BP Logix

CEOs are not always the most touchy-feely beings on the planet, however successful CEOs understand the organizational culture of their companies —and mold the process culture in such a way as to optimize employee contribution. As we look at successful companies, we often have the opportunity to get a  glimpse of both their organizational culture and process culture. We see that when CEOs demonstrate respect for employees and their contributions — and figure out how to map these to business goals—the business prospers and employees feel valued. One feeds the other, and the benefits are far reaching.

There are many aspects to creating the ‘right’ or ‘best’ organizational culture and fit for employees and business operations. That’s what makes business process management (BPM) so interesting: BPM software isn't just a tool, or a piece of technology. Certainly technology is a component of BPM software. At its best, however, technology is adapted to the organization's environment, style and culture. Some might argue that that is turning a solution on its head, but we see that organizational culture and process culture trumps functionality every time.

Individuals collaborate to create an organizational culture. Mission statements and charters may form the external perceptions of the company, however it's the process culture; how the company conducts ‘business’ and what employees focus on that truly create that organizational culture. At BP Logix we are a BPM company that believes that ‘results’ from the desire of that process culture to become more successful . While it is true that executives need to sponsor and encourage BPM initiatives, without the support and interaction of the staff a BPM initiative will likely fail.

When organizations pay attention to the most important aspects of process culture and organizational culture, they are able to see success as an outcome of BPM. We see four key cultural elements that, when adhered to, enable organizations to tie BPM initiatives to their core culture. These include:

1. Skill set: When an organization takes the time to recognize the skills of employees and put them to work on specific business goals, BPM software can adequately be applied in an efficient way. Without first understanding how employees contribute, BPM might appear as a burdensome task that is devoid of employee creativity. Nothing will kill a BPM initiative faster than that.

2. Collective intelligence: this is not group-think. In fact, far from it, this is where the numerous conversations, meetings, coffee corners and the effects of relationships result in an evolving ethos that defines the organization. The value of all that must be allowed to envelope your BPM implementation. KM World Magazine highlighted this when they discussed the BP Logix approach: “BP Logix has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to their customers by helping to harvest an organization’s collective intelligence in order to best serve its entire constituency chain.”

3. Results: humans like to solve problems and get things done right. It is wise to take this into account and allow employees to figure out how to use BPM software to achieve results in the way they want it done. We have seen Leo Burnett figure out how to roll out new processes based on employee input. The result was greater buy-in across the organization and use of effective processes.

4. Purpose: people are accustomed to working according their companies' mandates. They will work with greater purpose and efficiency if they feel that they have a stake in the work they are performing. Unlike ERP systems or other types of behavior-shifting solutions, BPM software can be defined according to the understood purpose of the people responsible for the solution

BPM is done and managed on many levels but it is most efficiently carried out when users have had a part in deciding how it will be defined, implemented and managed. We repeatedly seek out opportunities to engage with IT managers and LOB decision-makers so we can begin the conversation about organizational culture and process culture and examine how we can best provide an entrée for BPM according to how the organization operates. When we can pair business goals with culture and help solve things with BPM software, we know that we can help a company to achieve great things.

In the course of the lifecycle of almost any business, someone invariably gets the idea that some aspect of the organization could be run better — and suggests that ‘change might do everyone some good.’ The idea of making some change (or set of changes) generally comes from a place called ‘good intentions’ or ‘progressive thinking.’ It might be thought of as being along the lines of, "We are doing well, but could be doing better."

It is certainly a good idea to have people in the organization who recognize the value of change and want to instill different ways of conducting the business. Yet it is important to understand the motivation behind the suggested change — to truly determine if ‘change’ is appropriate and should (at that particular point in time) be considered.

We are probably all aware of those denizens of corporate hallways who practically make a career out of making suggestions ("We ought to do it this way.") These same individuals generally don’t have a plan nor the wherewithal to execute on the suggestions. As a result, suggestions from these people generally lead nowhere or can be dangerous.

There are, however, prescient individuals who can identify the need to make something happen either out of a desire to see business conducted more effectively – or out of desperation to see improvement.

These are the people with whom we love to connect! They are the ones who think about how to pair their business challenges with potential solutions. They are usually insightful and  transparent about the issues their organizations face — and what they think could be done to rectify them. We find that while they can speak at length about their business and its requirements, they don’t necessarily have a plan for where they want to ‘arrive’.

We see this as an opportunity to help. We are providers. Many other companies that are providers want to tell you how they can address your problems and, ultimately, sell you a solution. We, however, know that even with a robust, flexible and ‘friendly’ product like Process Director, you need to have a clear idea of what you want to fix before we can help.

If your organization wants to automate processes, provide a better way to interact with documents and assets, process transactions internally and with partners, suppliers or stakeholders, we know we can help. To help you be successful, we need you to be clear about your business, its challenges, and where you want to make improvements.

Sound easy? For some, it certainly is. It is a matter of things like, “We can’t integrate forms into our workflows”, or “Our people in the field need a mobile BPM solution.” These are relatively easy to identify, and we can demonstrate use cases where organizations use Process Director to tackle these issues and realize process improvements. We see and address issues related to workflow, automation, forms and electronic signatures every day. And we love the opportunity to help companies overcome these kind challenges.

Sometimes, however, the path is not always as clear.

Often we hear “Stuff is not getting done”, or , “Our systems just are not working”. There are a number of reasons why that may be the case — and why your current situation may have led you to explore BPM software in the first place.

The discovery stage is an important first step! Understanding whether business process management (BPM) software is the answer is the point where our job becomes really interesting: working with you to understand your organization and challenges — and looking, together, to see if and how BPM software can help you achieve the results you want. This leads to an understanding – you understanding where the gaps in your business and current processes lie, and us understanding if, and how, Process Director can help you to address those gaps and processes.

We have a BPM solution to sell, but will only enter into an arrangement where we know we can help your organization. It is important for both parties to be successful — and we always want to have a clear picture of what that success will look like. From that understanding comes an outline, which leads to real planning, then implementation, then success. It is undoubtedly a journey — and it is one we have built our business on. When we see it work, as it has with so many of our customers, we are reminded why we love what we do.

