Gartner identifies seven major guidelines to BPM project success

So says Bill Rosser, vice president at analyst Gartner. "Compliance with these guidelines will translate into a very high probability of project success and a major boost for business interest in adopting BPM as a programme," he says. But he adds: "Regardless of initial willingness to pursue BPM and a host of major opportunities for improvement, business leaders could do well to hold back and focus instead on a few projects that will deliver highly visible success." That said, his key guides are: limit scope; go for high value; ensure clear alignment to the business goals; enforce the right metrics; agree the goals (!); get an enthusiastic business sponsor; and engage business users in the process. Motherhood and apple pie, yes, but Rosser makes the very valid point that, given BPM's potential, managers are likely to drive for too much, too soon – and hence problems similar to those of early failed ERP projects. "For the best results, start small," he advises. "This means a limited-scope project, not a major end-to-end process. The time frame should also be relatively near-term – no more than 60 to 90 days. It should not be a complex challenge, but rather one that is relatively straightforward for which organisations have the skills available. "A small number of limited-scope projects is best to provide concentrated focus on achieving results and to spread the word regarding a high-value payoff."