Our History

In 2004, the first version of LEADing Practice (LEAD 1.0) Enterprise Standards was published. The Enterprise Standards were based on university research, analysis, comparison as well as work with companies. Continuing work through the university alliance on Enterprise Modelling, Enterprise Engineering and Enterprise Architecture research, analysis and concept comparison, resulted in the more standardized and principle-based release of LEAD 2.0 (2009).

The modelling principles captured in LEAD 2.0 created much interest with companies around the world as well as software vendors such as SAP AG, Software AG (IDS Scheer and ARIS), as well as iGrafx whom are all incorporating aspects of this work into their methods and tools. Below is a short overview of the industry adoption LEAD is experiencing in recent years (a few highlights):

• 2010, the Official SAP book was published, using the LEAD modelling principles: Taylor, J, von Rosing, M., von Scheel, H., Rosenberg, A., Applying Real-World BPM in an SAP Environment, Issue Date: 2011-01, Published by: SAP Press, ISBN: 978-1-59229-343-8, Page(s): 694.
• 2010, LEAD modelling principles were presented at the IDS Scheer, ARIS Process World.
• 2011, The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers published a paper based on the research and findings around combining BPM and Enterprise Architecture principles: Presten, T., Hove, M., von Rosing, M., Academic paper, Published by: IEEE Commerce and Enterprise Computing Page(s): 271:278, Issue Date: 2011-05.
• 2010-2012, LEAD collaborated with TOGAF (The Open Group Architecture Framework) to improve and standardize Business Architecture develop the profession of a Business Architect; this included the process modelling, requirement management and architecture principles.
• 2010-2011, SAP adapted the LEAD value, process, requirement management and application modelling principles into their SAP ASAP Method; providing SAP customers access to the LEAD Reference Content within their blueprint, implementation, maintenance, and upgrade methods and approaches.
• 2011-2012: Software AG-IDS Scheer enhance their ARIS process and information modelling meta model, based on the LEADing Practice modelling and architecture concepts.
• Starting in 2012, the Government of Canada uses the LEAD Reference Content as well as the modelling and architecture concepts to guide the transformation of key organizations as well as to blueprint/implement SAP and Oracle ERP systems. In 2014, they use LEAD concepts as a part of their financial transformation (across all ministries and departments)
• 2012-2013: LEADing Practice modelling and architecture concepts applied within the IBM Rational suite software, enabling advanced System Architecture modelling.
• 2012-2013: iGrafx builds the core LEADing Practice modelling and architecture concepts into their process flow, process modeler, performance reporting, and enterprise modeler software.
• 2013, LEGO Group wins the Gartner Group Award: Best BPM Transformation by leveraging the LEADing Practice principles.
• 2013: German Government (department of labor) receives the LEADing Practice award of the year based on their extraordinary Service Oriented and BPM automation using extended BPMN and business architecture principles.
• 2014: the US Government joint the LEADing Practice community and they do joint development around the Alignment Unity Framework and Reference Content that is applied across all intelligent units (from Homeland Security to US Defence) in the US.
• 2014: ISO recognizes LEADing Practice as an enterprise standard body and a liaison partnership between ISO and LEAD is initiated. LEAD is asked to participate participated in developing together with the countries standard bodies international country standards (relevant to organizations).
• 2014: OMG the software standard body and LEADing Practice the enterprise standard body enter into a strategic partnership to liaison and develop joint standards.
• 2014: Prof. August-Wilhelm Scheer the fathers of process modelling, BPM as well as ARIS, participates in the developing and standardizing process modelling and publishes this in the OMG, LEAD and Global University Alliance book: The Complete Business Process Handbook (published by ww largest publisher Elsevier). Prof. August-Wilhelm Scheer receives for his dedication and work a Life Time Award from the Global University Alliance and LEAD Community.
• 2015, LEADing Practice successfully registers and is granted the official release of the ((O))LEAD trademark in the Madrid Protocol. The ((O))LEAD Trademark is registered in USA and in the European Union (see the following image).

• 2015, NATO, makes a 5 year contract with LEAD to help them develop their standards with and for NATO as well as help them standardize and develop their Enterprise Architecture concept.
• 2015: John A. Zachman, the fathers of Enterprise Architecture thinking, participates in standardizing Enterprise Architecture concepts. Joint publications are done together. He joins the Board of LEADing Practice.
• 2016: The Enterprise Ontology is published
• 2016: LEADing Practice has now over 100 different enterprise standards
• 2017: A new LEADing Practice Board consistent of 10 persons has been voted in. It consists of Industry Practitioners and University Professors/Researchers. All to support and ensure the development of open enterprise standards
• 2018: IEEE the engineering standard body and LEADing Practice the enterprise standard body enter into a strategic partnership to liaison and develop joint engineering standards.
• 2020: The LEADing Practice community consists of +5000 practitioners and has developed 137 different Enterprise Standards with detailed Reference Contents. We have 10 Sector Industry User Group Committees and 52 different Sub-Industry User Groups that provide a global platform for executives, experts, academics, thought-leaders, practitioners and researchers to develop, use and apply Enterprise Standards and their reference content.