BPM includes a suite of tools necessary to manage, integrate, monitor, and control business processes. Workflow is one of the tools that BPM includes. For example, a company could design a workflow using a BPM, but then that BPM platform may use a decisions engine to manage logic, a message bus to repond to triggers or to monitor changes in external systems, or make use of forms that are built withing the BPM environment. The BPM will have dashboards and reports that make the status and progress of workflows visible to managers and users. And the BPM will provide APIs so that user interfaces – desktop browers, phone applications etc. – can access the business process as needed.   

BPM is not only about interesting process diagrams: BPM is about driving Business Agility! And this is where solutions that are only workflow-focused fail. Workflow tools alone are typically focused solely on business problems from a technical point of view and are often nothing more than code compilers (converting nice graphics into code/assemblies).

These workflow solutions do not allow business users themselves to have more control over their business processes or to dynamically change process execution paths. On the other hand, BPM allows you to create transparent processes, to streamline them, and then to optimize them.

The success of some low-code and no-code platforms are not making it easier for people. These platforms are great for what they are made and are intended to be used for, but on the other hand, it’s dangerous as they can make a wrong impression or understanding to the outside world.

Wrong products don’t exist anymore, as long you use them for what they are made for.

Ever saw a plane sailing or a vessel taking off from the runway?