By Niels Doeleman

bQuind was represented by four specialists at the Software AG International User Group 2024 (IUG 2024) in Dublin from April 9th to 11th, where, for once, the weather was sunny. Could this be a good omen?

Of course we were all focused on the latest developments and client cases in the realms of ARIS and Alfabet.

Overall, it’s safe to say that the innovations did not disappoint. Software AG has diligently worked on making the Business Process Analysis environment even more user-friendly and seamlessly integrating the various modules into a comprehensive BPM suite.

The recent sale of WebMethods to IBM appears to signal Software AG’s increased emphasis on ARIS and Alfabet, now being touted as flagship offerings.

From AI-generated models, the use of model templates for swift and easy starts, process mining integration, effortless model publication to robust iPaaS integration, the spectrum was comprehensive.

New Addition: the ARIS AI Companion

Dr. Stefan Sigg, Chief Product Officer, kicked off the event with a live demo of an AI-based generative modeling feature. This newly launched feature allows for the generation of process models based on either public or private in-company data. Dubbed the ARIS AI Companion, this feature was showcased during the event.

The demo revealed that generating models based on public web data can be time-consuming and may not always yield substantial value. Nonetheless, we have high expectations for this feature. Companion leverages organization-wide information, data, and documentation, which is bound to result in valuable models serving as starting points or references.

When combined with ARIS Process Mining tools, a robust suite emerges, enabling organizations to map out processes, generate various views for different audiences, use real-time data for process performance analysis, and receive AI-based suggestions for process optimization.

Enhanced ERP Integration and Configuration

Software AG has evidently made progress in supporting ERP integration and configuration with ARIS. Notably, the integration with SAP continues to receive dedicated attention from product management. The new SAP ALM environment seamlessly integrates with ARIS, serving as a successor to the trusted Solution Manager. Software AG stands out as one of the first software providers to achieve a robust integration, where ARIS is enriched with content from SAP ALM (such as SAP S/4HANA templates) and can be enhanced with customized process information before being returned to SAP Cloud ALM.

Simplified Satellite Modeling

In addition to these new features, enhancements to the existing environment were announced. Particularly, advancements in Satellite Modeling stood out.

While Satellite Modeling has been around for a while, it’s now easier than ever to update and manage various object and data attributes, as well as related objects and process logic.

These attribute values and objects can then be displayed in the model or as text in the Connect environment. This results in even more enriched models that can be converted into various role- and person-specific views. Put simply, I may see different information than you do because certain information is more relevant to me than to you, and vice versa.

The use of Satellite Modeling reduces the need for the sometimes complex Function Allocation Models, leading to a simpler database and thus easier management. However, there are still some aspects we want to evaluate in practice as we return to our own endeavors in our homeland.

Alfabet

Significant progress have also been made in Alfabet. The suite has been occasionally criticized for being too complex due to its wide range of capabilities: project management, application lifecycle management, asset management, budget management, scheduling, release, and template management, among others.

Software AG product management has clearly chosen not to incorporate more functions but to focus on user-friendliness, even for non-IT users. This significantly enhances the tool’s value in organizations where the value for using organizations, often unseen, was already substantial.

 Strengthening Ties with Customers, Partners, and Software AG

We are particularly eager to see how the new ARIS AI Companion will evolve and how we can leverage that feature effectively for our clients. We will provide an update soon on our initial findings.

It was a successful and once again well-organized event where our colleague, Bernd Wenger, won a prestigious prize for answering questions about the various client presentations. We had the opportunity to strengthen ties with customers, partners, and our prime supplier, Software AG, while also enjoying the beautiful city and a splendid evening at the Guinness Storehouse, and of course, paying a visit to the Temple Bar.