The excitement surrounding business process re-engineering shows no signs of abating as the publication of two US reports on the subject testifies. IBM Corp and International Data Corp’s reports show enthusiasm for the much-hyped concept growing apace. To cash in on the mood of the moment, ICL Plc has launched its business process re-engineering software, ProcessWise WorkBench, for use on Windows 3.1. The system has been available under Unix for 18 months. The company hopes that by retaining all its facilities but making ProcessWise WorkBench more accessible, companies only flirting with the idea of re-engineering their businesses will take the plunge. In addition to the transfer from Unix to Windows, ICL has launched RoleModel, a software system designed to implement the products of ProcessWise Workbench, ensuring that any re-engineering company can use ICL services from beginning to end. ICL says the advantage of using RoleModel is that it generates the workflow procedure language required to put ProcessWise models into action in a consistent fashion because it eliminates the need to interpret the models. The cost of RoleModel depends on the number of users, but will be between ?1,000 to ?2,000. ProcessWise Workbench’s cost for personal computers will be around ?5,000, half the price of the Unix version. ICL is aiming its products at multi-locational organisations with complex organisational structures. So far ICL has worked with the Bank of England and Northern Telecom Ltd among others. It says there is considerable interest in business process re-engineering in the retail trade and local authorities. Both groups are facing challenges; the retail trade needs radical answers to the continuing slump in business; and local authorities will need to show they are efficient and effective in the face of possible abolition as unitary authorities are introduced.
