Aquima: Simplicity in Design.

With so many business process management (BPM) software suites on the market how can you be sure which is right for your organisation? In truth, they're probably all useful, but some do offer certain solutions and key points that others don't.

Brief introductions.
So today we shall be looking at a comparison between Aquima and ARIS.
ARIS (Architecture of Integrated Information Systems) is a complex approach to enterprise modelling. It offers methods to analyse processes and take a holistic view of process design, management and application processing. It is similar in functionality and could be considered complementary to Aquima, each provides you with a similar end result and model/application but the methods to design them are vastly different.

Process development and management.
The major difference between ARIS and Aquima is the simplicity of designing processes.
ARIS uses a coded approach to designing the processes, while Aquima states that "if you can handle Excel, Powerpoint and Visio you can create an application." Both use a visual representation of the process for easy understanding and design, however.
With ARIS this means that you could get even more functionality from the software if you can code to the level required, allowing the highest level applications to be created to specification.
While for Aquima this means that there is an easy to use process design environment available to every level of the organisation, though possibly lacking the power of ARIS.

This in turn also defines how models/applications can be edited and developed.
With ARIS it is possible to develop the model/application and then edit it, however, it requires an incredible amount of foresight and all the initial coding skills.
With Aquima it is possible to prototype a model/application almost immediately. This provides two benefits: one is that you can engage short-term testing straight away and get real feedback immediately, the second is that it provides a more complete and hassle-free design process.

Designing, deriving and everything else.
From there we can also compare how the models/applications are initially derived and designed.
With ARIS you are required to have all of the information (or as much as possible) when starting the design as you need to work on a process-by-process method. This provides some benefits in the consolidation and accuracy of information available and used. However, it will have a longer set-up time and be more complex.
Aquima is almost the opposite in that you create the models/applications more by specification than by processes. Of course, as part of the design, the processes are a part of the development. But initially all you need is a specification- an idea- and you're ready to create. However, it doesn't require the levels of information management you would need with ARIS.

International customer base.
Equally, the customer base of both is important as a comparative note.
ARIS is quite well-known and has both a national and international customer base, while Aquima is still developing a mature international customer base.
This can be important for many reasons. In the case of introducing a new business process management software suite into the organisation, what are the current employees going to expect? Something like ARIS or something new and exciting?
Also, the intergration from organisation to organisation is going to be different with different systems.
Though, this is not to say that you shouldn't use Aquima as it is likely unknown to many- just that it is one of the many points on which they differ. Instead of one of the many more points in which they are similar.

Brief conclusions.
In conclusion, (as mentioned above) Aquima and ARIS are mostly complementary and share many relevant and useful features. While Aquima is a more "hands on", easy to use and easier to design software it could lack the specified functionality of ARIS. However, the same could be said of ARIS in that while it has a lot of power, functionality and high-level possibilites- it can be inherently hard to use for those with no coding experience.

Thank you for your time!

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