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Today Metastorm announced it acquired Proforma Corp.. Metastorm has already updated the website . In fact, when I tried to go to proformacorp.com it was re-directed to the Metastorm site.

Metastorm also announced their new platorm, called Metastorm EnterpriseTM. The platform combines Proforma's enterprise architecture modeling tool and business process analysis tool, with Metastorms BPM tool. Metastorm feels this combination heralds a new category of enterprise platform, that "will address the complete spectrum of activities required to achieve enterprise alignment, optimize execution across the business process value chain and help organizations gain a sustainable strategic advantage through true enterprise visibility and continuous improvement."

The platform includes:

Metastorm ProVisionEA – A complete solution for Enterprise Architecture and organizational context – allowing customers to translate business strategy and operational objectives into effective enterprise change through models that describe enterprise assets, relationships and future state.

Metastorm ProVisionBPA – A robust suite for Business Process Analysis that enables architects and analysts to document, analyze and streamline complex processes using sophisticated modeling, simulation, Six Sigma and other optimization methods.

Metastorm BPM – A complete Business Process Management Suite for roundtrip process life-cycle management – including design, automation, analysis, and monitoring of an organization’s human- and system-centric activities and processes.

Frankly, I just don't get how ProVisionEA translates business strategy into effective enterprise change by modeling IT assets (even if it includes present AND future models). But my lack of understanding might be because I missed that part of the call. After the call started, the operator VERY RUDELY interrupted and required me to provide my name, title and business affiliation. Now, I don't mind providing Metastorm with that information, but get it at the beginning of the call - don't interrupt my listening. I thought the call had stopped and there were technical difficulties. I've never experienced that on a call before. Hope never to again. So if they gave a plausible explanation of how that tie works - I apparently missed it.

The tie between the Provision BPA and Metastorm BPM is a natural fit. Providing BAM and simulation does provide a platform for process analysis, optimization and execution. Most of the BPM vendors are moving in this direction. It's a natural fit to maximize the value to the organization of business process automation and management.

I can also envision that tying the BPM execution model to the EA models could speed deployment. But it sounds like a stretch to me to say that THIS particular set of capabilities is the one to provide THE seamless platform to address the complete spectrum of activities required to achieve enterprise alignment. That sounds like a bit of a stretch. I would not expect other vendors to hurry out to get themselves a EA modeling tool to ensure they remain competitive.

Unfortunately, no one was able to ask any follow-up questions. That function was not enabled. Hopefully next time Metastorm will use a different conference service - or at least a different operator.

Posted by bethgb at 03:42 PM in Industry News | Digg This | Add to del.icio.us

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Posted by: Jerome Pearce at February 11, 2008 06:13 PM