Hosted by Chandra Wobschall and Paul Houtkooper
Hey JDE Connection listeners – Chandra and Paul here! In this week’s episode, we dove into a topic that’s close to both of our hearts and, frankly, one that sparks a lot of hallway conversations: enterprise automation and product adoption. Oracle JD Edwards just released the UN26 applications update (alongside the latest tools release), and while new features and enhancements are always exciting, the real question is: How do we help customers actually use them? Because building something great is only half the story. Getting it adopted is the other half.
The Challenge Behind Adoption
Paul kicked things off by talking about the challenge every product team faces—creating value is one thing; helping people realize it is another. In the past decade, Oracle JD Edwards has delivered more than a thousand enhancements, from UX One to Orchestrator to low-code extensions. Yet many organizations still haven’t unlocked the full potential of what’s already in their systems. Why? Sometimes it’s awareness. Sometimes it’s time. And often, it’s simply that the business doesn’t know what’s possible.
As Paul put it, “Your business can’t ask for what it doesn’t know exists.” That’s where Enterprise Automation, and especially the Process Modeler, comes in.
From Bottlenecks to Breakthroughs
Chandra shared her first impressions of using the new Enterprise Process Modeler and the struggle to connect what she already knows (like where bottlenecks exist) with how to use the tool to uncover why those bottlenecks exist. And that’s the real magic of process modeling. It’s not just about drawing a diagram or identifying where things slow down, it’s about connecting the dots between data, people, and processes to understand root causes and opportunities. Paul explained it best: “Step one is modeling. Step two is analyzing. Step three is solving. It’s not just about showing you where it’s slow, it’s about helping you figure out why and what to do about it.” Over time, Enterprise Automation aims to go even further helping organizations drill into metrics, uncover blind spots, and even suggest solutions using the tools already in Oracle JD Edwards, whether that’s Orchestrator, extensibility, or AI-driven insights.
Partnering for Adoption
We both agreed: successful adoption doesn’t happen in isolation. It takes partnership, between IT and the business, between developers and analysts, and even between Oracle and the JDE community.
Chandra put it perfectly: “We can’t drive adoption alone. We have to partner with the business, understand their challenges, and show them what’s possible.” That means BAs and system analysts play a huge role – not just as translators between IT and the business, but as advocates who introduce new ideas, share what they’ve learned at conferences, and create excitement for what’s next. Paul added that it also means asking leadership for time: time to explore, test, and tinker. Learning tools like Orchestrator or Enterprise Automation takes curiosity, space, and a little freedom to experiment.
The payoff? Smarter processes, fewer support calls, and more empowered users who see Oracle JD Edwards as a living, evolving system, not just the ERP they log into every day.
From Vision to Value
Enterprise Automation is about visibility and continuous improvement. It helps you:
- See where work actually flows (and where it stalls)
- Quantify delays and inefficiencies
- Identify improvement opportunities using data, not guesswork
- Collaborate with your business to solve the right problems
It’s not about proving something’s broken – it’s about discovering what could be better. And as we reminded listeners, sometimes the most meaningful progress starts with a conversation.
A Little Comfort Food for Thought
We wrapped up with a story that perfectly captured the spirit of the Midwest: something warm, simple, and undeniably comforting – just like a well-run process. Let’s just say it involved potatoes, a generous amount of cheese, and a layer of something crunchy baked to golden perfection. The kind of dish that reminds you that sometimes, the best solutions are the ones that bring everyone to the same table.
Until next time, let’s keep learning, sharing, and laughing together.
Toodles!
Missed an episode? Check out the full episode list! Also, be sure to subscribe on your favorite podcast provider, or select a provider below!
Learn More
Quest Oracle Community is where you learn. Ask questions, find answers, swap stories and connect to other JD Edwards customers and product experts in the JD Edwards Community, where you can also check out what’s happening in the Business Analyst SIG.