities (people work)…BPM is concerned with the definition, execution and management of business processes defined independently of any single application. BPM is a superset of workflow, further differentiated by the ability to coordinate activities across multiple applications with fine grain control.
First off I have not heard of a modern workflow system that did not control the definition, execution and management of business processes defined independently of any single application.
Second workflow systems coordinate activities across multiple applications.
Third the phrase fine grain control does not differential between anything. A bicycle is a bicycle whatever the size.
Palmer then writes: As workflow processes are tied to single applications, process flow is hardwired and does accommodate alternative means for reaching the same task or goal.
Again I have not come across any modern workflow system where this is the case, perhaps he is confusing a system with workflow and a workflow system.
Finally Palmer writes: Distilled into single-word definitions, workflow is about repetition and BPM is about coordination (also automation and orchestration, respectively)
So if workflow is not about coordination, automation and orchestration what is workflow about?
Next in the article Jim Sinur gives his definition:
BPM is supercharged workflow that has sophisticated flow design through process modeling and analysis. BPM supports hyper volumes of work and numbers of users with sophisticated event-state engines for long-running business events and transactions. It is user friendly, “insanely open,” has smart agility features supported by rules engines and utilizes commodity integration technologies.
OK I have highlighted all the rediculous sales adjectives here. What he is saying essentially is BPM is workflow with more adjectives. According to Sinur BPM is more supercharged, sophisticated, hyper, long-running, friendly, open, and smart workflow. So he is either saying BPM is workflow with more adjectives in front of it. A bicycle is a bicycle whatever the hyper-superchargedness it may have.
In summing Sinur declares:
Finally, BPM links to legacy composite components and applications, orchestrates Web services, measures business activity and optimizes processes for better business result and work throughput.
Again workflow systems have done all of the following for a long time now, except for web services which is a relatively new technology. In addition Business Activity Monitoring in someform has always been a part of some workflow systems it just didn’t have such a fancy title.
Now this may be an almost religious belief but to me it seems that workflow + marketing = BPM, and that is the only real difference.
PS let me apologize for the long delay between posts. I have been away alot.
Comentarios
Publicar un comentario