If you’re thinking about process mapping and Business Process Management, you’ve probably compared IBM Blueworks vs Microsoft Visio software. But which one is best?
Well, ultimately this depends on what you want to achieve. Both tools have their pros and cons and we’ve weighed up the benefits and limitations of each to help you decide which system would be best suited to help you achieve your process improvement goals and objectives.
If you would like to do some more research, you can also take a look at any of our other comparison articles which will give you an excellent insight into the positives and negatives of potential BPM suppliers:
Blueworks Live is IBM’s flagship cloud-based Process Modeller and has been designed to be simple to use with no training required. This all singing, all dancing BPM platform allows you to build your business processes quickly and easily so that they can be shared across your organisation.
The biggest benefit of Blueworks is that it is cloud-based. If you do not have the IT resource available to install and maintain an in-house server, then this would be a great option. IBM’s BPM system also comes with a whole host of functionality to help you ‘drive out inefficiencies and improve business operations.’
Other benefits include:
As Blueworks is one of the big boys in the BPM space, it is at the higher end of the price spectrum. If you are planning to use all of the functionality available for a process improvement project or implementation of a Lean framework for example; then it is probably quite good value for money. However if you are simply looking for a process mapping tool and aren’t interested in the bells and whistles, it might be worth looking for a different system. The main limitations are in the licensing of the product, but there are others:
Visio is Microsoft’s own flowchart and diagramming tool, which allows you to create simple process maps quickly and with minimal effort. As Visio is part of Microsoft’s Office offering it is easy to purchase and install and offers clear licencing options depending on the number of users you have. The software comes with a variety of pre-loaded shape templates that meet industry standards such as UML and BPMN.
Microsoft Visio is incredibly easy to use, and is compatible not only with Microsoft’s own portfolio of applications but also with a variety of other software systems. If your primary business requirement is to identify and capture processes then Visio is an excellent choice. However, the real benefits of using Visio only come when it is used in conjunction with a BPM system, which allows process maps to be created and shared across the organisation, and opens up specific reporting capabilities as required for business analysis.
Key benefits include:
When used in isolation, Microsoft Visio is very limited. If you want more than just a simple process mapping tool it might be worth looking into BPM platforms that harness the power of Visio and incorporate it into the software. Stand-alone Visio is also unregulated so it is very easy for process maps to be created in lots of different styles and formats, especially if there are several process authors. This is not ideal if you are looking for a more standardised approach to process mapping.
Some other limitations include:
If you're interested in diving deeper into the BPM pool, I suggest that you download our comprehensive process mapping guide below:
Best Business Process Management Software: A brief review
Microsoft Visio and SharePoint vs. a purpose-built Business Process Management System
How much does BPM software cost?