In today’s competitive market, you, or we,  would be hard pressed to find executives who do not want their companies to be better organized and more efficient. Most C-level leaders pepper their speeches and memos with messages that implore employees to find smarter ways of working, techniques that will maximize their business process improvement efforts and reduce or even eliminate repetitive tasks. The hope is that somewhere between "working smarter" and “a validated bottom-line improvement” some actions will occur that make that vision a reality. Unfortunately, that middle ground between desires and outcomes is usually where the best laid plans often go astray.

Our corporate leaders  have demanding jobs and, as a result, normally do not get too involved with the many projects required to carry out their vision and strategies. Rather, they hope their ideas and exhortations will drive the actions of their staff — and encourage people to take the appropriate risks to deliver on their vision. The identification and execution of those tasks, however, often gets lost somewhere after being “announced” in a PowerPoint presentation. The reason the delivery of a mission fails to happen has a lot to do with execution — or lack of it.

There is nothing wrong with a CEO who demands a better way of working. His or her credibility is often based on the ability to set a course of action based on articulating the vision. One of the keys to achieving goals lies in creating a foundation that is process-driven. Given the right preparation, employees can take management concepts and devise a plan that will  deliver results. The link between strategy and delivery is execution — one that is based on a repeatable, understandable set of systems and workflow processes.

To implement a vision for the business (irrespective of who is demanding the change), organizations must have a core belief in the value of “process.”  And it is forward-looking companies that recognize and lend their support to the impact of process within their organizations.

Even for those that already do recognize the value of change, it is still worth the time to look more closely at how the company views its business processes. Are employees operating according to uniform, yet flexible, processes — or do they forsake logic and hope that a tool (even a great BPM software) will do the work for them?

The good news is that even companies that fail to follow a rigorous business process can, with some discipline, operate more efficiently. The principles that establish a successful process mindset include:

1. Operating according to established rules: Without a framework for action, a lot of time can be spent creating a new process each time a task needs to be accomplished. Process-based organizations have defined rules for how activities are handled, who is responsible for what, and how approvals are handled. Relying on these rules means that employees can focus on outcomes, rather than on process itself.
2. Change is valued: Many executives are good at identifying activities that provide quantifiable benefits, especially where incremental business process improvement (BPI) is not a huge challenge. Executives choose where to focus, putting energy into tasks where there's a reasonable expectation of success. Some, however, recognize that victories of the repeatable type are important but do not necessarily drive business forward. Implementing the types of activities that both initiate and drive “process” will help the organization to be more successful. Change can be embraced because there is confidence that established processes will prevent operations from being derailed.
3. Execution is decentralized: Organizations that operate with a top-down approach may stall when trying to implement a process. When Lines of Business managers and directors are given the authority to decide and implement business processes (done so, of course, in accordance with accepted organizational rules and best practices), the results increase dramatically. When the “process mindset” is embedded into the thinking of managers and employees, execution  improves significantly.
4. Risk is inherent in doing business: Certainly there is some risk involved with implementing new ways of doing business. New ways of thinking run the risk of causing dissension, distractions, and sometimes simply fail. Some organizations are also risk averse.  Those that are not, however, embrace the changes that result from implementing better business processes. They recognize that risk is inherent in doing and growing the business — and they believe that improving their processes will provide a competitive advantage.

When you begin thinking about “process” and how to drive your business to the next level, self-evaluation is crucial. Does your company value and understand the benefits of process? (Automating, streamlining and becoming more efficient are the most frequently cited benefits.) Do you have a process mindset? If you can answer affirmatively you are on your way to process nirvana (well, maybe not quite). Those who are not yet “there” need not fear. We will look more closely at what that mindset looks like in part four of our series.

Learn more:

• Organizational Change and BPM, Part 1: Know Thyself (and Thy Process)
• Organizational Change and BPM, Part 2: Do You Have a Process-Focused Organization?
• Organizational Change and BPM, Part 3: We Sell BPM, But Should We Sell It To You?
• BP Logix: A KMWorld Magazine 100 Companies That Matter
• Request a Free BPM Software Demo of Process Director
• BPM Value Estimator: Just where do you find value with BPM?

Smart businesspeople are always looking for ways to improve operations. "Faster is better" is often the mantra, as we humans are somewhat predisposed to looking for ways to arrive ‘there’ (wherever that may be) more quickly. In today’s technology-driven world, that means we usually default to looking at devices and software to help us get where we need to go faster than anyone else.

While technology can often deliver noticeable value when an organization needs things to change, the people choosing the BPM solution don’t always account for the fact that humans need to guide the actions coming from the technology. BPM software and workflow software itself is basically worthless without engaged and motivated people trying to mold it to fit an organization or solve a problem. All too frequently we rely on a solution to take care of itself, forgetting that it is the job of business stakeholders to act as caretakers of the business – not only the software that runs it but also the covenants and guidelines by which that software performs its job.

The adage "garbage in, garbage out" is too often ignored. A tool (software, process, hardware) is only as good as the data that goes into it. For a technology solution to work, it needs to have been well thought out — and directed at a specific solution. The tool you choose to solve a problem might be fundamentally sound, but the way it is implemented might be flawed. When this happens, the results of your efforts cannot be as profound as they could be.

The cultural changes that need to happen before you implement BPM have to do with this mindset. Undoubtedly you will encounter people within your organization who want to open a metaphorical box labeled "BPM", plug it in and start using it. They believe that THAT is what process change is all about. You certainly do not want to disabuse them of the notion that business process management (BPM) can bring about massive change — but it behooves you to get them to recognize that the way they work may need to change (at least somewhat) before any tool can bring about improvements.

The BP Logix approach begins with first understanding your business and your needs. That may sound simple enough, but businesses are complex, and it is not just a matter of us reviewing a checklist of issues. The first step involves you communicating your vision and needs. How we address those needs to provide a solution that brings value to the organization is the next part of the dialogue. Just doing things faster, or even just doing them differently, is not necessarily going to give you better results. The opportunity to learn about your business, opportunities, gaps, and how a solution might help you achieve specific business goals is the next step in our conversation.

This is where the culture of change begins to take shape, and where an organization can gain a better understanding of how it can automate processes as a way of doing business (not just as a tool). Decision-makers will be best served if they think of change as an evolutionary part of their business, not a goal unto itself. As they consider BPM solutions that will help them automate tasks and implement workflows, they should also think about how ‘process change’ can be manifested throughout the organization. Change can be good— but if there is no fit culturally or environmentally, or if attitudes impede innovation, it is likely that no solution will work.

