BPM Chronicles - E1: Insights from the Experts
In this series, we revisit our blogs and have a discussion between Prakhar and senior members of bpExperts explain the context of the blog and it’s relevance from today’s perspective. In this episode we discuss a blog from 2015: ‘ARIS 9 - expectations met?’
Exploring ARIS 9 and Its Journey in Business Process Management
In our recent discussion with Russell and Jochen, we dove deep into the archives to revisit ARIS 9, a pivotal release in the history of business process management (BPM). First launched in 2015, ARIS 9 marked a major shift for Software AG’s BPM tool, introducing significant changes in architecture, usability, and its approach to integration within the enterprise landscape.
ARIS 9 came at a time when BPM tools faced mounting competition from emerging cloud-based solutions and evolving standards like BPMN. As Russell and Jochen recalled, ARIS 9 was more than just a software upgrade—it was a bold move that skipped the traditional “minor release” numbering to signal a transformative shift. The new release enabled powerful querying and self-service reporting features, empowering users with non-technical backgrounds to extract meaningful insights without complex scripting.
However, this innovation also came with challenges. While ARIS remained a robust and feature-rich tool, it faced criticism for its complexity and the limitations of its on-premises publishing capabilities. ARIS Connect, introduced with ARIS 9, was an early step toward cloud integration and a more user-friendly portal, but the adoption journey has taken years to mature. Even now, companies are navigating the balance between leveraging ARIS’s advanced capabilities and adapting to simpler, cloud-native BPM tools.
Looking ahead, Jochen and Russell discuss the impact of emerging technologies like AI, machine learning, and cloud computing on BPM platforms. They highlight how AI could further simplify user experiences, democratize access to process data, and drive broader adoption within organizations. While ARIS has made great strides in integrating features like process mining and governance into a unified platform, the challenge lies in helping organizations keep pace with rapid technological advancements.
As we reflect on ARIS’s journey from RS9 to the current ARIS 10 iterations, it’s clear that innovation in BPM is a marathon, not a sprint. The lessons from ARIS’s evolution underscore the importance of balancing technological capabilities with real-world user needs—a challenge that continues to shape the BPM landscape today.
Stay tuned for our next discussion, where we’ll explore another topic from our archives and uncover new insights into the world of BPM.