"BPM System" (BPMS*) product line is often categorized into 'Human-Centric BPMS' or 'System-Centric BPMS'. However, both of the product group are "tools to help the continuous improvement of business processes".
We would like to look into each product line, their characteristic features.
* BPMS : "Business Process Management System" or "Business Process Management Suite"
When we talk about "vehicle", both station wagon and sedan has its own strong point. Similarly on "BPMS", 'Human-Centric BPMS' and 'System-Centric BPMS' have different strong point on processes that they manage.
'Human-Centric BPMS' is good for "Business process with many Human Tasks".
In many BPM products, 'Human Task' in a business process will be completed with inputting to Web forms※ by employees in charge. In another hand, "System Tasks" will be completed with data transmission from appropriate system.
In order to support the continuous improvement of business processes, many products have a feature called "non-programming".
*For "Web forms", there are not only browser in PC, but also smart-phone browsers, smart-phone apps, gadgets (widgets), etc. in these days.
Business information systems has evolved rapidly since the 1980s with innovations in communications technology and DataBase Management System(DBMS*). Today, it is indispensable for not only large companies, but also for small and medium enterprises. Variety of information systems support the business activities of today, not necessary to talk about Emailing and Web site Informing, also "ERP(ERP*)", "SCM(SCM*)", "Group ware", "CRM(CRM*)", "SFA(SFA*)", "ECM(ECM*)",etc.
It is not a rare case, for example, about "Claims support services", in the 1990s it used to took a week or two to resolve a claim receiving by FAX or postcard, but now they can be solved in average of 10 hours with e-mail communication and Electronic manual.
However, in Business Process Management activities which gathers attention since 2010s, focusing on "the flow" including processes done by "Human" and "Business Information System", and try to improve procedure or resource allocation. That is, to consider positively turn "the Flow" handled by both "Human" and "Business Information System" into it should be, by visualizing its instructions and routes.
In some cases, BPMS must transmit information not only between "Human", but also with "Business Information System". For example of responding to customer complaints, if you need reference automatically to the customer management system or Master Business Partner (without involving the people), it must transmit data to processing "Business information System". A company mainly uses "J2EE*-based business applications", requires BPMS which capable to communicate with it.
Most of "System-Centric BPMS" products now a days, have features of "transmitting SOAP*" against "SOA* based" business applications. In the other hand, "Human-Centric BPMS" have less communication features with Business Information System.
*Questetra BPM Suite provides (RESTful) request receiving feature through HTTP and Data throwing feature by HTTP or Email, but does not support transmitting to application server by SOAP message.
The ultimate purpose of Business Process Management (BPM) is "to make an organization that maintains business processes always in an optimal condition". But it is not easy only to assume the changes of business environment. And "how it should be" cannot deduced in overnight. The only way to make it matured is through activities to improve the issues that could be overcome one by one.
As is true for everything, to set the "goal" is important. To recognize the target is the only way to "achievement". It is true as well in Business Process Management (BPM). "Number" and "Deadline" should be set as far as possible.
For a company which starting BPM activity, as in "Business Process Definition (Process-Aware)" above, it is important to formalize in right granularity primarily on the process that influential on business profitability. And it's also important to measure the series of process as in "Repeated Measurement (Coordinated Process)
At that time, if the process that certified to be measured was mostly by Human Task, then introduction of the "Human-Centric BPMS" is worth considering.
BPMS products have been equipped with many tools, among them, the following three features are indispensable.
If the product is built with concept of making fast and smooth on business process "Modeling", it provides variety of advanced features that extend Modeling, such as sharing the screen of the editing process model with multiple parties, or to survey over computer chat to employee who actually executes Task, or can change even operating process, and so on.
On the other hand, if the product is focused on "Monitoring" detail of business progress, it provides variety of advanced features that extend Monitoring, such as alerting with enclosed advanced error detection (BAM※) when an imbalance of speed of Sales / Production occurred, or to launch confirming process when sequential orders of high-ticket items came from similar email address.
Questetra BPM Suite is a product that provides "Workflow" environment for better smooth processing. And suggests the advanced features to extend Workflow function, such as recording Business data which cannot be formalized, in "Discussion-type data", or handling ad-hoc tasks with "In-house Micro-blogging" such as sudden investigation.
* BAM : "Business Activity Monitoring"
workflow, business process management, saas, bpmn, software
