Run Gantt project as BPMN process in three simple steps:
Import existing MS Project
Use any existing Microsoft Project file to import complete project into GanttBPM application to orchestrate project activities and dependencies and time constraints between tasks
Run Gantt as BPMN process
Automatically transform activities in Gantt timeline into equivalent BPMN XML specification to run as a Gantt BPMN process model powered up Alfresco Activiti Process Services BPM Engine
Monitor Project Progess Live
Monitor project activities and progress in real-time using Gantt timeline as users complete assigned tasks in Activiti Task Wokflow application
Business Challenges
Time is a critical problem in Project Management and the essential aspect for any business process, because it directly affects operation costs, losses of productivity, lack of coordination, missed deadlines or business opportunities.
To solve time planning and scheduling problem in Project Management, Gantt timeline has been successfully used world-wide since 1910 as an effective tool to specify the coordination and plan execution of projects with complex time constraints in a simple and intuitive way. Since 1995, organizations had widely adopted MS Project to help with time planning using Gantt timeline to help with scheduling automation.
Organizations adopt Business Process Management (BPM) for Project Management due to the growing need to automate and streamline time of business projects in order to save money. Still today, out-of-the-box, they face the following challenges:
- BPMN Standard Lacks Time Dimension for Project Management
It is very difficult to specify and manage complex time constraints and relationships between the flow of tasks with different behaviors inside a large BPM process in a simple way due to the lack of BPMN time dimension. The lack of time dimension prevents adoption of any business process where automating temporal coordination of tasks in a complex business process with time constraints between tasks is essential
- Gantt Project Management Software Lacks Automatic BPM Execution
Gantt timelines do not specify automatic behavior what to do when, due to project execution contingencies, any time constraint or time relationship between tasks is violated. Any task coordination or escalation action is left at the human discretion and requires manual coordination, which directly affects operation costs, losses of productivity, lack of coordination, missed deadlines or business opportunities
Gantt Project Management BPM Automation Solution Benefits
Gantt BPM provides world’s first integrated Gantt Project Management with BPM Automation for Alfresco Digital Business Platform with the following benefits:
- Solves BPM and Gantt Project Management Business Challenges
Combines widely used and simple intuitive Gantt timeline project planning with the power of BPM automation in the digital age
- Model Processes Using Familiar Gantt Project Management Tools
Helps define critical path, visualize interdependent tasks, outline project schedule, set milestone deadlines, allocate staff and resources
- Automatic Gantt Project Transformation into Executable BPM Process
Saves time and resources with one-click Gantt to BPM conversion and deployment
- Execute Gantt Projects using BPM automation
Eliminate human discretion, reduce operation costs, minimize human errors, improve team productivity, enhance team collaboration by automating project activities associated with running large scale enterprise projects using Alfresco Digital Business Platform
- Track and Monitor Project Progress with Integrated Gantt Timeline
Reduces risks by monitoring deadlines and receiving alert notifications using Gantt Project Management View in real-time
- Accelerates Adoption of BPM Automation
Enables rapid adoption of Alfresco BPM technology for Project Management automation to streamline time-critical business project and operations.
- Complements Alfresco DBP
Leverages the Alfresco Digital Business Platform (DBP) to help organizations automate any business processes that require complex task timeline management with resource planning, user collaboration, project monitoring, content and records management
Case Study
Running Gantt Project without BPM Automation
Without Gantt BPM automation, human efforts in all activities require man-months of manual implementation and human coordination between Project Manager, Process Designer, and Software Engineer.
- Project Design Effort: During process planning and modeling stage, Project Manager needs to work backwards from the target deadline date in order to determine earliest possible start date using Critical Path method (sequence of tasks that will take the longest to complete to execute the process) and schedule tasks and resources with real-life different temporal and relationship constraints, i.e.
Duration Constraints: Estimated or Fixed
Inflexible Constraints: Must Start On, Must Finish On
Temporal Behaviors: As Soon As Possible, As Late As Possible
Flexible Constraints: Finish No Later Than, Start No Later Than, Finish No Earlier Than, Start No Earlier Than
Task Relationships: Finish-Start, Start-Start, Finish-Finish, Start-Finish
- Process Design Effort: Process Designer uses Gantt model to manually transform all the Gantt tasks and resources constraints into BPMN process model that meets all temporal constraints and relationships specified in the Gantt model. Software Engineer will use BPMN process model to prepare, test and stage for deployment.
- Execution Run-time Effort: When BPMN process model is deployed to BPM engine by Software Engineer, BPM software orchestrates tasks to assigned participants, the Project Manager needs to manually map BPM process audit reports to synchronize Gantt project timeline for reporting and risk monitoring. Any re
Running Gantt Project with Gantt BPM Automation
All participants in the example case realized instant time to value:
- Process Designer uses Gantt Project Management timeline to specify the required process design of all time-constrained tasks with resources and the ability to test the feasibility of executing the Gantt plan scheduling and critical path assessment feature.
- With one-click, the Gantt BPM instantly transforms it to valid BPMN process model that meets the temporal constraints and task relationships specified in the Gantt plan.
- During run-time, the APS BPM engine helps orchestrate tasks for all participants. When any task is started or completed in BPM process, it automatically synchronizes BPM task state with Gantt project instance.
- Project Coordinator is now able to monitor progress and mitigate risks in real-time using Gantt project view.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does GanttBPM solves project management challenges?
GanttBPM combines widely used and simple intuitive Gantt timeline project planning tools with the power of BPM automation technology in order to execute Gantt project as BPMN process.
How does GanttBPM solves BPMN time dimension challenges?
GanttBPM leverages Gantt timeline to map the project requirements of all time-constrained tasks with their resources into equivalent BPMN process model with our patent-pending transformation between Gantt project and BPMN process domains.
What are GanttBPM features?
The world’s first integrated Gantt BMP solution to:
- Import any MS Project file to import into Gantt BPM application
- Orchestrate project tasks using familiar Gantt Project Management tools
- One-click convert of Gantt Project into executable BPM process model
- Deploy to Alfresco Process Services to run automated Gantt BPM processes
- Leverage Alfresco Content and Governance Services to collect, manage, and archive content in project context
- Monitor Gantt project progress in real-time
How does GanttBPM complements Alfresco Digitial Business Platform?
GanttBPM enables rapid adoption of Alfresco Process Services for any new and existing customers with integrated Gantt Project Management BPM automation using existing MS Project files. (Based on our research, MS Project has ~2/3rd of project management applications market share)
How does GanttBPM works with Alfresco Digitial Business Platform?
- Provides advanced, secure & scalable application architecture integrations and deployment blueprints with Alfresco Digital Business Platform in AWS and Private Cloud environments using Docker
- Provide out-of-the box YouBPM Gantt Project Planning tools to design or import existing MS Project files with automatic conversion to BPMN compliant process model with complex temporal constraints
- Deploy and automate time-centric Gantt BPM processes execution in APS
- Leverage Alfresco Content and Governance Services to collect and manage project documents and artifacts linked back to the context of Gantt project
- Provides real-time data synchronization and first-class data access security management and authorizations with enterprise systems
What are the benfits of automating projects with GanttBPM?
- GanttBPM innovation eliminates human discretion, reduce operation costs, minimize human errors, improve team productivity, and enhance team collaboration
What is the roadmap of GanttBPM?
Currently, GanttBPM is in technology preview stage. It will be production ready in January 2018.
Can I see a demo?
Yes, please, contact us to schedule a demo.
What is the licensing model?
Subscription-based pricing based on tiers of users. Please, contact us to discuss your requirements.
