STAMFORD, CONN, December 15, 2003 � As the pace of change in business increases, business risk is compounded by unaligned and rigid IT infrastructure. However, enterprises that incorporate business process fusion will see increased IT infrastructure flexibility that improves returns and risk, according to GartnerG2, a research service from Gartner, Inc.
Business process fusion is the transformation of business activities achieved by integrating previously autonomous business processes to create a new scope of management capabilities. It will drive stronger alignment of IT with core business processes and provide linkage of operational and management processes with a true end-to-end scope. Business process fusion is not just another IT integration project. The objective is to integrate business processes to create value, regardless of how or even whether, the underlying technology is integrated.
�When looking at business in its entirety, strategy-aligned change links with business process fusion to help overcome the disconnect between top-down policy, strategy, change and bottom-up infrastructure constraints we call the Grand Canyon of Strategy,” said Jorge Lopez, vice president and research director for GartnerG2. “This process coincides with the two things executives say are the most difficult to change: corporate culture and information systems. Using this approach improves business returns, resolves internal conflicts, reduces business risk and defines IT infrastructure.�
GartnerG2 analysts said that the precursors to business results are determining strategy, aligning and prioritizing changes, and developing systems requirements. Building on these changes and system requirements, business process fusion creates systems that enable end-to-end processes in the enterprise.
Process fusion enables accurate measurement and rapid alignment of IT to the process definitions that emerge from strategy-aligned and prioritized change to enhance the ability of the IT infrastructure to change. This approach increases agility by:
- Accurate definition of priority business processes from end to end
- Upstream notification of possible changes and the impact on the infrastructure
- The ability of the combined business and IT team to collaborate to perform complex changes in a timely fashion with quality
- Enhanced competency of IT to make change in its own infrastructure of business applications, software infrastructure, and physical and network infrastructure
By making the creation of process-supporting systems easier, process fusion can expedite the translation of new process requirements into information systems and reduce complexity of the IT infrastructure.
�Once an enterprise is able to reduce the risks of IT dramatically lower than the rest of the industry, even tactical IT that is execution-oriented can become a disruptive factor and a competitive advantage,” said Kraft Bell, vice president and research director for GartnerG2. “The outcome will reduce the risk of many tactical business initiatives, as well as remove internal barriers to integrate and transform IT in change initiatives for entering a new market or creating a new product.�
Additional information is available in the report “Align IT From Policy to Execution Through Business Process Fusion.” This report examines the process of linking strategy-aligned change with business process fusion to improve financial returns, reduce risk and increase infrastructure flexibility. This research is on the GartnerG2 Web site.
More detailed information is available in Gartner’s Special Report on business process fusion. This three-part series looks at the key aspects of business process fusion. Part one examines how fusion will transform applications and application development. Part two explains how fusion will affect software, platforms and other parts of critical IT infrastructure. Part three explains how to manage business process fusion. This Special Report can be found at www.gartner.com/fusion.
About GartnerG2
GartnerG2 is a research service from Gartner that helps business leaders guide and grow their businesses. It offers a steady stream of relevant data and insights related to companies, markets, and the external forces affecting businesses today, and in the future. For more information about GartnerG2 services, please visit www.gartnerG2.com.
About Gartner, Inc.
Gartner, Inc. is a research and advisory firm that helps more than 10,000 clients leverage technology to achieve business success. Gartner’s businesses are Research, Consulting, Measurement, Events and Executive Programs. Founded in 1979, Gartner is headquartered in Stamford, Conn., and has more than 3,800 associates, including approximately 1,000 research analysts and consultants, in more than 75 locations worldwide. Revenue for calendar year 2002 totaled $888 million. For more information, visit www.gartner.com
