Showing papers on "Business Process Model and Notation published in 2001"

A Taxonomy of Business Process Modeling and Information Systems Modeling Techniques

Abstract: Modeling always has been at the core of both organizational design and information systems (IS) development. Models enable decision makers to filter out the irrelevant complexities of the real world, so that efforts can be directed toward the most important parts of the system under study. However, both business analysts and IS professionals may find it difficult to navigate through a maze of theoretical paradigms, methodological approaches, and representational formalisms that have been proposed for both business process modeling (BPM) and information systems modeling (ISM). This paper sets out to put an order to this chaos by proposing an evaluation framework and a novel taxonomy of BPM and ISM techniques. These findings, coupled with a detailed review of BPM and ISM techniques, can assist decision makers in comparatively evaluating and selecting suitable modeling techniques, depending on the characteristics and requirements of individual projects.

Developing Business Models for Ebusiness

Abstract: The paper introduces first insights into a methodology for developing eBusiness business models, which was elaborated at evolaris and is currently validated in various business cases. This methodology relies upon a definition of the term business model, which is first examined and upon which prerequisites for such a methodology are presented. A business model is based on a mental representation of certain aspects of the real world that are relevant for the business. Supporting this change of the mental model is therefore a major prerequisite for a methodology for developing business models. This paper demonstrates that it addition, a business model discussion should be theory based, able to handle complex systems, provide a way for risk free experiments and be practically applicable. In order to fulfill the above critieria, the evolaris methodology is grounded on system theory and combines aspects of system dynamics and action research.

Business Modeling with UML

Abstract: Ericsson is found and Chairman of Open Training Magnus Penker is CEO of Open Training. In order to keep up and be competitive, all companies and enterprises must assess the quality of their products and the efficiency of their services. In doing so, they must consider what is happening in the world around them, and they must also take an introspective look at their products or services. Is their internal operation working smoothly? Can they improve their product or service? Is their production running as efficiently as possible? Can they expand their product or service portfolios to reach new markets and customers? In addition to products and services, today's businesses must also evaluate their information systems. Do the information systems effectively support their way of working? Do the systems adapt easily to change? Is information used as an important strategic resource in the business? Is the information adequate and correct? In many of today's businesses, information systems no longer merely support the business. Increasingly, they are becoming an integral part of it. All businesses make some use of information technology, and it is important that their systems are really built to support the businesses of which they are an integrated part. The business is what ultimately defines the requirements on the information systems, and creating software without a proper understanding of the context in which that software is to operate is a dangerous adventure. In order to get such an understanding, it is essential to make a model of the business. A model is a simplified view of a complex reality. It is a means to creating abstraction, allowing you to eliminate irrelevant details and focus on one or more important aspects at a time. Effective models also facilitate discussions among different stakeholders in the business, allowing them to agree on the key fundamentals and to work towards common goals. Finally, a business model can be the basis for other models, such as models for different information systems that support the business. Modeling (e.g., with UML) has been accepted and established as a means of analyzing and designing software. In order to create the best software, the businesses in which the software systems operate must also be modeled, understood, and sometimes improved. The business model is the center for conducting business or improving how the business is operated. The evolving models also help the developers structure and focus their thinking. …

Data warehouse model and methodology

Abstract: A business model for use in a data warehouse system adaptable for multiple organizations is provided. The business model comprises a set of dimensions representing business reference aspects of the multiple organizations, a set of measures representing measurements of business activity aspects of the multiple organizations, and relationships between the set of dimensions and measures. A subset of the set of measures represents the business activity aspects of the specific organization. A subset of the set of dimensions represents the business aspects of a particular organization. The relationships allow for functional areas of analysis to use common dimensions for cross-functional analysis.

