ARIS to BPM integration

Back in 2005 ARIS already had an option to export a process model in XPDL format that can be imported in BPM. Technically  possible practically useless. Why?

The way ARIS analyst think and model is not acceptable for BPM. I will try to explain: It sound ironic, but process oriented approach is often used to build a functionally oriented IT system. We often use ARIS to collect a requirements necessary to build a functionally oriented IT. For a functionally oriented system one need to have a tree of functions for each participant. So this approach dictates that analyst concentrate on functions leaving other important process artifacts out of his attention. In opposite BPM analyst should go dipper in process details, make decomposition of functions, operations and actions, take care of business objects etc. I would say that ARIS analyst see a wide picture with small level of itemization while BPM one see a narrow view but with a lot of details.   Another serious problem is in model quality. All analysts know that their models can be verified only after a long IT implementation period. Some of analysts do not really take care of a model quality because they know that they will be not checked soon. In our practical experience many of ARIS diagrams suffer from poor quality.   So when we import ARIS models in BPM via XPDL we soon find that it takes more efforts to rework a process diagram compared to redraw them in BPM using  ARIS as a useful blueprint. In my perception XPDL transfer is more for marketing then for a practical use. But I do not want to say that integration is not necessary at all.   What we really expect from ARIS to BPM integration.   We should not forget, that a process model is not merely a process diagram. To be an executable a model should include definition of resources (manpower and machines), data model, rules etc. We can say that an executable process model consists of several well integrated layers. ARIS is powerful because gives a composite view of an organization, including all well integrated model layers. Contrary BPM needs an integrated model but have poor tools for modeling other layers then a process one. It will be really useful to transfer ARIS hierarchical model to BPM   BPMN notation should be considered as a low level diagram of process execution. Unfortunately there are no tools to make conceptual view of a process in BPM. Contrary ARIS is excellent in conceptual process modeling. I would really appreciate if we can make a conceptual process modeling in ARIS and then itemize it with BPMN diagram. The way BPMN modeling is implemented in ARIS now is not enough. It is not better then in Visio. BPMN model must be integrated with other layers. That will give us another unique opportunity to connect hierarchical reference models with low level workflow models.   A reason of many mistakes in a process models is in absence of a process discovery methodology. Let us be open, what we call an ARIS methodology is process mapping and not a process discovery which is about identifying all process artifacts. Absence of some artifacts is not critical in ARIS. You will not see it until start of IT implementation. Opposite, BPM is very sensitive to model completeness; you can’t run an executable model until gathering all artifacts. So it is my advise to build a discovery methodology to be used both on conceptual and execution model levels.   I am really looking forward to hear about plans of merging ARIS and WebMethods products lines. I do expect that a professional products integration can change the way our industry percepts  process approach and give us a way to build a Process Aware Information Systems.   Mit freundlich gruessen, Igor