Ismael on BPM as SOA's secret sauce...
Ismael knows a thing or two about business process management (BPM), and anyone that regularly reads his blog knows it's not just a core competency but a passion for him. Today he took the time to explain in some detail his views on how BPM and SOA are irrevocably intertwined.
SOA is very much a buzzword these days, and one that elicits passionate views on both sides. Some view SOA as the next major leg in the evolution of enterprise software. Others dismiss it as an expensive, intangible way to re-purpose EAI and reignite the "build versus buy" discussion.
I'm somewhere in the middle. From an investment standpoint, clearly SOA is generating more than buzz among IT decision makers. Just take a look at the recent success of Tibco (TIBX) and BEA (BEAS) to see that IT buyers are speaking with their checkbooks. On the other hand, I find very few people can articulate the real value being created from current SOA initiatives (save for Motorola and a few other exceptions). When the software providers can't articulate what they're selling and how it's different than what they used to sell, it's difficult to buy into the phenomenon lock, stock and barrel. However, having personally spoken to plenty of enterprise buyers; there are clearly more who ARE spending (or planning to) on SOA than dismiss it out of hand.
The software industry needs more people like Ismael who can articulate where the SOA rubber meets the ROI road.
Note: At the time of this writing I, and/or funds I maintain discretionary control over, maintained a long equity position in TIBX but did not maintain a position (long or short) in BEAS. We may also, at
times, carry derivative options on underlying equity positions as a
hedge.
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