Business Process Coordination: State of the Art, Trends, and Open Issues

Abstract: Over the past decade, there has been a lot of work in developing middleware for integrating and automating enterprise business processes. Today, with the growth in e-commerce and the blurring of enterprise boundaries, there is renewed interest in business process coordination, especially for inter-organizational processes. This paper provides a historical perspective on technologies for intraand interenterprise business processes , reviews the state of the art, and exposes some open research issues. We include a discussion of process-based coordination and event/rule-based coordination, and corresponding products and standards activities. We provide an overview of the rather extensive work that has been done on advanced transaction models for business processes, and of the fledgling area of business process intelligence.

Integrated business process modeling environment and models created thereby

Abstract: An integrated modeling environment for creating integration models of computer architecture for executing business processes. The models include components having ports defining standard interfaces. The components can represent business process models for executing business processes. Connection information is stored in a repository so that binding of communication protocols can occur during deployment after creation of the model and can be looked up during runtime.

Method and system for top-down business process definition and execution

Abstract: A system and method is presented utilizing a set of software tools for the graphical definition of top-down workflow process models. The present invention has three main components: the process designer (300), the process server (500), and the process clients. The process designer (300) allows users to define the business processes from the top down without programming. The process definitions are made up of components, such as tasks and subprocesses. Tasks in the present invention incorporate all GUI panels necessary for an end-user (602) to complete the task. Events link the process model. Process models also include roles, end-users (602) , business logic, and other components. Adapters allow business data and logic external to the present invention to be incorporated into the process model. The process model definitions are then installed on the process server (500), which presents the tasks to end-users (602). End-user (602) access and perform tasks through the process clients.

System and method for automating a process of business decision and workflow

Abstract: A system and method for automating a business procedure is disclosed. The workflow management system comprises an administrator, a process designer, a workflow database, a process engine and a web client. The system also interacts with a form generator and a business application program. The system first analyzed the business process and models the process as a combination of detailed activities. The system assigns the properties to each activity according to the business rules. After modeling the business process, the process engine allocates the workitems to the participant once the process is initiated. The system can automate a very complicated business process and can be expanded and adapted to the ever-changing business environments.

System and method for customizing and processing business logic rules in a business process system

Abstract: Systems and methods for customizing business logic rules within a business process automation system and for processing business logic rules in a business process automation system are disclosed. The method for customizing business rules of a business logic application generally comprises serving a content page to a client browser of a client by a server that allows entering and modifying of data relating to a business logic rule, generating data by the server according to a predefined format such as a predefined XML format from information received via the content page, and automatically committing the generated data in the predefined format into a database. Preferably, a verification process such as by using DTDs (Document Type Definitions) is performed by the server prior to committing the data. The database stores data including data relating to business logic rules for implementing business logic as entries in the database and the generated data is committed into a corresponding entry in the database. Upon committing, the committed database business rule entry is ready for execution by the business logic application.

Methods and systems for generating business models

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to methods and systems for generating new business models in an environment of existing business methods. More particularly, the present invention describes existing business methods with corresponding business models, simulates the business models to determine their performances, selects one or more of the business models having optimal performance values, and transforms the selected business models to create new improved business method. In preferred embodiments, the present invention describes a space of possible business models in a modular fashion and applies evolutionary methods to generate improved business models. In preferred embodiments, the business models are simulated as part of a business ecosystem including other interacting business models and customers patronizing the business models. The present invention also includes systems for performing the methods, and use of generated business models in real-world business situations.

Agent-Oriented Enterprise Modeling Based on Business Rules

Abstract: Business rules are statements that express (certain parts of) a business policy, defining business terms and defining or constraining the operations of an enterprise, in a declarative manner. Since these rules define and constrain the interaction among business agents in the course of business processes, they have to refer to the components of their mental state, such as the knowledge/information and the commitments of an organization. We propose an agent-oriented approach to business rules and show how to represent and visualize business rules and business processes in Agent-Object-Relationship modeling.

E-market architecture for supporting multiple roles and reconfigurable business porcesses

Abstract: A method for allowing flexible creation and alteration of business processes within a commerce system includes using state machines to describe the actions that can be taken by particular roles at particular points in a process. The state machines are used by a commerce system to enforce validity of user actions, to track the execution of actions within an instance of the business process, to provide the user interface with a list of actions available to a user working on an instance of the business process, to provide coordination between state machines, and to allow different organizations to have varied business processes.

