InfoQ: Why do Java developers hate BPM?

InfoQ: Why do Java developers hate BPM?

I have to admit that I'm indeed a BPM fan. It was 85% of my daily job during my BEA days. While I do acknowledge that no single BPM product in market is perfect, BPM software is the only middleware piece that, in my vision, still has tremendous amount of creativity potential.

Current hate for BPM can be categorized as follows:

1. Unclear positioning of what a BPM really is.
• Integration oriented BPM vendor would position BPM as an integration and "Service Orchestration" engine. Workflow Vendors position BPM as interaction between human, organization and systems, adding focus on BAM (Business Activity Monitoring) capabilities. For example, WebLogic Integration is integration oriented BPM; AquaLogic BPM on the other hand is derived from a workflow product.
2. Software Developers DO NOT think in terms of processes, but in terms of object models, frameworks and cute AJAX tricks.
• Project, instead of process, is the management term for everything software-related.
3. All above applies.

From point of view of any CIO, a software package makes sense when parts of its IT systems need to change constantly so that we do not re-invent the wheel every time. BPM software suites make perfect sense in corporate IT, it just needs to adjust it self to become more developer-friendly and deliver better quality.