Thinking through the issues regarding what is important to your business will help you get a better understanding of the type of solution that can help run your business — and result in a greater impact on your goals. When considering your current state and its  challenges, these conversations will hopefully guide your thinking regarding the fundamental aspects of how — and whether — your organization’s culture can capitalize on process change.

Learn more:

• Organizational Change and BPM, Part 2: Do You Have a Process-Focused Organization?
• Organizational Change and BPM, Part 3: We Sell BPM, But Should We Sell It To You?
• Organizational Change and BPM, Part 4: Preparing Your Organization for BPM
• BP Logix: A KMWorld Magazine 100 Companies That Matter
• Request a Free BPM Software Demo of Process Director
• BPM Value Estimator: Just where do you find value with BPM?

Mobile technology can undoubtedly give an enterprise more options as to how the company conducts its business, but does mobile functionality necessarily create greater efficiency? And does it truly create an easier route to optimization?

The promise of mobile is that things can be done faster, easier, and better. We hear that ‘almost anything’ can be adapted to a mobile device— and that employees will never be stuck behind desks ever again. Smartphones and tablets give us a great deal of freedom. But are they actually helping to deliver better business results?

We recently announced Process Director, with additional mobile BPM functionality. Like many of us, our customers’ needs have changed over time, so we have developed a way for them to create and manage workflows and processes in a mobile environment. This was not done to just check off “mobile” in the features list. Rather, we determined in conversations with  customers and partners, that companies can achieve a competitive advantage by enabling process participants (both inside and beyond the company firewall) to use mobile devices to interact with forms, view dashboards and reports, as well as attach images and GPS coordinates to forms. These are the things that are indeed useful and help the company run better (not just differently).

Processes and workflows require people to make decisions and add information at different points along the way. A process that is making use of all available data will need the input of people who may not necessarily be on-premise, or operating from the same type of device.

Consider a natural resources company which relies heavily on data from various locations, many of which are not traditional office settings. This organization may have scientists looking at soil samples, or excavation specialists reporting on conditions. It would be a waste of time to wait for them to wait to arrive at an office in order to contribute their findings into a process.

It’s easy to picture a scientist driving to a site to look at potential locations for a specific type of mineral. This is not a guy who wears Brooks Brothers suits or lives and dies by his MacBook. This guy literally wants to get his hands dirty, find the most logical location, then begin testing. The work he and his team do in the field will determine the next steps for major, capital-intensive projects. He’s going to need to initiate and contribute to a variety of processes: finance (approval and procurement for the drilling supplies), HR (there’s going to be a need to hire some very specialized staff), IT (a portal for internal and partner access will have to be developed), ERP (where will this fit into the budget and plans for the upcoming fiscal year), and a host of others. His company needs him in the field where he can contribute while the suits and PowerPoint jockeys back at the office wait to see his findings and act on them.

One can imagine how much easier this guy’s job will be when he can contribute location images into a form directly from his iPhone or Droid. Being able to pinpoint GPS coordinates based on a smartphone app means that all data can be added into the process with accurate geo-location information (which, perhaps, could be pulled from Google Maps). While he’s putting his scientific mind to work to find the best drilling and mining location, the next people in the decision flow of all these processes can keep the process active and help business operations move forward elegantly. What’s more, he can alert others, (and receive alerts himself) regarding workflow decision points; all of this is built into Process Director with SMS notifications.

There is no way this could be done if the collection of that data needed to either reside in this guy’s brain or on printed forms until he was back on-premise.  With Process Director, the intelligence gathered from outside the office activities like meeting clients, visiting remote sites, evaluating patients, or doing any number of things, can be added to normal business processes through mobile devices.

As companies expand into new geographies and adapt to rapidly-changing technology, the very nature of their work has changed. When we consider the intense scrutiny now being placed on their operations as a result of increased regulation that work has becomes even more complicated.

 This is the natural state of today’s financial services industry. Retail banks, investment banks, savings and loans, brokerages, hedge funds etc., all deal in the world of data and transactions. As a result, and to satisfy the best interests of customers and stakeholders, they need to adhere to specific sets of standards. Due to both government and industry regulations, they face legal jeopardy if they cannot demonstrate compliance management solutions with legal mandates. With the proper mindset and tools to address issues of consolidation, compliance, reporting and a host of other activities, financial services firms can operate more effectively and efficiently.

In this highly regulated industry, businesses tend to have fairly complex actions as part of their regular business operations. This magnifies the need to develop and manage activities as actionable and reportable processes. An example of this is Stillwater National Bank and Trust company (SNB), a BP Logix customer. We began working with SNB to automate its loan credit and accounting processes and more than 150,000 forms used by employees across 28 locations. SNB turned to BPM to improve its customer service, address compliance requirements and ensure a more efficient and cost-effective operation overall.

Streamlining the loan credit process, as well as improving Accounts Payable processes, were key requests from Laura Briscoe, SNB's Director of Information Services. Her initial requirements indicated that the solution needed to be:

1) Browser-based

2) Provide rule-based routing

3) Be able to handle complex logic

4) Offer a user-friendly dashboard with search and proxy capabilities

5) Provide integration with SQL, Active Directory and SharePoint

While doing a cost-benefit analysis Briscoe found that she could do everything she needed to with Process Director -- including complex logic for forms, spawning, different rule sets and calculations on loan documents. As a result of streamlining the loan credit process, SNB is reducing  man hours, time and money and  have a well-documented and audited process. According to Briscoe, “With Process Director, we will be doing what we do now – on steroids.”

Process Director enables users to review historical and current data related to business processes, understand the implication of activities in running processes and implement corrective action to overcome a pending problem, if one is present. Process Director fuses traditional business process automation software technology with BPLogix Process Timeline™. The Timeline enables process builders to specify dependencies and conditions, determine the planned duration of a process, and define the order for all activities within the process.

Process Director BPM software provided business process governance and BPM compliance solutions which led to business process improvement that SNB required, that demonstrated compliance with regulatory and industry standards. The result was not just adherence to those standards, but improvements in end user productivity and SNB’s bottom-line.

Learn more:

Liquid Controls, a division of IDEX Corporation, has been a leader in flow measurement and process control instrumentation for over 50 years. The company serves a variety of industries from adhesives and beverages to cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. Its products are used in fields as diverse as agriculture, manufacturing, the military, textiles and printing ink. Liquid Controls relies on in-house  designs and a network of strategically located distributors to ensure that global customers are supported with technology tailored to each industry’s particular requirements.

