Comments on: BPM and SaaS http://bpmfocus.wordpress.com/2007/12/18/bpm-and-saas/ BPM Comment And Analysis Thu, 15 May 2008 20:35:30 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=MU By: dwillsintegrify http://bpmfocus.wordpress.com/2007/12/18/bpm-and-saas/#comment-264 dwillsintegrify Wed, 23 Jan 2008 16:06:56 +0000 http://bpmfocus.wordpress.com/2007/12/18/bpm-and-saas/#comment-264 As a provider of a hosted process management application (our Integrify OnDemand service) we have seen a tremendous amount of interest and new customers with the SaaS model. While core features/functionality are the same for customers that want (or required) to install the software, the biggest hesitation for companies that consider the SaaS model has been the ability to integrate with existing systems (HR, Finance, AD, etc.). Because of this, many OnDemand customers (Wyndham, BP) have been using the service only at the department level without the ambition to move it enterprise-wide. For us, that changed last year with the introduction of our web services module (http://www.integrify.com/products/integrify/features/plugin_web_services.asp) and our AD Sync Service. By providing the ability to use web services (ours or theirs) to integrate and specifically maintain user management in Active Directory in a SaaS model, existing OnDemand customers are moving into processes in other areas across their organization and even some installed customers are considering a switch to the SaaS model. For us, the SaaS model makes our lives much easier when providing services and support to our customers. Ease of use and activation has OnDemand customers getting to the point of going live much quicker vs. the OnPremise scenario. Couple that with the ability to utilize web services, and I believe we'll see continued adoption of SaaS offerings. As a provider of a hosted process management application (our Integrify OnDemand service) we have seen a tremendous amount of interest and new customers with the SaaS model. While core features/functionality are the same for customers that want (or required) to install the software, the biggest hesitation for companies that consider the SaaS model has been the ability to integrate with existing systems (HR, Finance, AD, etc.). Because of this, many OnDemand customers (Wyndham, BP) have been using the service only at the department level without the ambition to move it enterprise-wide. For us, that changed last year with the introduction of our web services module (http://www.integrify.com/products/integrify/features/plugin_web_services.asp) and our AD Sync Service.

By providing the ability to use web services (ours or theirs) to integrate and specifically maintain user management in Active Directory in a SaaS model, existing OnDemand customers are moving into processes in other areas across their organization and even some installed customers are considering a switch to the SaaS model.

For us, the SaaS model makes our lives much easier when providing services and support to our customers. Ease of use and activation has OnDemand customers getting to the point of going live much quicker vs. the OnPremise scenario. Couple that with the ability to utilize web services, and I believe we’ll see continued adoption of SaaS offerings.

]]> By: mdepi http://bpmfocus.wordpress.com/2007/12/18/bpm-and-saas/#comment-242 mdepi Mon, 07 Jan 2008 23:58:53 +0000 http://bpmfocus.wordpress.com/2007/12/18/bpm-and-saas/#comment-242 Hi Derek, Check my post at http://ondemandbackoffice.blogspot.com/2008/01/solution-approach-in-back-office.html about the new approach to a BPMS solution for back office transaction processing. Milan. Hi Derek,

Check my post at http://ondemandbackoffice.blogspot.com/2008/01/solution-approach-in-back-office.html about the new approach to a BPMS solution for back office transaction processing.

Milan.

]]> By: Derek Miers http://bpmfocus.wordpress.com/2007/12/18/bpm-and-saas/#comment-236 Derek Miers Thu, 03 Jan 2008 21:42:52 +0000 http://bpmfocus.wordpress.com/2007/12/18/bpm-and-saas/#comment-236 Milan - good thought. I also agree that most BPM Suites are still focused on the processes that go on within the firewall - developing support for pan-organizational processes is a different ball game. Indeed, I might expand on that thought a little in the near future. In the meantime, you might be interested to come to the BPM Technology Showcase in Nashville at the end of February where several of the current best-in-class BPM-SaaS plays will be on show. See www.bpmfocus.org/events/Nashville.aspx Milan - good thought. I also agree that most BPM Suites are still focused on the processes that go on within the firewall - developing support for pan-organizational processes is a different ball game. Indeed, I might expand on that thought a little in the near future. In the meantime, you might be interested to come to the BPM Technology Showcase in Nashville at the end of February where several of the current best-in-class BPM-SaaS plays will be on show. See http://www.bpmfocus.org/events/Nashville.aspx

