The business process dilemma:

There are two sometimes incongruous sides to business processes. On one side are the consultants who use a design tool to optimize business processes and document workflows. On the other side are the engineers who precisely define the IT-supported processes.

But what actually makes the two sides so different? The general principle is quite simple: they use different tools and approach their work from different perspectives.

This is like comparing an architect, who sits in a studio with a 0.5-mm pencil and draws delicate filigree patterns for a new building, to the construction worker who battles the elements outdoors and uses his hands and tools in an attempt to execute the architect’s creative vision.
Two different worlds collide for a common purpose!

Many companies are faced with a similar situation, with two different groups battling to control how business processes are managed. Process analysts are concerned with optimizing how processes are organized. In the simplest form they use a text or tabular editor to describe the processes. This step is important because having an adequate description and understanding of a process is essential for holding a productive discussion and ultimately improving how things are done.
The transfer between the two tools was usually performed manually, but was sometimes automated. When automated, reworking was usually required in the workflow tool. In other words, the process must be quite literally “translated” between the two worlds. If improvement and changes were needed, the changes had to be implemented in both worlds, requiring the action to restart from the beginning.
This often resulted in lengthy discussions and some type of compromise.

The resolution of the business-process dilemma is as simple as it is brilliant: all involved parties work with the same tool!

What makes this so cool?

In one elegant step it eliminates the chasm between the “creative freedom” of process analysis tools (a purely graphical, descriptive approach) and the executing side's process definition tool, which is more constricted by technical limitations. In the case of SAPERION, this is the SAPERION ECM Process Modeler powered by Signavio.
It brings new momentum to the processes and is even fun to use!