Method and system for specifying and implementing business applications

Abstract: A high-level method and system is provided for effortlessly specifying and implementing complex business applications to be integrated within an e-business environment, decoupling the specification of the business rules driving the application and the user interface components from the actual implementation and generation of the software package

Modeling and Managing Interactions among Business Processes

Abstract: Most workflow management systems (WfMSs) only support the separate andindependent execution of business processes. However, processes often needto interact with each other, in order to synchronize the execution of theiractivities, to exchange process data, to request execution of services, orto notify progresses in process execution. Recent market trends also raisethe need for cooperation and interaction between processes executed in differentorganizations, posing additional challenges. In fact, in order to reduce costsand provide better services, companies are pushed to increase cooperation and toform virtual enterprises, where business processes span across organizationalboundaries and are composed of cooperating workflows executed in differentorganizations. Workflow interaction in a cross-organizational environment iscomplicated by the heterogeneity of workflow management platforms on top ofwhich workflows are defined and executed and by the different and possiblycompeting business policies and business goals that drive process executionin each organization. In this paper we propose a model and system that enable interactionbetween workflows executed in the same or in different organizations. Weextend traditional workflow models by allowing workflows to publish andsubscribe to events, and by enabling the definition of points in the processexecution where events should be sent or received. Event notifications aremanaged by a suitable event service that is capable of filtering andcorrelating events, and of dispatching them to the appropriate targetworkflow instances. The extended model can be easily mapped onto anyworkflow model, since event specific constructs can be specified by means ofordinary workflow activities, for which we provide the implementation. Inaddition, the event service is easily portable to different platforms, anddoes not require integration with the WfMS that supports the cooperatingworkflows. Therefore, the proposed approach is applicable in virtually anyenvironment and is independent on the specific platform adopted

A framework for modeling strategy, business processes and information systems

Abstract: In order to continuously improve its knowledge and to identify problems and possible solutions, an organization requires understanding of the way business is aligned with the organizational strategy and how information systems are supporting the business. The paper presents a framework for describing and associating organizational concepts at multiple levels of detail using three separate areas of concerns: goals and strategy, business processes, and information systems. The framework is presented as an extension to the Unified Modeling Language (UML) using a standard UML Profile. The framework concepts are illustrated by modeling the purchase and sales business operations of a retail store from the strategic, process and information systems viewpoints.

System and method for business process space definition

Abstract: A method and system for representing business processes such as in a workflow model. Each of a plurality of processes is defined as a 3-tuple including a noun, a verb and an attribute, and a selected process is displayed as a point in navigation space. In this manner, business processes are classified and organized in terms of a 3-dimensional process navigation space facilitating process identification, decomposition and definition by traversal of this space.

Method for developing business components

Abstract: A process for developing an Enterprise JavaBean (EJB) component by analyzing a business domain to generate functional requirements that models the business domain. The functional requirements are transformed into an EJB component model, preferably using a UML drawing tool. The resulting EJB component is then built from the EJB component model that encompass the business functionality of the business domain. The present process enables the user/developer to research business problems or domain (i.e., business project) and transforms them into EJB components.

Participative development and training for business processes in industry: review of 88 simulation games

Abstract: A tool for participative business process development is the so-called social simulation game method. The social simulation game method is like a "role-play" but is tailored to an organisation's own business processes. The main purpose is to develop business processes, i.e., to analyse present processes, to test alternative process modes and to train employees. The authors have carried out and studied simulation games in different industrial organisations over the past ten years, though these have been more focused during the last four years. According to these research results, the participative simulation game method has proven to be an effective facilitator in business process development and training in industrial organisations. This article is based on 32 case studies, including 88 simulation games, which are briefly described. Our primary aim is to describe how the social simulation game method is used in training and participative development for different processes and purposes. Results indicate that the method enables individual learning as well as promotes both single-loop and double-loop types of organisational learning. The simulation game method underscores the problems and development needs of the simulated business processes. The short-term and long-term qualitative (soft) and quantitative (hard) as well as the so-called future results and implications of the cases in implementation are reported and discussed. The concept of tacit and explicit change as a result of the interplay of tacit and explicit knowledge and soft, hard and future results has been created.