Problem
Like most successful companies, Liquid Controls (LC) has an intranet that employees access for the forms and information they are seeking – from policies and procedures to expense forms. Employees wanted to make changes to these documents to reflect changing business processes, however the existing system could not accommodate those changes.

In addition, the Intranet provided a sales quoting tool that was used daily. While the form itself was appropriate it did not include a workflow management software solution.  As a result employees would complete the form then submit it for manually processing, resulting in many documents being lost or misplaced.

With so many forms on the intranet being static and manual, Liquid Controls’ intranet appeared to be more of a repository than the dynamic portal it was envisioned to be.

Solution
To address the need for a system that would work the way that employees worked, LC began its search by looking at electronic forms software and enterprise document management solutions. The search was quickly expanded to include workflow solutions, however, as it became apparent that addressing the underlying business processes was very important. Additionally, the IT group wanted a solution that did not require extensive back end development. IT wanted :

• A fast implementation and roll-out.
• A product that would be easy to rewrite or change as business processes changed
• Version control capabilities.
• A tool that would allow IT  to process user requests rapidly.

The two departments supporting the move to a new solution were Accounting and Quality Assurance. After consulting with these business users, that list was amended to include:

• A process for CapEx requests and audit documents (Accounting)
• A process for Quality procedures/secure signatures (QA)

The IT team conducted a needs analysis over a three-month period. The goal was to find one product that would embrace workflow, electronic forms/signatures and document management. IT established five criteria for its product. It needed to:

• Require minimal or no coding
• Enable users to make changes easily
• Be scalable
• Be cost-effective
• Be deployable out of the box

IT reviewed trial versions of Adobe and Microsoft forms builder. While solid products, they did not address Liquid Controls’ workflow needs to its satisfaction. The product they selected was BP Logix Process Director.

Implementation
Liquid Controls is using Process Director for workflow applications ranging from attendance and engineering change control to shop floor work constructions. One challenge was to provide the appropriate workflows to ensure that a new hire could be able to build a product to the same tolerance as a more senior employee. Building a flow meter , for example, requires 600 work constructions. Changes to the process are now done through a workflow. Approved instructions are published in real-time which makes them available to shop floor employees immediately.

The IT department lives in a world of non-stop projects. Liquid Controls is in expansion mode always, with new companies being bought all the time. There are also gaps between the old and new ERP systems. Process Director helps to fill the gaps.

And then there are the business process governance issues. LC is audited at least once a year for its ISO accreditation, as well as undergoing Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) audits. Once an organization is ISO-certified, procedures must be available to anyone who need to see them. Process Director makes the reporting, monitoring and auditing of processes seamless and gives authorized employees and auditors access to the information they need and the approvals that were given.

Perhaps the biggest advantage Liquid Controls has gained from using Process Director is that the IT team does not need to write code due to rapid application development, allowing them to focus on deploying other BPM applications.

LC employees appreciate the user interface and friendliness of Process Director. IT appreciates the business logic that lets them dive as deep as necessary to be consistent with their business process. Process Director enables Liquid Controls to drive from the results side backwards and to better leverage its investments.

Being a buyer of BPM and workflow software can be exciting − and sometimes daunting. Promises of greater efficiency, better margins and increased productivity make the process highly engaging.  Selecting the right tools generally makes your job (and many around you) easier. If, however, you inadvertently select a product that is not the right fit or does not work as ‘advertised’ well that’s a different story.

Finding the right business process management solution is no easy task. You have to understand the needs of your users − and be able to determine how best to address them. You also need to understand the available products, how they work and what differentiates them.

Too often the conversation between vendor and customer gets directed early on to workflow management software features and BPM benefits. Many sales executives are quite deft at explaining what “our” features are, and how much better “our solution” is than competitors’ products. Throw in some demos and case studies, be a little overwhelmed at all the possibilities of a particular solution and voila! you (may) become a customer of that particular vendor (whether or not the solution is the best fit for your organization.)

Although that scenario is fairly common, it is obviously not the best way to find the specific solution you are seeking. The buying question ultimately is not really just about a product; it is more about you, your needs, your budget and how whatever you select can help you achieve your goals. The process of identifying the right solution should be more than mapping a list of requirements to a list of product capabilities. Your business is far more complex than that – and deserves a more in-depth approach and analysis.

While identifying your business needs is the first and somewhat obvious step, it is often a neglected piece of the process. Another neglected piece of the process is the time it takes to implement a solution. Long term projects are not popular at this time. Vendors are seeking to demonstrate results sooner through faster implementations and delivering projects on time and on target.

At this point, prospective implementers of BPM software might look at their organizations from the perspective of how different they could be if there was a more formal structure to initiating and managing business processes. Prospective users generally recognize that there are many parts of the business that could be positively affected by changing processes – and that business process management (BPM) software gives them the flexibility and functionality they need to create and manage new processes. The discussion at this point then is really about the business– and not so much about the product or solution. A good vendor recognizes that you cannot apply BPM solutions and workflow solutions until there is an understanding of the need.

Talking in the language of use cases is helpful. We find that this is where organizations start to consider the value of BPM. In looking closely at how other companies are implementing it, prospective users begin to see that the automation of processes, such as onboarding or purchase order authorization, can significantly improve efficiency. They note that different business groups can share certain processes -- and that geographically distributed teams can participate in the same processes, irrespective of location or time.

These prospective new users may also start to consider that implementing a new paradigm may be disruptive. (For some organizations it is far easier to continue to do a process the same way it has ‘always been done’ even if the original purpose for doing so has been long forgotten – or the person who created that process left the company long ago.)  Some organizations are basically pain-averse. With an understanding of what BPM can do to help them, however,  these organizations often come to realize that some short term disruption can lead to long-term benefits (and, ultimately, greater profitability). At that point they are willing to consider alternatives.

It is at this point that a truly substantive conversation can begin. That conversation will be about what product(s) address the company’s process challenges. Objectives for business process improvement (BPI) can be detailed and reviewed against potential solutions. A good vendor helps the customer through this process with the understanding that pairing their solution with the customer’s scenario will only work if the vendor’s solution is of value to the company. The goal is to help the business to be more efficient and effective with its business processes -- and only the right BPM application with help to make that a reality.

