A Match To Make End-To-End WorkflowsA Match To Make End-To-End Workflows

Mega International, a developer of business-process-analysis software, has teamed with Ultimus Inc., a developer of business-process-management software, with an eye to meeting customer demand for systems that combine the two functions in a single package.

Ultimus' BPM Suite connects business applications within a company based on workflows mapped out by the user. Mega's software provides business analysts with measurements of departmental performance and other metrics. They plan to connect their applications using an XML interface so that users can analyze business data and design business processes based on that data through a single software environment.

Combining business-metrics tools with business-process-management software makes it easier for users to design more optimal workflows, making business-process management more valuable. "You get an end-to-end workflow that's fully functional," says Andy Kellett, an analyst with market-research firm the Butler Group. Organizations need to create teams consisting of IT and business professionals to get the most out of business-process-management and business-analytics software, Kellett says. "End users need to form a BPM team that includes the business-process owners."