Method and framework for model specification, consistency checking and coordination of business processes

Abstract: A computer implemented system analysis and design method for use in a complex business environment characterized by a set of tightly linked business processes captures in a framework a world view of a business decision and/or a business application software system. A world view is defined by business objectives, constraints, assumptions, data, and underlying model used in business decision and/or the application software system. The framework is used to specify and document each business decision and/or business application software system in the complex environment. A BDML (Business Decision Markup Language) is used to implement the framework for specifying the world view of a business decision and/or a business application software system. A BDML processor comprises a syntax processor that checks the syntax correctness and syntax consistency within an individual and between different documents written in BDML, a logic processor that checks logical consistency between different documents written in BDML, in terms of the business objectives, constraints, assumptions, data, and underlying model among the different documents, and a knowledge-based processor including a knowledge base of business decisions, common choices for their decision support models and commercially available decision support systems, the knowledge-based processor providing suggestions for a set of BDML documents to improve consistency using the knowledge base.

A commitment-oriented framework for networked manufacturing co-ordination

Abstract: In the rapidly changing world of market place evolution and pressures, many authors have studied new organizational forms. Within these new trends, this paper deals particularly with network organizations. An approach is thus proposed to integrate the overall business organization and to co-ordinate the business processes involved in achieving the overall organization goals. In this study, integration is concerned with the implementation of collaborative information structures, enabling efficient operation management and control among heterogeneous business entities. Thus, based on the contract theory from economic science, philosophical work done on conventions and the multiagent systems paradigm, a commitment-oriented co-ordination framework for business integration is proposed. These concepts present a new comprehensive formalization of business collaboration within networked manufacturing, insofar as they concern the modelling of many kinds of business interactions, including collaborative contingenci...

A Multi-criteria Taxonomy of Business Models in Electronic Commerce

Abstract: Looking at the ongoing evolution in electronic commerce there are more and more business models becoming significant. E-shops, e-auctions or e-tendering are not the only possibilities for a company to be active in electronic commerce. This article presents many relevant business models and systematically classifies them. Mainly the classification is based on the type of business subjects like suppliers, customers and mediators and their active or passive role as initiators and carrier of a business model. Another basis for the classification is the breakdown of the concept of electronic commerce and an explicit modeling. This allows to build up a taxonomy using multiple criteria and the presentation and subsumption of individual business models. The taxonomy can be used to analyze and enhance existing systems and business models as well as to develop new internet strategies for companies. An example of the implementation of the business model e-portal concludes the article.

Designing information systems for electronic commerce

Abstract: Electronic commerce applies new business models. To use information technology to support a new business model, the supplier enterprise needs to develop an information system model for electronic commerce. Proposes a framework for developing an information system model to fit the business model of electronic commerce. This framework is structured around three domains: EC business model, information system model, and object‐oriented methodology.

WISE: Process based E-Commerce

Abstract: Electronic commerce is a business practice that is experiencing an extraordinary growth. Unfortunately, there is a severe lack of adequate software tools. The WISE project (Workflow based Internet SErvices) at ETH Zurich is an attempt to address this problem by providing a software platform for process based business to business electronic commerce. The final objective of the project is to develop a coherent solution for enterprise networks that can be easily and seamlessly deployed in small and medium enterprises. As a first step in this direction, we have developed a simple but powerful model for electronic commerce to be used as the overall design principle [LASS00]. To support this model, we have extended OPERA [Hag99, AHST97], a process support kernel built at ETH that provides basic workflow engine functionality and a number of programming language extensions, with the capability to implement trading communities that interact using virtual business processes. In what follows we explain the model in detail and outline the architecture of the system along with one concrete application.

