The success of optimization thru simulation is much more a qualitative MS problem than a quantitative OR or IT issue. For example, unless one knows & compares the different types of contracts possible between vendors and consumers, optimizing the numbers behind an as-is scenario will surely be sub-optimal. Also, I completely agree that measurements of e.g. Standard Times for tasks are not for BPM systems but for e.g. Time and Motion study systems. And then only the mean values are not enough.

This is what I meant by our OR/MS team having an overview on the simulations done by our IT colleagues. We set the objectives, suggested the scenarios to evaluate and helped them interpret the results.

As my team does Optimizations with more standard simulation packages like ARENA and LogicTools, they know the extent to which BPM tools can be stretched.