]]> By: mdepi http://bpmfocus.wordpress.com/2007/12/18/bpm-and-saas/#comment-235 mdepi Thu, 03 Jan 2008 21:32:03 +0000 http://bpmfocus.wordpress.com/2007/12/18/bpm-and-saas/#comment-235 Hi Derek, Nice article and it captures the most significant aspect of BPM - definition and design of process. I have two thoughts: Why most of the BPM products focus on form building and process building instead of collaboration and customer support? why there is not a single product which provides a way to augment transaction processing efficiency the way it is carried out by a third party shop which does back office operations in an outsourcing world. I think the BPM products today are more single entity focused and not multi entity models and that is the key difference why BPM with SaaS model have not been successful. We are building something which is simple and intutive to use as you mentioned by the business user without IT or analyst training and yet powerful enough to provide efficiency and BI capabilities in SaaS model. I would write more on this in my blog and post it here. Thanks, Milan. Hi Derek,

Nice article and it captures the most significant aspect of BPM - definition and design of process. I have two thoughts: Why most of the BPM products focus on form building and process building instead of collaboration and customer support? why there is not a single product which provides a way to augment transaction processing efficiency the way it is carried out by a third party shop which does back office operations in an outsourcing world. I think the BPM products today are more single entity focused and not multi entity models and that is the key difference why BPM with SaaS model have not been successful.

We are building something which is simple and intutive to use as you mentioned by the business user without IT or analyst training and yet powerful enough to provide efficiency and BI capabilities in SaaS model. I would write more on this in my blog and post it here.

Thanks,
Milan.

]]> By: links for 2007-12-20 « The BPM Experience http://bpmfocus.wordpress.com/2007/12/18/bpm-and-saas/#comment-221 links for 2007-12-20 « The BPM Experience Thu, 20 Dec 2007 11:20:43 +0000 http://bpmfocus.wordpress.com/2007/12/18/bpm-and-saas/#comment-221 [...] BPM and SaaS Derek Miers, BPM Focus [...] [...] BPM and SaaS Derek Miers, BPM Focus [...]

]]> By: George Barlow http://bpmfocus.wordpress.com/2007/12/18/bpm-and-saas/#comment-220 George Barlow Wed, 19 Dec 2007 23:47:31 +0000 http://bpmfocus.wordpress.com/2007/12/18/bpm-and-saas/#comment-220 I also though your readers might be interested to know that the mix of beta users for A2 today is about 40% enterprise IT, 30% departmental or sub-enterprise groups and 30% A2 partners developing applications for the Marketplace. Our predictions for 2008 based on existing pipeline and feedback from the field suggest a big shift in those statistics by the end of next year. By the end of 2008 we expect the mix to be about 30% enterprise IT, 55% departmental and smaller businesses with little or no IT resource and 15% application providers (includes ISVs creating pre-built applications and partners hosting application sites.) I also though your readers might be interested to know that the mix of beta users for A2 today is about 40% enterprise IT, 30% departmental or sub-enterprise groups and 30% A2 partners developing applications for the Marketplace. Our predictions for 2008 based on existing pipeline and feedback from the field suggest a big shift in those statistics by the end of next year. By the end of 2008 we expect the mix to be about 30% enterprise IT, 55% departmental and smaller businesses with little or no IT resource and 15% application providers (includes ISVs creating pre-built applications and partners hosting application sites.)

]]> By: barlowg http://bpmfocus.wordpress.com/2007/12/18/bpm-and-saas/#comment-219 barlowg Wed, 19 Dec 2007 23:25:11 +0000 http://bpmfocus.wordpress.com/2007/12/18/bpm-and-saas/#comment-219 A nice post, Derek. As we have talked about before, all of the BPM vendors need to work on the trade-off between ease-of-use and power. Appian Anywhere's "Marketplace" model will help with this by providing pre-built processes typically created by trained folks with some IT knowledge. I believe that with those applications as starting points and guidelines, many business users will be able to modify or copy existing processes to tailor applications to their individual needs without nearly as much experience and know how as folks who create complex processes from scratch. A nice post, Derek. As we have talked about before, all of the BPM vendors need to work on the trade-off between ease-of-use and power. Appian Anywhere’s “Marketplace” model will help with this by providing pre-built processes typically created by trained folks with some IT knowledge. I believe that with those applications as starting points and guidelines, many business users will be able to modify or copy existing processes to tailor applications to their individual needs without nearly as much experience and know how as folks who create complex processes from scratch.

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