Digital Process Automation

Digital Process Automation « the BPM freak !!

Forrester Research has released its first Report on Digital Process Automation [DPA] Software, Q3 2017. This new category, DPA replaces BPM.  Forrester has primarily rebranded the BPM Wave as DPA [Digital Process Automation] Wave, keeping pace with the digital disruption in and around the BPM space. It marks a significant evolution from traditional BPM.

Detailed Report Available at:

My PoV :

• DPA is the terminology coined by Forrester for nextGenBPM Platforms that sets more emphasis on low-code development, consumer-grade user experiences, robotic process automation, future investment, IoT support, and AI-based innovation.
• Over the years, every BPM product vendor has been focussing and harnessing disruptive technologies [by cherry picking features based on customers asks and market trends]
  • on a lighter note making the Product stack Bulkier too [day-by-day the size of the BPM Product Installation kit is getting increased]
  • the following graphic depicts the way BPM Product Vendors are slicing & dicing the digital tech trends for creating a BRUNCH Meal for the Customer/Enterprise than just restricting it to a Healthy Salad of Business Process & Rules as it used to be
• More or less the key features of the BPM that were there a decade earlier [during its inception] are getting shadowed by the competitive chaos and disruptive tech. trends/demand.
• In addition, all the latest version of the BPM products are giving due importance to Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, Chatbots/Virtual Assistants, DevOps, IoT, Open Source collaboration/adoption, Cloud and many more. Every Vendor is packaging it as an “Enterprise-wide Platform” – not just a workflow engine for a LoB/group

In summary, the DPA Forrester Wave is an evolution from traditional BPM Wave, by aligning it with the Digital Trends. As the next Gen BPM Platform sets more focus/emphasis on AI/Robotics/LowCode and many other digital trends – the evaluation criteria for the Product Vendor assessment has also been revamped. The items that were earlier considered Future Investment/Strategy has been explicitly called out in the Evaluation Criteria with a weightage value.

Note: The intent of this article is to just present my point of view on the Digital Process Automation for learning & sharing. The views and thoughts presented in this Report are my OWN and not my Employer’s. Kindly let me know your thoughts /suggestion and any correction required [if any]. Happy to address and incorporate the changes  

Happy Learning!!