Process-as-a-Software
Why software will now conform to processes, instead of the other way around.
Software used to be a pain point
Processes that used software were usually a very high pain point for companies. You had to decide which software fits your process best, who is responsible for your data, how much the software is going to cost, and so on.
The process had to fit the software
The software you decided on always came with certain requirements, walls and processes of its own. This meant that you had to shape the process so that it would fit into the software.
Software was a pipeline with fixed turns, entries and exits, which the process had to conform to.
Before
The process conforms to the software
The software is a pipeline with fixed turns, entries and exits. The process (dashed) would naturally run differently, but it has to bend until it fits through.
Now
The software conforms to the process
Custom software is cheap to build, so the pipeline is laid along the process exactly as it runs.
Custom software was too expensive
Most processes inside companies were too small to automate by developing your own custom software.
Software conforming to processes
AI has enabled companies to create their own software at a really low cost. What we will see from that is software conforming to processes.
The original notes
This is how the idea started, as notes in a notebook. Click a page to enlarge it.