A valid question, and one that is frequently asked as organizations decide on process automation strategy, or try to make the business case for BPM.
We believe there is a fundamental shift upon us, with BPM as a key enabler of that shift. Historically, IT systems have had data as the central organizing model. The data is/was stored in files and databases, and more recently as electronic documents. From there, organizations built systems and workflows to process the data. Usually that processing was about state changes of whatever entity the data represented (an order, a customer record, a service request, etc.). In reality, many legacy systems and screens are nothing more than data lookup mechanisms, with a bit of smart functionality to help the user along in their task of changing data states. Many of the actual processes are manual activities surrounding the data-centric automation.
With true process management capabilities (not just workflow automation), the opportunity is that the process will become the main organizing model of business capabilities, including those that historically have revolved around data centric systems like CRM, ERP, and ECM. The key driver to support this thesis is that an organization’s processes, not the data, have the potential to be a competitive differentiator for the business, It is a process that can be tuned to achieve outcomes like faster throughput of information, improved customer satisfaction, increased efficiency and reduced cost, and better compliance management.
So if an organization’s processes are to be leveraged as competitive assets, it makes sense to commit to an enterprise BPM strategy.
Willow Works for BPM 