Ultimus: Me on the Future of BPM

Here’s the presentation that I just delivered at the Ultimus user conference:

First time that I’ve given this in this format, but it’s a combination of so much that I’m already writing or talking about, it flowed pretty well. I’m writing a paper for publication right now on Enterprise 2.0 and BPM, which will expand on some of these ideas.

3 thoughts on “Ultimus: Me on the Future of BPM”

  1. I thought the presentation was informative and in tune with audience’s interests. I am also encouraged that your thoughts on the future of BPM is line with what we here at Ultimus are envisioning (I feel strongly that social technologies and social networking is a key component to driving efficient from the client user).

    Chris Adams
    VP of Product Marketing and Management
    Ultimus

  2. Having closely monitored the BPM space for over 2 years now and been somewhat involved as a consultant, my perspective on the future of BPM has gone from wildly enthusiastic to somewhat skeptical.

    One early realisation was that BPM was trying to ‘eat the elephant’ … ie be everything to everyone. On the technology side, it was trying to pull together a vast array of pre-existing technologies PLUS introduce a new modelling standard. As if that weren’t enough, it was also aspiring to be the next big thing in management philosophy, blending with or replacing a raft of pre-existing process improvement methods.

    It seems to me that BPM technology has now passed through ‘hype cycle’ and has entered the ‘valley of death’. Broad awareness of the technology is being achieved and attempts to use the new technology are becoming widespread. Like many major innovations, BPM may have been ‘hyped’ beyond reality during early commercialisation … the question is ” Has the hype been so far ahead of reality that it fall victim in the ‘valley of death’?”.

    As a ‘management philosophy’, BPM is still not well understood and few organisations have committed to this aspect as far as I can see. Creating a true ‘process managed’ organisation involves a whole lot of challenges that are disruptive and costly … in the end, the pain will be for nought if the technology isn’t available to turn the theory into practice. While the principles of a BPM-oriented organisation are starting to cut through, the reality of planning and managing the transition from silo-based to process-based is proving to be daunting.

    The promise of BPM is still compelling and impressive but it may in the end be a ‘bridge too far’ to achieve in one innovation cycle.

  3. Chris, thanks for your comments — I look forward to seeing where you and the team take the Ultimus product next.

    Warwick, I agree that BPM has been held up as the solution to almost every type of business problem around, and its reputation is suffering accordingly. It’s definitely an uphill battle to get companies thinking across the silos.

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