How does workflow relate to BPM?
Phil: So workflow is a component of BPM and I would say that the biggest difference is that workflow is workflow. It is the automated execution of tasks. BPM includes that, but more to the point, what BPM does is it really strives to give the transparency and the visibility into what’s going on in those workflows. That becomes as much a part of the BPM solution as the workflow itself. We need to shine a flashlight on these, what one of our customer’s calls, the hidden factories in our businesses. You can have a hidden factory that’s fully automated with workflow. What BPM tries to do is say, “Yeah, workflow is a part of it, and you’re going to get a workflow system in your BPMS, but more to the point, you’re going to get the ability to provide visibility into the tasks, and visibility into the process performance that a workflow engine doesn’t give you.” DZone: At the project level, what can software architects do during the design phase to better facilitate effective process managemen
