Comments on: Should Enterprise Decision Management only cover automation?

By: Shelby Goerlitz

Shelby Goerlitz — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 17:53:29 +0000

I think SES brings a valuable emphasis on operationalizing automated decision-making to the idea of Enterprise Decision Management, and certainly there are good historical reasons for this emphasis. But I actually think that Dr. Dixon's formulation of *all* decisions as enterprise assets and EDM as the discipline focused on those assets seems a clearer definition of the term.In the spirit of a great article on CPM I only recently read I would say that using Enterprise Decision Management to describe what is essentially Enterprise Decision Automation leaves a larger opportunity on the table.

By: Dave Wright

Dave Wright — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 21:32:58 +0000

I think the operational focus is where the most apparent value of EDM is seen right now, and is what will sell it to adopting enterprises.

This question is also about transactional systems, even if informed by analytics, versus business intelligence systems. Transactional systems are about what you do, and BI systems are about what questions do you need answers to. The latter may lead to strategic decisons that change what the business does in the future.

So, most companies really need the value of operational EDM, sooner than later. If you are then able to consider EDM in a wider context, you will be in a better position to do so.

By: Dave Dixon

Dave Dixon — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 23:42:04 +0000

Hi James. I’ve actually been somewhat frustrated by the more narrow definition of “Enterprise Decision Management”. Whether decisions are strategic, tactical, or operational, all knowledge associated with decisions affecting the enterprise should be “managed” as enterprise assets. They are all informed by various enterprise information sources and all should seek to maximize shareholder value given that information. Differences would seem to be largely implementation details: whether the information comes from human brains or information systems, or if execution is largely automated through systems or carried out by humans. Decision models connecting corporate enterprise information to the value of decisions are a vital knowledge asset, regardless of the type of decision.