Architectural issues for cross-organisational B2B interactions

Abstract: In a world of electronic interconnectivity, concepts for process automation within an organisation need to be extended to support co-operation with customers and partners across organisational boundaries. Current workflow standards provide only limited support to enable this interconnectivity. We propose a model for tiering business processes into the private business processes of organisations and those shared business processes that interconnect them. Private business processes can expose interaction points, and shared processes can link to these points so that an overall business process may span two or more organisations. The interaction points can selectively expose information about the processes and process tasks of an organisation. This paper also shows how these ideas can be supported by a coordinating architecture and describes a prototype that implements the key ideas. The proposed architecture that supports inter-organisational business processes was initially validated in the Vega final demonstration that brought together six different companies in a virtual enterprise. The implementation built upon OMG's Workflow Management Facility Specification concept for inter-workflow management interfaces, incorporated existing workflow management systems, including SAP R/3, and also non-process-oriented systems. Available services were selected at run time according to their capabilities and their availability. Experience from the demonstration with all the involved components showed a dynamic linkage between existing business processes and reliable communication between the business partners.

Redesigning Acquisition Processes: A New Methodology Based on the Flow of Knowledge and Information

Abstract: : Current business process redesign practices, in the defense sector as well as in business in general, are based on several assumptions inherited from Taylor s scientific management method, including the key assumption that activity-flow representations should provide the basis for business process redesign. While this assumption was probably correct for most organizations in the early 1900s, it is clearly inconsistent with the fact that, currently information is what flows the most in business processes, even in manufacturing organizations. This project is based on the key assumption that the current focus of business process redesign approaches should be on information flows rather than activity flows. The main goal of this project is to develop a methodology for redesigning acquisition processes based on knowledge and information-flow analysis. The methodology, called InfoDesign, focuses on the knowledge embedded in a business process, the information processing resources involved in execution of the process, and the information flowing through the process. The InfoDesign methodology was developed and partially validated during a one-year project. The validation of the methodology was conducted as an action research study in which one acquisition process involving the U.S. Government and one key supplier was analyzed and redesigned. The results of the study support the key assumption on which InfoDesign was built that current business process redesign approaches should focus on information flows rather than activity flows.

Business Process Modeling with UML.

Abstract: This paper focuses the reasons and advantages of the application of the Unified Modeling Language (UML) in organizational architecture modeling. A presentation and description of the methodology to apply business modeling is made, namely, the organization of the modeling in views and the application of those views. A case study is presented, as an illustration.

Modeling workflows with a process-view approach

Abstract: Diverse requirements of the participants involved in a business process bring forth the need for a flexible process model that is capable of providing appropriate process information for the various participants. However, the current activity-based approach is inadequate for providing the different participants with varied process information. This paper describes a novel process-view model for workflow management. A process view is an abstracted process derived from a base process to provide abstracted process information. The underlying concepts and a formal model of a process view are presented. Moreover, a novel ordering-preserved approach is proposed to derive a process view from a base process. The proposed approach enhances the flexibility and functionality of conventional activity-based workflow management systems.

Workflow processes method and system

Abstract: Methods and systems for the systematic analysis and evaluation of the operation of an organization to enforce proper business practices and adherence to business processes and procedures. The effect is to maintain the efficiency and productivity of employees and organizations. The methods and systems are characterized by having the capability for monitoring a business process having linked procedures to realize a business objective. This is done by defining the business process by enumerating steps within the business process. The steps are logically linked. The steps are chosen from the group consisting of inputs, where an input defines the conditions to be met to initiate a business process; tasks, where a task is an activity that must be executed as part of a process; decision points, where a decision point is a point where a work item will branch off to different steps, and where each branch has one or more conditions that must be met for a piece of work to follow the branch and subprocesses. The business process is monitored by initiating a process instance; tracking process instances and work items in the process instance; and initiating a step instance.