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BPM Software Report: Appian Enterprise
By Lou DiToro Gartner has counted 150 products that could be described as belonging to the category of business process management (BPM) software. How do you wade through the myriad offerings to find those companies and tools that are relevant for your organization's work? This column can help. We examine the companies and products that have a strong leadership position in the BPM space to help you understand what sets each apart. This report examines Appian Corp. and its Appian Enterprise 5.1. Appian Enterprise is a platform that supports process-enabled applications focused on people and the systems and data they manage. The suite is well suited for those who want to build self-optimizing processes or need more structure for heavy collaboration and ad hoc workflow activities. According to a Forrester analysis, the software is less well suited for transaction-intensive processes. The suite pulls together process models and business rules through collaborative tools, content and knowledge management capabilities, a variety of integration utilities, and a secure identity framework and organizational model. Its strengths are analytics, document management and collaboration. Appian Enterprise targets knowledge-intensive processes in addition to back office, human-intensive transactional processes, such as claims processing or loan approvals. The suite is ideal for processes such as:
Appian Enterprise's biggest customer is the US Army, with 1.8 million users and 600,000 sessions per day. Pearson, an international media firm and leader in education, business information and consumer publishing, employs the suite to ensure end-to-end compliance for its global operations. Pricing, which starts at $550 per named user, scales down for large engagements. Appian Enterprise has an entry point of approximately $50,000, and the average engagement ranges between $150,000 and $200,000. A one-year maintenance agreement is required at 20% of the product price. Latest Developments with AppianAppian Enterprise 5.1 debuted with no fanfare in the summer of 2006. It features full integration with Microsoft Outlook, an AJAX-based user interface, and fully integrated document management and collaboration capabilities, as well as internationalization (Unicode compliant), Business Process Modeling Notation (BPMN) support, and support for over-loading and failover. Version 5's monitoring capabilities provide important analytical information directly to people as they work, while a Java Messaging System offers improved support for events and Web services. Key BPM Suite ComponentsAppian Enterprise features a Web-based process-enabled workspace, which supports both highly structured processes and evolving collaborative projects, a portal environment designed to help capture and manage change, and a selection of business tools. Appian Enterprise's core components include:
Appian 5.1 supports the creation of Web services-based service nodes, which can be re-used in a process model. Web services also support integration through a library of pre-integrated application adapters. Appian bundles the iWay adapter set from iWay Software to implement access with third-party enterprise applications, including SAP and PeopleSoft. In addition, Appian ships with its own services nodes called smart nodes, which provide direct and easy access to all core components listed above. These smart nodes also allow users to build standard functions -- sub-processes -- that can be used in other processes. Process ManagementThe visual Process Modeler features an AJAX-based drag and drop interface with a secure library of templates, services and rules. The Modeler lets business users create content-rich processes with process activity nodes that draw upon the suite's functionality directly within the design palette. The Modeler also enables users to create ad hoc, HTML-based forms or upload existing Adobe, HTML or JSP forms. Process models follow the BPMN standard.
Appian Simulation provides a visual analysis tool to understand potential bottlenecks, set breakpoints and identify resolutions. The Process Manager lets managers improve processes through roundtrip engineering (creating models from source code and source code from models) and in-flight process adjustments. The Process Engine scales to support high-volume transactional and long-running processes, while the Rules Engine automates, enforces and audits polices and practices with centrally-managed business rules. It also supports process modeling standards (BPMN) and a range of Web Services standards (SOAP, UDDI, WSDL and XML). An Expression Editor provides access to a slew of math, logic and statistical functions and allows users to manage objects, such as variables and roles within processes. Document ManagementDocument management is one of Appian Enterprise's strengths. A Document Manager stores, secures and searches electronic documents, while a Content Manager manages the complete document lifecycle, including text, images, audio, video and portal pages as they are created, updated, published and archived. Collaborative tools, such as discussion forums (an unusual touch in a BPM offering), group directories, dynamic workspaces, and message boards enhance cross-department communication and also mean users don't have to leave the Appian environment to use these functions. A Document Portal provides a workspace for managing tasks, content, forms, documents, notification and reminders. Architecture and IntegrationAppian Enterprise is built on J2EE and is compatible with all major application servers, including BEA Web Logic, IBM WebSphere, Oracle Application Server, Jakarta, Tomcat and JBoss. The suite runs on Windows, Linux and Unix operating systems. It also supports the major database environments, including Oracle, DB2, MySQL and SQL Server. Development tools allow users with unique requirements to optimize and extend the suite within an Eclipse-based environment. Web-based security management capabilities synchronize with LDAP, Active Directory and single-sign on (SSO) systems. Integrated AnalyticsThe Appian Business Activity Monitor (BAM) generates event triggers and alerts that can start, stop or re-adjust a process based on assigned rules. Relevant analytical information is provided directly to people as they work, so analysts can make decisions while a process is running. The suite's Business Analytics module enables process managers to monitor key performance indicators and react to business changes using an extensive set of pre-defined and configurable reports. The Process Analytics module allows managers to measure process execution and gain insight into future workflow design improvements through predefined reports. The Dashboard Reporter offers a secure, personalized dashboard view of analytical information, represented graphically in charts, reports and alerts. Business users can also create self-optimizing business processes that feed real-time business and process metrics back into the process flow and immediately act upon the data with or without human involvement. For instance, a call center may monitor the amount of wait time for a particular class of callers and automatically reroute calls to another center to quicken the pace.
The CompanyHeadquartered in Vienna, VA, Appian was founded in 1999. It has offices in Washington, D.C., Minneapolis, Boston, New York, Dallas, San Francisco and Ottawa. Its key industries include retail, financial services and insurance, government, and energy, as well as telecommunications, healthcare and pharmaceutical and manufacturing. Appian's customers include Fortune 500 companies, government agencies, and non-governmental organizations. Appian Corp. Useful LinksAppian A Forrester report on Appian InfoWorld review of Appian Enterprise v. 5.1 About the Author: Lou DiToro is a freelance writer who specializes in writing about business processes and competitive strategy. He welcomes feedback on his articles for BPMEnterprise.com. Contact Lou DiToro at louditoro (at) hotmail.com.Reproduction Without Permission Is Strictly Prohibited – Request Permission Publish an Article: Do you have a process management tip, learning or case study? Share it with the largest community of Business Process Management professionals, and be recognized by your peers. It's a great way to promote your expertise and/or build your resume. Read more about submitting an article.
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