Pros and Cons of IBM Blueworks — with an IBM Blueworks Alternative

IBM Blueworks

This is about the strengths and weaknesses of IBM Blueworks BPM along with a viable alternative for Blueworks (Tallyfy). Much of it is borrowed from Gartner, with some portions edited and cleaned up.

IBM is enhancing the intelligence of its Smarter Process products through the use of complementary Watson technologies, resulting in what it calls Cognitive Business Operations. It also improved cloud-based deployments by enhancements in Blueworks Live and a licensing approach that allows customers to apply purchase credits to either on-premises or cloud versions of BPM. This review centers on IBM Business Process Manager v.8.5.6, IBM Business Process Manager on Cloud, Blueworks Live, Operational Decision Manager (ODM) Advanced v.8.7 and Business Monitor v.8.5.6. iBPMS projects also may include IBM Analytical Decision Management, IBM Bluemix, IBM Streams, IBM FileNet Content Manager, IBM Integration Bus, IBM MobileFirst Platform and other products.

Strengths of IBM Blueworks and IBM BPM

Weaknesses of IBM Blueworks and IBM BPM

Alternative to IBM Blueworks BPM — Tallyfy

Problem — BPMN makes modelling far too complicated

A great alternative to IBM Blueworks would be the ability to model processes simply. Just because you have some big BPMN model doesn’t make it clever or useful. In the end, people can/will still have to actually do the process, which comes down to email/spreadsheets (unless you want a 6-month IT project). It’s ridiculous to use BPMN in today’s age — where people collaborate and don’t follow flowcharts anyway.

Problem — only IT and business analysts can map processes

Tallyfy is the only tool that enables anyone to map out a process — since most people understand the simplicity of the tool in 60 seconds. The alternative to Blueworks is not really an alternative at all — it’s an inevitable switch that business users crave.

Problem — nobody looks at process maps while they work

Tallyfy provides self-service simplicity to workflows, along with the power you need.

Consider a beautiful alternative to IBM Blueworks — Tallyfy

It integrates to everything, and it works for everyone. Take a look at Tallyfy – as a viable, user-friendly alternative to Blueworks.

Auto-document and track workflows with other people in real-time

Is legacy BPM actually going to work for business users?

Tallyfy is the only process tool that anyone can understand in 60 seconds. Legacy BPM systems can take 6 months to deploy - if they work at all.

In the last 10 years - amazing changes happened to business software. "Old BPM" software is tired and broken. It never worked for business users. Here's why.

  • Users are now deciding to buy software themselves. Old BPM was bought by your IT department, who didn't generally care about user experience - as long as it was made by a large/boring company.
  • Cloud tools are now free to try by anyone, anytime. With Old BPM you had to call sales and wait for 50 questions just to look at it and finally decide it sucks.
  • People want to share workflows with clients. With Old BPM you were stuck with trying to automate internal processes only. Your clients would be very scared and run a mile from it.
  • People expect to integrate cloud tools without IT. With Old BPM you had get engineers to write code to make a simple integration. That's now become a drag-and-drop service.
  • People expect to work on phones. This means giant, clunky flowcharts in Old BPM are dead - because they don't fit on your phone's screen - and only define "the perfect process".
  • People are tired of flowcharts. Old BPM was all about the high priest telling you how a process can/will be done, and you would obey. Now - modern workers and teams are paid to collaborate.
  • People expect all the benefits of the cloud. Old BPM was never cloud-born and was never designed for the cloud. And that creates a massive bunch of missed opportunities.
  • Companies of all sizes need process management - and never had it. Since Old BPM was so expensive and complicated, only large companies could afford it. The rest of us were left out.
  • People are excited about AI - but confused about where to begin. With Old BPM you have zero chance of using AI without an army of engineers. With cloud-born systems like Tallyfy - it's childs' play to use any AI you like to run amazing automations for photos, voice, video and more.
  • The most important part is this - what does Tallyfy offer that BPMN (used by legacy BPM systems) does not? It's true - Tallyfy actually has things you need - that no BPM can offer. Read more about it here

See how to map BPMN to Tallyfy

Here's the life you don't want if you're an operations or IT leader!
Tallyfy vs. Complex, Legacy Business Process Management Suites

Legacy BPM

1Learn how to use it in 60 seconds.

Legacy BPM

2Integrates natively into existing apps.

Legacy BPM

3Anyone can capture any kind of know-how.

Legacy BPM

4Built cloud-native and mobile-first.

Legacy BPM

5Captures non-process knowledge (snippets).

Legacy BPM

6Share processes with clients.

Legacy BPM


Auto-document and track workflows with other people in real-time


Auto-document and track recurring workflows between people
3 track simplified final

Auto-document and track workflows with other people in real-time