Supporting structured and unstructured information processes

Wow, this is a really interesting post by Ross Dawson. I was trying to summarize it for you, but it's better you read it all!

It's related to the discussion about the 'enterprise software' being sexy or not. And about how ERP (Easily Repeatable Process) and BRP (Barely Repeatable Process) relate or don't relate. Some time ago I posted on this topic too, relating to the IT Flower by Innovation Creators here and here.

Relating to the IT Flower and my posts, I do find that the ERP (in Rinde's defintion) and the BRP worlds are distinguished too much in Dawson's and Rinde's post. I think one of the problems knowledge workers have, working in 'traditional' companies, is the daily switching between ERP and BRP or between structured and unstructured information processes. There is little or no support for this switching. The ERP and the BRP world in daily work is not distinct, but mixed.

What we do see though is the integration of e.g. Sharepoint with these tools for structured information processes. I don't think Oracle, SAP, etc will truly understand this subtle switching between 'structured' and 'unstructured'. This will come from others, such as Microsoft(?).

What do you think?

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