Process Layers – the Unsung Hero of Process Design

Written by Jon Struthers | 11 December 2011

I have seen many a process diagram, one of the things that I have come to realize over the course of the years is just how different people model their processes. One of the things that I have noticed to be common across some of the most unreadable process models is the fact that they are a lot less structured than they should be. Boxes are thrown anywhere, lines overlap each other, there are 800 different elements on the page and the general feel of the diagram is that the process before you is the most complex task anyone could undertake.

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Cloud Security and the Role of Fear, Uncertainty & Doubt

Written by Ryan Johnston | 02 June 2011

Today's companies are understandably concerned about securing their systems and their employees' and customers' data; unfortunately, however, that concern is slowing the adoption of shared computing tools and techniques, which are commonly referred to these days using the "cloud" buzzword. Within this article, I'll illustrate that there is no measurable difference between the level of security that can be afforded within well-configured cloud-based solutions and the level of security that is typically provided for and within most companies' internal networks.

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BPM and SOA Synergy

Written by Vitaly Khusidman | 21 January 2011

This is my first installment into the BPM and SOA Synergy topic. There are many resources discussing this topic and one would expect that most important issues are well understood and described.  However, some key concepts are often presented in a way that leaves a room for interpretation and, therefore, may cause confusion.  This is the case with the role some resources give to processes in the context of SOA Reference Architecture.  For example, the below diagram is used in the Open Group’s draft of the SOA Reference Architecture.

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Social Business Collaboration

Written by Ryan Johnston | 14 January 2011

Your customers are talking about your business every day. Are you listening to what they're saying? They talk about their experiences with your products and services. They give you the blueprint to improve your business, and they are influenced - every day - by their peers and by your competitors. Where is this occurring? It's occurring on social networking sites. Your competitors may already have a presence on Facebook or Twitter, and they may be gathering information from those sites to gain competitive advantage or even interacting with your customers. If your business isn't, it's likely missing out on an opportunity and failing to establish a foundation based on the most disruptive market shift of the 21st century.

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Document Management as Process Attachments

Written by Gary Samuelson | 21 October 2010

The key point in this solution is that documents are managed through procedure. It’s the business process that defines:

Business Context – The business process model defines exactly when, why, and how documents are consumed and processed. This context gives us a vocabulary for describing metadata; so, business terminology then describes business resources (documents). This methodology establishes clarity as we now have business words for what the business has (resources) and does (process).

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