One of the most enjoyable aspects of what we do is talk with customers and prospects about their business vision and implementation. That helps us to not only become smarter about how Process Director is used but also enables us to bring value to our customers. We have never held the belief that a single piece of software can fit everyone’s needs. Rather, by understanding customers’ and prospects’ business vision, and learning what they truly want to achieve,  our conversations become more meaningful.

Having that kind of discussion enables us to get a better sense of what is required to address your business process requirements – and achieve your objectives. From those discussions comes clarity which, in turn, sparks a conversation about facilitating change. For us, change is the result of a more thorough understanding of ‘process.’

--Marti Colwell, VP Marketing and Business Development

We are honored to have been recognized recently by Info-Tech Research Group as a "trend setter" among companies that develop BPM software, workflow software and case management software solutions. In the Info-Tech Research Group report, Vendor Landscape: Business Process Management (BPM) Suites, the analyst firm reviewed a variety of attributes from ten vendors, including functionality, usability, affordability, architecture,  strategic importance, reach and company health. Info-Tech  determined that, among the  companies the firm interviewed, BP Logix was worthy of  placement in the "Innovator" quadrant --  and noted that we are “...pushing to automate business processes further through predictive modeling." The report, which was careful to assess both the strengths and shortcomings of the vendors it evaluated, validated the functionality of Process Director -- functionality that differentiates it from competitive products.

Info-Tech’s research perspective was illuminating -- and invigorating.  We have identified areas that we will improve on and also appreciate ‘the nod’ from some very  insightful people on Process Director's workflow management software features which they consdidered innovative and valuable. We hear that from customers - but hearing  it from a third-party gives us an incredible sense of pride and energizes us with purpose.

The Report
Info-Tech identifies the BPMS market as one that has evolved from the needs of “Business” to simplify the many processes organizations face as they grow.  Workflow software systems, document management,  application integration --  all of these are essential to an enterprise's operations. Instead of a planned and structured approach to the operation of the business,  processes had, for the most part, been  allowed to evolve naturally.  Growth was occurring in spite of, but not because of, business processes.

As businesses then tried to leverage technology  to better organize their operations, they often  found  they  lacked a way to easily integrate tasks with processes and applications -- and  were liable to complicate things further.

The Info-Tech view of BPMS is that there are some vendors who do specific things well yet fail to deliver a comprehensive solution. Content management vendors think of process as being driven by version control and intellectual property. Workflow companies produce solutions that involve moving processes along.  True BPMS vendors, in their eyes, recognize that customers need solutions that bring all the different process components together to provide a complete process lifecycle. BP Logix was recognized among some heady competition, including IBM and TIBCO, and recognized as an innovator and leader in providing value to customers. We were also acknowledged for pairing methodology with technology to create a comprehensive solution.

The market
In its report, Info-Tech looked to the future of  BPMS and found that only a select few (BP Logix among them) appear capable of  helping customers address changing business requirements. They suggest that the three key elements needed going forward are:

1. Cloud: Vendors must be able to deliver a cloud BPM version that is both cost-effective and can integrate with existing applications. BPM also being offered as a service and platform in the Cloud (BPMSaaS, BPMPaaS).
2. Social: BPMS solutions can be enhanced and optimized by using social collaboration and crowdsourcing.
3. Predictive: Historical data allows for more accurate process development and optimization.

Where does BP Logix fit?
The  Info-Tech analysis illuminated the breadth of options available in the market. While we have faith in what we consider to be the right way to do BPM, customers have very different, and sometimes unique, needs.  There are, therefore, many ‘flavors’ to address these needs.

BP Logix was noted  specifically for:

1. User interface: Well-designed software needs to be developed with users in mind. BPMS users aren't simply inputting data; they are relying on software to help make their businesses more efficient and effective.   Info-Tech  states: “BP Logix is a prime example of a user interface correctly done” and goes on to note our drag-and-drop functionality, event process format and Timeline technology.
2. Web access: Businesses  operate around the clock. Having access to  processes is critical. Info-Tech notes that BP Logix allows access to all of its services through web browsers and also supports mobile browsers on iOS devices. According to Info-Tech, we  stand out among the competition.
3. Timeline: Our patented business process automation software technology, Process Timeline,  was recognized as ”adding a real-time dimension to BPM. Info-Tech notes: “The Timeline demonstrates the interdependence of the events within a workflow… and  offers predictive modeling which analyzes historical data and creates a context-aware environment that optimizes processes and forms.”

We are proud of what the report acknowledges as our strengths and capabilities. There is satisfaction in knowing that the work we are doing is valued and validated by both third party research groups like Info-Tech and by our customers.

--Marti Colwell, VP Marketing and Business Development

In the IT department of probably every growing enterprise, there lives at least one application that receives requests for “more, better, and faster.” Marketing, for example,  wants to pull more data out of the existing customer analytic tools; Finance needs a new application to calculate international tax liabilities; and Sales, as usual, wants leads and pipeline data faster.

Every one of these groups can make a case that its needs directly impact the bottom line and deserve priority one status. (They also generally do not acknowledge that other departments may suffer as a result.) Meanwhile, IT  is putting together sprint schedules, organizing around scrum practices, and generally trying to keep its head above water. At the end of the day, requests for more applications and changes to existing ones never stop. IT starts to tread water --  and hopes it can maintain the proposed delivery schedule. Application backlog is the reality-- but not

This scenario is generally the result of three things: human nature, over-reliance on technology and unrealistic expectations. We all tend to want more, but may fail to recognize that with finite resources like IT, "more" can be elusive. Whether it's more requirements (as a result of scope creep) or more demand (for applications), more time is required to review and prioritize requests. As a result,  less time is available to deliver  the solutions themselves. Add to that the fact that IT may be thinking about having to develop a custom solution when an off-the-shelf solution may easily (and more quickly) address the need.what anyone wants to hear.

Application backlog tends to be driven by importance,  perceived importance, and/or  executive sponsorship. This isn't to say that IT doesn't have filters and requirements -- it does! And (being somewhat parochial as in the case of business processes), assisting both line of business (LOB) and IT can be  more easily accomplished than one might expect.

We've all become enamored with what technology can do for us. And, of course, we have lofty ideas about what we need and deserve. Quite often, however, the solution to what can help an organization improve its business is best done by a team who understand the requirements – in conjunction with the tool that can assist them.

