iServer - A BPA Repository and Modeling environment for Microsoft Office and Visio users

Introduction

iServer is a Repository and modeling tool for Microsoft Office and Visio Documents, where the shapes on each diagram (such as process activities, swimlanes, events and results) become repository objects. iServer provides organizations in the early phases of BPM with a cost-effective, easy to use (familiar) environment whilst leveraging the BPA tool capabilities required to move up the maturity path. A number of additional products for publication / presentation, browser access and data interchange with other tools / data sources can be "bolted on" to iServer as required.

A Central Repository for Business Process Information

A central repository within which Visio diagrams and shapes (such as process activities or swimlanes), Word, Excel and PowerPoint documents and document components (such as work instructions, narratives, or risk profiles) are created, stored, versioned and managed as individual artifacts (objects). Other repository features include a full audit trail (and roll-back), artifact locking, multiple views & folder structures, search capabilities and import/export options.

Support for Process Notations

iServer supports all common business process notations such as BPMN or Dynamics but in addition can support any Visio stencils/notations and document templates.

Support for Common Frameworks

iServer provides pre-packaged support for the ITIL framework and processes, which can be easily customized to an organization's particular requirements and chosen process notations. In addition to this, iServer supports Enterprise Architecture frameworks such as TOGAF or Zachman, and custom frameworks can easily be created.

Many ways to present information to stakeholders

BPA stakeholders need fast access to the information that is relevant to them. Targeted HTML publications, analysis information (matrices, comparisons), documents, spreadsheets and reports can be generated instantly from iServer's repository helping to ensure the dissemination and communication of BPA content to the wider business audience.

Management Functions

Management functions to standardize and govern the creation, re-use and lifecycle (transformation) of processes, models and documentation.

Analytical tools

Analytical tools such as impact analysis, relationship matrices, gap analysis, model comparison and reporting.

Issue Management

Analysts and contributors can log problems, issues and change requests against business process artifacts and documentation. Classifications and filters can be used to sort items into meaningful areas for review and fast resolution. Actions can be assigned to users, who receive email notifications and track and report on resolution progress. Alternatively, issues can be passed to resources not part of the iServer environment via the interface with MS Outlook. Issues raised by the business process "consumers" looking at the online publication(s) can be synchronized back in to the issue management facility for centralized review and action.

Security & Access Permissions

Administrative functions to define profiles for role-based access to repository data and tool functionality.