David McCoy

In 2009, BPM refers to “that process excellence, management, execution, etc. thing.”
In 2020, what term will we use to refer to “that process excellence, management, execution, etc. thing?”
Perhaps, it will remain BPM, but I doubt it. Terms grow stale, even if the concept remains fresh.  Our industry cannot stand stasis.
Will we even need a special [...]

[Read more →]

Here is something that Elise Olding asked me to share with you.  I think this is a great gut-check.  If you like, comment here, or email elise at
elise.olding at sign gartner.com
Have We Forgotten Process Analysis Techniques?
In our world of magic bullets and instant results have we short changed the process and value of truly [...]

[Read more →]

I am pleased to offer this free service, answering all your complex BPM questions. To start this series, I will tackle a question that has vexed the ancients: How is BPM Like a Bowl of Custard?  The answers may surprise you…

Some people don’t like custard. Curiously, there are citizens of this world who disdain custard. [...]

[Read more →]

Paraphrasing Darby O’Gill, perhaps we “could do with a bit o’ diversion” in mid-2009. So, I ask you to consider the Haiku.  Five syllables on top, seven in the middle, and five to close. Make it about BPM. Leave it as a comment. I will adjudicate and select the best one for enshrinement in this [...]

[Read more →]

Public service announcement time.

Do not misrepresent your BPM skills in a cheap and tawdry attempt to get a date. “Ohhhh, a black belt?  Really? I find martial arts so interesting and sexy!”
Do not, in the heat of anger, tell your spouse that he or she is “2 sigma at best.”
Do not giggle and repeatedly [...]

[Read more →]

I posted this as a response to a comment from my friend, Richard Veryard.  I attempted to define the “real” process owner, in somewhat of a street definition.  The definition has gotten some positive traction, so it might make an interesting main post:
The definition I use is simple: “The real process owner is he/she who [...]

[Read more →]

This is interesting.
We all know the “process” for opening a banana, yes? Sure. Well, that process is not optimal.  Check out this video and ask, “Who was the original process owner for ‘opening a banana’?”
I’ll give you a hint.  It wasn’t us.
Next time, find the original process owner and see how he or she does [...]

[Read more →]

The folks at ebizQ have picked up my debate introduced in this post.  Here, I repost the message that I left for Dennis Byron.  It’s a nerdy little history of “how Gartner began using the BPM term” from my very personal viewpoint.
Hi Dennis
Great summary and analysis of the debate! Here’s some personal history on this. [...]

[Read more →]

To my beloved Fatima:
Thank you for your most recent, plaintive email.  I am crushed to the soul to learn of your father’s death.  Your country has suffered so much, in such a short time.  By my rough count of the emails I have received, this is your 23rd Minister of the Interior to die in [...]

[Read more →]

You may have noticed some changes on my blog in terms of the retrospective posts, tags, categories, etc..  They were all driven by me.  I decided to shift focus and only blog about stuff I cover or think about in technology land.  All my music, literacy, grammar, tea, etc stuff was a blast, but I’ll [...]

[Read more →]