The reality of working in a busy enterprise is that we just don't know what issue will take utmost priority at any given time. Smart organizations are optimized to address ‘change’ when it occurs. Customer demands, market conditions, product issues or any number of things can dramatically alter what the enterprise needs to address. And IT is generally at the mercy of these changes when an internal process or tool is part of the solution. They essentially operate a service business, serving where they are needed most. When a new ‘top priority’ is identified, other issues already in the queue are pushed back. Thereby creating the backlog.

There's really nothing unusual about this type of operational methodology. It's what works and keeps organizations on top of the most important priorities. But there's a cost associated with changing priorities. That cost is felt most deeply by the LOB manager who has a request on hold in the IT queue.
It is a foregone conclusion that a request, irrespective of how big and impactful it is, will be sidelined unless it's directly a part of either revenue generation, bottom line optimization -- or damage control. For the LOB manager, however,  changing, automating and optimizing a process can be a key issue. It affects the way the business unit is able to deliver against its goals. And that certainly has an impact on the overall business.

That leaves us with an IT team scrambling to stay on top of issues -- and departments that are less productive until their backlogged requests are addressed. At BP Logix, we are a BPM company that believes that LOB managers have the context  to understand their departmental needs and are happy to work with IT  to own and implement ( rather than build) a solution. We hear that from customers who find  that Process Director enables them to address their needs for process change without involving a lot of IT resources. Rather, with IT’s blessing, they can be self-sufficient.

Clearly, some projects coming from internal business owners demand custom development . That will always be the case.

When an organization adopts Process Director, the reduction in application backlog and process efficiency is dramatic. You'll see in our customer profiles that we're repeatedly told about how important it was for business groups to be able to own their process and use their expertise to affect changes within their organizations. Sometimes the process changes were  simple. In other cases, an entire process needed to be created, modified and/or automated. Process Director has become  popular because it is easy to use yet also has functionality that enables organizations to deal with both simple and very complex processes.

We all know that it is empowering to solve your own problems. When the business units can work seamlessly with IT to forge a solution that empowers both groups, that is a win-win. And that’s what Process Director is all about.

--Marti Colwell, VP Marketing & Business Development

There are dreams -- and then there's reality. For those of us who have spent time in enterprise software, we've seen ambitious plans and big hopes turn into unusable or "unsavable" projects more often that we may want to admit. With a lot of BPM software and workflow software tools, there are implementation and BPM application and workflow application integration issues that become complicated early on.  These end up taking up a disproportionate amount of time and, as a result, ultimately end up causing many of these projects to be derailed or shelved.

• Function: Where will you use your BPM tool? Product development, marketing, finance? Because BPM is so highly customizable and flexible, you need be specific about what you'll use it for, as well as for which specific aspects of that function. There's a mindset to the people who carry out certain tasks, and they are successful when they can rely on proven ways of meeting their goals. But the way an IT team operates is different from the way a finance group works. All of this thinking will eventually need to be embedded into the BPM, so it's essential that the functions are considered when creating a model.
• Environment: Here's where you'll need to map the tools and technology components you have available to you to the BPM. Maybe you won't rely on much of the technology functionality, but you need to be aware of what you could do so you can adapt your processes to the potential and limitations of the tools. If technology won't provide the backbone of your BPM operations, what will? This is where you need to consider how methodology applies to process.
• Processes:  The result of activities, decisions and a workflow produces a process that enables a result. At this point in your modeling, you should be thinking specifically about processes that will need to be created or modified, and what the impact of these processes will be on the overall landscape of your BPM.
• Workflow: Your workflow will be comprised of a lot of tasks that must be done in an orderly way. But just completion of those tasks is not enough to justify a BPM roll-out. Rather, you should be thinking not just of the linear way of getting things done, but what decisions, roles and activities will be involved that will impact the workflow.
• Roles: If you've scoped this well, then you not only know what each player does, but you know how to optimize their time and resources so they're adding the most value to the process. It's crucial that each person is able to impact the business process by contributing their strengths. This is where BPM is most evidently not just a technology-dependent thing.
• Decisions: If you can, with a fairly high degree of accuracy, determine what decisions will need to be made during the workflow of your BPM, then you'll have a greater likelihood of success when it comes to defining your workflow and assigning roles appropriately. Too often, a decision point is considered to be either a "yes" or a "no" situation. In some cases, there's more nuance to what's required; after all, the decision leads to the next step in the process, or it leads to completion of the process. The key is anticipating what the decisions will entail and what the results of those decisions will likely be.
• Activities: While separate, distinct activities will be what governs how the BPM will function, it's important to note that there are very different types of activities. Keep in mind that activities that are provided and handled by an individual are different (and provide a different impact) to those activities coming as a result of an entire group or business unit. Note not just what the activities are, but who performs them, and to what end they will arrive.

We humans make thousands of decisions every day – decisions about big things and little things, critical and less important. All, however, are decisions of some nature.

In a New York Times article the writer described what he called ‘decision fatigue’, the result of so many decisions needing to be made daily by each of us. As a result of the sheer number of decisions we make,  the line between what’s truly important and not significant is blurred.. This happens to the  extent that  we make many decisions without giving much thought to what we are actually  deciding. Due to our habits and internal ‘wiring’ (formed over many years), most of these decisions are simple and rapidly determined: Will I wear the blue shirt or the red shirt? How much cream will I add to my coffee? What time do I need to leave the house to get to the meeting?  The decisions we make in the vast majority of cases do not have major repercussions. We live, we decide, we move on. If the blue shirt turns out to have been a fashion mistake, we live with it, without significant ramifications.

Companies, however, look at decision-making very differently. Employees make major decisions every day that impact the future of their companies.  And there is a trusted relationship between employer and employee that dictates that the employee make those decisions in the best interest of the company. But there's a huge difference between making decisions and making informed, intelligent, and qualified decisions. If you and your employees are moving the company along based on anything short of informed decisions, you may not achieve the best possible results and, in some cases, may be heading completely in the wrong direction.

The only way to make perfect decisions is to know the future. Would that we could develop a product that did just that! In the absence of a crystal ball, however, the best we can do is to anticipate (or you could say ‘predict’) the future. Here again, though, there are variations to what constitutes a prediction. A guess is a guess. Included in a guess, however, are ideas and biases drawn from someone’s experience.

