If you've read almost any of my previous posts here, you probably know how I think BPM works best. I think BPM – and related functions, including business analytics, intelligence, and performance management – all need to be pervasive and invisible to deliver maximum business value. And I also think one way to make BPM and related functions pervasive and invisible is to embed them into the applications users use to do their jobs every day.
As you may have also read here previously, I believe the more business applications that are created by or in concert with business practitioners, the more likely those applications are to reflect and embed good processes and effective workflows. Who would know these things better – experienced practitioners or professional software developers? My vote goes with the experienced practitioners. I think it's easier to put tools in their hands for building and orchestrating applications than it is to teach good business practices to developers.
So I'm a big fan of two emerging trends – development tools and environments that are straightforward enough for the more business-minded than technologically savvy to use effectively, and online application exchanges. The former encourage experienced practitioners to build and influence applications. The latter encourage entrepreneurial developers of specialized applications to build them, because they don't have to find Windows-sized markets to justify the effort (and the marketing and support costs associated with traditional "bits-on-disks" software).
In this regard, I'm optimistic about two recent developments. Sun Microsystems, Inc. has just released JavaFX, development tools intended to ease and speed development of modern, functionally rich Java-based applications. Now, I share some of the concerns about JavaFX vs. Adobe Systems, Inc.'s Flex expressed by Tony Baer's "Report from JavaOne" here at ebizQ. Nonetheless, I can't help but believe that Java's broad and deep ecosystem of supporters will give JavaFX a significant market presence alongside Flex (and to the likely detriment of Microsoft Corp.'s alternative, Silverlight), if JavaFX delivers on its promise.
But that's not the most interesting BPM-related trend on my mind today. That would be the rise of online application exchanges. The latest of these I find interesting is Red Hat, Inc.'s Red Hat Exchange (RHX). This service combines applications developed by others with Red Hat's Enterprise Linux and/or JBoss middleware, into a single subscription agreement that consolidates acquisition, billing, delivery, and support. Red Hat plans to provide single-source support through unspecified cooperation with its application partners, and via select Red Hat resellers as well. Initial partners include providers of business software solutions for business intelligence (BI), collaboration, communications, and management of enterprise content, customer relationships, databases, and IT infrastructures, among other functions.
If you look at RHX in the context of the exchanges and supporting services already up and running from Salesforce.com and being developed by WebEx, discussed here previously, you'll see expanding sources of growing numbers and types of business applications. Some of these are designed for specific businesses, by and/or in concert with experienced practitioners. These are applications very likely to help the businesses that use them to implement and manage effective processes more consistently and easily – and more are coming…
Michael Dortch has been an analyst, 'information entrepreneur,' speaker, and writer about IT and 'the real world" for the past 30 years. After almost 10 years at the Robert Frances Group (RFG), Michael begins a new position with Aberdeen Group in September.
Dennis Byron is an analyst with ebizQ, focusing on Open Source Software as well as Business Process Management technologies.
