IBM Smarter Business 2012 - Headless BPM
25
Case study: Headless BPM Todor Mollov Senior technical specialist Ascendant Technology (an Avnet Company)
-
Upload
ibm-sverige -
Category
Business
-
view
1.257 -
download
5
description
A major financial institution needed to improve its global pricing calculator. They saw the opportunity to implement a solution that included approval processes. They also wanted to be able to scale the solution up and include their extensive offshore centers across the globe. The project, with consultants from Ascendant Technology and implementing IBM Software, was instructive. During this session we will outline the important opportunities available should you want to scale up Business Process Management projects. Talare: Todor Mollov, Ascendant Technology Besök http://smarterbusiness.se för mer information.
Transcript of IBM Smarter Business 2012 - Headless BPM
Case study: Headless BPMTodor Mollov
Senior technical specialist
Ascendant Technology (an Avnet Company)
Agenda
• Introduction• The Business Problem & Project Background• The BPM approach• Why Headless BPM?• Project and solution details
About Ascendant
• 600 People Worldwide across 4 Continents
o Europe – London, Stockholm, Belgrade
o US – Austin, Denver, and San Francisco
o India – Chennai
o Brazil - Florianopolis
• Expertise in both Business, Creative and Technical Consulting
• Part of the AVNET Group
• 500 IBM Certifications, 21 IBM Redbooks
About myself
• In the software industry for 10 years• Using IBM software for the past 5 years• Live in Worcester, UK• Married with 2 boys• No medals in rowing yet
The Business Problem &
Project Background
Project background
• The client: major international financial institution• Selling financial products to corporate clients• Complex pricing calculator – profit and risk• Delivered by .Net offshore team• Basic UI
Customer’s requirements and constraints
• The requirement : Approval process for the existing pricing calculator – different level of approvals for the deal, based on product types and product parameters
• Two phase process – modelling of pricing and pricing approval
• Keep the offshore delivery capability in .Net – existing platform of choice
ExecutiveManagement
CustomerService
InvoiceReconciliationTeams
Finance and Ops
AccountAdministration
??
Inefficient
Ineffective
Inaccurate
Incomplete
Inconsistent
Inflexible
Invisible
“Business As Usual” Begs for Operational Improvement
The BPM approach
ExecutiveManagement
CustomerService
Risk ManagementTeams
Financeand Ops
Account Administration
10
Proc
ess
Deci
sion
s What to do.
How to do it.
When to do it.
IBM’s Business Process Manager
IBM Business Process Manager
Governance / Visibility
Deploy
Define Improve
Process Designer / Optimizer
IntegrationDesigner
Process Center Console
Process Center
PortalMobile
Process ServerCore BPM Advanced Automation & Integration
BPMN BPEL AdaptorsProcess Rules PerformanceData Warehouse
ESB
Social
CoachesOptional Microsoft Add-ons
Business Space
Measure
Network Multiple Process Centers
Server RegistryShared Assets
Versioned Assets
Agile BPM Approach
• Develop the solution with the Business, not for the business.• Agile development and deployment cycles (12-18 weeks in total duration)
User stories to capture business needs. Time-boxing, 2-4 week iterations.
• Prioritize iterations based on business value and risk mitigation.• Frequent “Playbacks” to capture feedback of the sponsors and validate iteration content.• Monitor execution and incorporate changes quickly.
Process
UI
BPM
Typical BPM solution
• UI and Process in one application
DB
Approve
SOR (System of Record) EIS
Coach screens
Flow logic
Data store/ BI reports
Deliver
Review
Is approved?
no
yesStart End
Screen: Approve
Screen: Review
Screen: Deliver
Why Headless BPM?
What’s headless software?
• No GUI• Provides set of API for controlling the execution• Useful when automating repeatable task with predefined
inputs or integrating with another system• Examples: headless installation, headless server,
headless Linux
Options considered
1) Have BPM implement the whole UI
2) Only buttons for approve/reject
3) No coaches at all – REST API
.Net page
BPM page
.Net page
BPM buttons
Decision points
• Requirements - “Lickable” interface• Consistent UI experience – same web controls, view
details and approve on one page• Technical challenge - event handling – how do we
capture the end of the coach in iFrame• Capability – available team with .Net skills already
developing the presentation layer
.Net page
BPM page
.Net page
BPM buttons
Rest API
Approve
Web pages
Flow logic
Deliver
Review
Is approved?
no
yesStart End
Screen: Approve
Screen: Review
Screen: Deliver
Our solution
Headless BPM – no GUI developed in BPM i.e. no coach services.
BPM
DB
UI
Process
SOR (System of Record) EIS
Data store/ BI reports
.Net
IBM BPM REST API
Solution Details
• External Activities – external systems working with BPM tasks
• REST API – getTaskList, getTaskDetails, claimTask, finishTask.
• Authentication – task list per user - SSO using WebSeal and LDAP
• Rules/triggers, Emails, Timers, escalations• Automated regression testing
Offshore
Project team
Onshore
BPM CoE
.Net developers
Testers
Product owners LDM owner
PM/Managers
BPM designer BPM Tester
.Net developers.Net
developers
TestersTesters
UAT manager
Solution architect
Lessons learnt
• Scrum meetings – 25 people for 15 minutes, too formal and reporting – focus on the problems not on time reporting
• Time zone – gone home by 2PM (6:30 PM). Less time for collaboration. – one tester was working UK hours.
• User story done ? • Away from the source of the requirements – write specs
Summary
• BPM for approval processes• For existing UI platform and skills – consider
headless integration• Be prepared for the challenges of offshore delivery