We don't make Magic 8 Balls -- but our flagship product, Process Director, provides business process automation software technology with Process Timeline. With that comes the ability to identify, analyze, anticipate and, yes, predict the direction in which a process is going. We call that process intelligence. Having that ability means our customers are able to glean more insights into their running processes -- and at earlier points in time.

As processes tend to be iterative, this capability allows our customers to correct and adapt to changing environments in real-time. The feedback, data and historical information they receive from more instances translates into the ability to optimize these processes. It also acculturates a habit of taking raw data and turning it into actionable information.

If your organization can do this, then changes to your business, whether internal or external, will cause far fewer reverberations. Applying process intelligence will give your organization advantages over number crunchers and corporate tarot card readers.

Much of what accounts for process failures (or the inability to deliver according to requirements) is a result of what a process ‘absorbs’ along the way. Scope creep, perhaps, but also the human element. We naturally learn during the course of executing a process -- and are then inclined to want to include that new information. Does that make our result any better we ask? The more prudent question is: Did we avoid possible problems and roadblocks because we now have insights into what could happen -- or what we could do differently?  Adherents to a belief in process intelligence and BPM software will answer that question with a resounding “Yes!”

Traditional BPM solutions provide a discipline and the tools to get from problem to solution. As organizations are becoming increasingly more complex, a tool that helps them derive data and provides intelligence about the processes themselves delivers a major differentiator from other business process tools. Transparency leads to insight which leads to more and better information – and, ultimately, more effective processes.

From initiating business rules to delivering an on-time, as-promised results, BPM software can make a difference. And you will discover that you are not only achieving organizational success, but also that your organization is getting smarter about its processes as well.

-- Marti Colwell, VP of Marketing & Business Development

When you spend so much time focused on solving a certain type of problem, it's easy to get caught up in "circular" thinking. At BP Logix, we appreciate that each situation brings with it a history of issues and pain points, and culturally, that improving a situation requires sensitivity and awareness. While business process management (BPM) thinkers are not known for being shy about their opinions, we also recognize that there's no such thing as one, and only one, way to introduce, implement and manage BPM software.

What we do, however, firmly believe is that a successful BPM software implementation is always flexible and makes allowances for organizational change when needed -- or mandated.
The goal of BPM is to have a system and framework that provide a usable and functional model which, in turn, drives change at both the behavioral and outcome level. We refer to that as "lean BPM." Inherent in lean BPM is the ability to combine the vision and goals of traditional BPM with practical methods for achieving a business process automation software solution with management and oversight.  Lean BPM is also nimble BPM. And implementing it will dramatically change the way you operate your business.

Part of what makes lean BPM nimble is speed. After all, if you know where there are issues with your business processes, there's no reason to spend countless hours immersed in PowerPoint presentations and lengthy debates. The sooner you identify the issues, the sooner you can resolve them -- and the faster you'll impact the bottom line.

Implementing a new methodology means learning new tools which, in turn, requires getting comfortable with them as quickly as possible. The more familiar the tools are (or the more they work like tools you have used previously) the faster you can reach a comfort level and embed them within your daily operations.  Ideally, your new tools should give you deeper insights into how your business runs, helping you become more aware and better informed.

That is one of decisions we made when developing Process Director. We thought it was important to incorporate the look-and-feel of tools users know and have used previously but we didn’t stop there.  While our interface lends itself to developing rules definitions and changing processes easily– it doesn’t stop there. We don’t believe in trading off rich functionality for a friendly interface. Instead we offer both. Simplicity does not mean lack of sophistication. To the contrary……

A lean BPM fully understands the needs of business users and recognizes that these users may not be highly technical. In turn, that means that the tools that facilitate BPM must be fairly easy to use and easy to manipulate -- at the end of the day, they need to impact the business, but without disrupting the processes that make the business what it is. A successfully implemented BPM solution must be flexible enough to adapt with the needs of the business and its users.

Inherent in implementing anything new is the cost factor. Spending a lot of money for only incremental gains is generally not a good business decision. All customers want cost-effective and rapidly deployable BPM solutions. Look, for example, at our profile on NEC Labs. It wasn't just our ability to meet their technical needs, but our interface and pricing that led to their decision -- and the relationship. Many of our customers are able to demonstrate cost (and time!) savings as a result of implementing a lean BPM.

Fast-moving organizations are adaptable and resilient. Their ability to embrace change is embedded within their systems and their process. Ultimately, having a system and framework that helps the business adapt and succeed is one of the most important metrics for BPM. It is also the reason that more and more organizations look at BPM as a way to adapt and evolve. The ones we work with, our customers, are also realizing major bottom-line benefits as well.

--Marti Colwell, VP of Marketing and Business Development

Peter Drucker famously said that the purpose of business is to "create and keep customers." We could not agree more.  We realize that a customer doesn’t become a customer by having a CIO with a budget write a check. While that certainly contributes to the bottom line, what Professor Drucker is talking about, and what we value, is the ability to work with organizations with whom we can form a relationship -- one where both parties learn from and contribute to one another.

Identifying a need is not, however, the most essential aspect of developing a customer. We can certainly make the case that every company would do well with their business process improvement (BPI) -- and that we, of course, have a BPM software and workflow management software solution that will do just that. Providing a working solution then moving on to the next ‘opportunity’ does not a customer make. What we look for is not just the need, but also the willingness to work together to define the viable solution.

The first step in arriving at that solution is readiness. Readiness is more than a desire to improve. Organizations with whom we have worked have shown not just a willingness to implement a solution, but have also prepared themselves to ‘modify’ the way they operate their business processes. That preparation is what we call "readiness" -- and that aspect of the customer life cycle (preparing to be change and doing the necessary things in order to change) is probably the single best indicator of potential success.

The following factors, and the ability to address them, usually help organizations determine how ‘ready’ they are to tackle existing problems and move forward with innovative solutions:

• Redundancy: Is your organization currently using multiple systems to assess and process the same information? Are you prepared to identify and use a single, optimized tool for data collection and processing?
• Identification: Is there a clear understanding in your organization about roles and tasks? If not, can you create a model that aligns tasks, people and expectations?
• Task assignment: In order to keep processes and tasks moving forward, how do you currently address tasks and task review? Can you identify specific responsibility for specific tasks?
• Approval process: Is there clear definition as to who reviews and approves tasks? Are you able to change the nature of your organization so that approvals and decision-making can be handled by identified individuals and/or groups?
• Productivity: Is there a loop in which decisions and actions keep getting routed and delayed? Is it possible to assign specific individuals with authority to make decisions and advance the process?

