Business Process Management (BPM) is a management approach that promotes business effectiveness and efficiency while striving for innovation, flexibility, and integration with technology. Important within BPM is to evaluate and improve the business processes, to keep up with changes on the market and meet customer expectations.

Within BPM processes are illustrated using the Business Process Modeling Notation (BPMN). It is a world standard, with a few very distinct symbols, which makes it easy to understand the different workflows of an organisation. Even IT systems and computers can interpret the symbols, and that way use the process models for more than just illustrations. A good Business Process Management System (BPMS) can turn a process model into a tool, which can be used to automate the process, clarify it and help its participants in their daily work. Such a tool monitors the workflow, presents statistics and points out bottlenecks to allow business developers to continuously improve the processes.

The benefits of a BPMS

Thanks to the process notation BPMN business developers themselves can create a usable IT system without involving the IT department. That way the system is easily implemented, and changes can be made within hours or minutes. Time is saved, and the new, more effective processes contribute to a better division of labour, more satisfied stakeholders and a better financial result.