BPM Technology

Some define the BPM System or Suite (BPMS) as "the whole of BPM." Others will relate the important concept of information moving between enterprise software packages and immediately think of Service Oriented Architecture (SOA). Still others limit the definition to "modeling... to create the ‘perfect’ process,"

These are partial answers and the technological offerings continue to evolve. The BPMS term may not survive. Today it encompasses the concept of supporting the managerial approach through enabling technology. The BPMS should enable all stakeholders to have a firm understanding of an organization and its performance. The BPMS should facilitate business process change throughout the life cycle stated above. This will assist in the automation of activities, collaboration, integration with other systems, integrating partners through the value chain, etc. For instance, the size and complexity of daily tasks often requires the use of technology to model efficiently. These models facilitate automation and solutions to business problems. These models can also become executable to assist in monitoring and controlling business processes. As such, some people view BPM as "the bridge between Information Technology (IT) and Business. In fact, an argument can be made that this "holistic approach" bridges organizational and technological silos.

There are four critical components of a BPM Suite:

• Process Engine – a robust platform for modeling and executing process-based applications, including business rules
• Business Analytics — enable managers to identify business issues, trends, and opportunities with reports and dashboards and react accordingly
• Content Management — provides a system for storing and securing electronic documents, images, and other files
• Collaboration Tools — remove intra- and interdepartmental communication barriers through discussion forums, dynamic workspaces, and message boards

BPM also addresses many of the critical IT issues underpinning these business drivers, including:

• Managing end-to-end, customer-facing processes
• Consolidating data and increasing visibility into and access to associated data and information
• Increasing the flexibility and functionality of current infrastructure and data
• Integrating with existing systems and leveraging emerging service oriented architecture (SOAs)
• Establishing a common language for business-IT alignment