As someone interested in making your organization more efficient, thinking through these issues will help you understand how ready you truly are – or are not. And it's worth noting that any organization can take concepts, BPM solutions and workflow solutions and apply them -- but without a buy-in and a willingness to change, it will be a far greater challenge.

This is the essence of what a customer really is to BP Logix: not an individual or committee interested in just buying our product, but one who has shown a willingness to work with us to create truly effective solution-- for them. And we know they won't stop there. They will recognize that as their needs change and new challenges arise, they will continue to reach out to us to find new ways to work together to adapt to a changing environment.
And that's what Drucker was talking about: addressing an organization’s ability AND its readiness. That's how we create and retain customers -- and help them to do what they do, better.

--Marti Colwell, VP of Marketing and Business Development

Just about every conversation about business process starts with some promise of "increased productivity" and ends with at least one party frothing at the mouth in anticipation of a demonstrable improvement.  ("Just how much productivity improvement did we see?")

There are all kinds of formulas for deriving a metric for business process improvement (BPI). Just as numbers and percentages can be impressive, so, too, can they be deceiving. Each organization operates with its own set of goals and relies on performance indicators to determine its success. As a result, it is difficult to provide a specific number or percentage that indicates better or more productivity. (Remember the old adage about the shady accountant who, when asked to do the books, said, “Just tell me what you want the numbers to be, and I’ll make sure they add up that.”) We all can identify impressive numbers however they will probably not be defensible, nor appropriate, for making reliable business decisions.

Surprisingly, we find that the same principle applies to many vendors who will show prospects a ‘25% increase in productivity or a 31% decrease in redundant processes.’ Those numbers are likely to be unique to a certain industry or to a specific organization.  Applying the logic, process and BPM software for an auto manufacturer doesn't automatically equate to identical success with a chain of donut franchises. This isn’t news to anyone who has ever scoped out or implemented an automated workflow process, yet it is still how software is often sold!

We, on the other hand, believe that making decisions regarding how you develop your BPM system requires knowing what you ultimately want to achieve -- and the results you will use to determine your success. To start, there has to be agreement within your organization that using BPM software begins with a specific mindset.  We initiate BPM with one fundamental understanding:   when we talk about automating any set of processes the result is, often, changes in the way those processes are performed. The hope (and goal), is that the automation alters things to a point where the organization recognizes and eliminates waste, reduces and eliminates redundancy, and identifies a “better way.” That is not necessarily a Holy Grail, but if anything ‘should’ be derived from a focus on business process management (BPM), it is that a “better way” inherently brings with it an increased sense of how to achieve increased productivity.

With this new mindset you can truly begin to apply business change management to what you are doing. Some organizations leave this aspect of business change to training (and to pleas about “working smarter.”)  That is a tall order for any organization – as businesses do not (and cannot) come to a grinding halt while we figure out how to change the way we work. BPM tools institutionalize this new way of doing business – and automating business processes is probably the simplest yet most impactful aspect of a BPM system.

If your organization’s mindset is geared towards thinking through its processes in a thoughtful, rational way, then in automating these processes you will start to see tangible changes to productivity: fewer people required to perform certain tasks, less time needed at decision points, greater transparency and more flexibility.

Consider implementing a BPM framework at Lucille’s Global Widget Corporation and another at Fred’s Fish Hatchery. The decision points and actions for effective widget production are completely and totally different from what is required to hatch fish (or breed fish… I’m not altogether clear on what hatcheries do.) Lucille sees a 17% increase in productivity that is saving her $5.3M over her closest competitor. Fred, meanwhile, is increasing his company’s productivity by 38% which, as it turns out, is ‘average’ for those in his industry. Both are reaping huge benefits and both require constant attention to the methodologies and management of their BPM tools. Both are feeling positive about the improvements to their businesses -- and both can point to automation of processes as the main reason for these improvements.

There is no doubt that the value in implementing BPM is real.  Ask any of our customers! They are saving real money; money they are re-investing in their businesses and distributing as increased profits.  Part of that “real” value, however, lies in knowing they have a solution that fits their needs and is specific to their businesses.

I hear that unspoken hesitation when potential customers are thinking about implementing new changes. While I’m on technical walk-throughs, showing off our software, I hear a range of responses from silence, to descriptions of jaws dropping to expert IT questions about database connectors.

It’s going to get so much better! Jointly map out your current workflow. Order a pizza for the people who are in the workflow stream – they’ll give you the best feedback. Do this before new technology is implemented. We don’t care if your process is written down on paper stained with greasy pizza sauce!

Recently I talked about BPM's ability to pull together data from a variety of sources, including those big-dollar software suites with the famous acronyms: CRM, ERP, HRIS, and so forth. As exciting as it is that BPM software can tie these systems into everyday business processes, the thought does beg the question: does this mean we have to buy another big-ticket BPM software suite?
No. At least, not usually.

The truth is, it depends on the type of business you're in, and the type of problem you're trying to solve. You can certainly find seven-figure BPM solutions in the marketplace, and a few large enterprises may well need them. High-end BPM suites are often tied to other expensive products by the same vendor, such as complex event processing (CEP) systems. If your enterprise needs those specialized solutions, and requires the high level of workflow application and/or BPM application integration promised by the vendors that package them with equally expensive BPM products, then get ready to sign a big PO.

In virtually all other organizations, though (and even at the departmental or divisional level within those large enterprises), it makes sense to choose a more modest BPM solution. Large BPM products, like those other big software suites, are usually deployed top-down through the organization. Because they are meant to tackle highly visible, strategic processes, it will sometimes be the case that divisional, departmental, or routine processes are starved for attention. Right-sized BPM solutions can be deployed tactically, at little expense, to address those challenges efficiently.

Indeed, I am familiar with more than one customer whose enterprise has designated an "official" strategic BPM solution, but whose department is facing significant challenges that cannot be addressed in a timely fashion by that system. So, the customer selects and deploys a tactical BPM product, one that flies under the budget radar and is configured and deployed using a minimum of corporate resources. As a result, the department is able to meet its goals, efficiently and flexibly, without sparking conflict at the enterprise level. Isn't that what business process management (BPM) is all about?