Process modeling

About: Process modeling is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 11639 publications have been published within this topic receiving 223996 citations. The topic is also known as: process simulation.

Modeling and enacting complex data dependencies in business processes

Abstract: Enacting business processes in process engines requires the coverage of control flow, resource assignments, and process data. While the first two aspects are well supported in current process engines, data dependencies need to be added and maintained manually by a process engineer. Thus, this task is error-prone and time-consuming. In this paper, we address the problem of modeling processes with complex data dependencies, e.g., m:n relationships, and their automatic enactment from process models. First, we extend BPMN data objects with few annotations to allow data dependency handling as well as data instance differentiation. Second, we introduce a pattern-based approach to derive SQL queries from process models utilizing the above mentioned extensions. Therewith, we allow automatic enactment of data-aware BPMN process models. We implemented our approach for the Activiti process engine to show applicability.

Flexible evolutionary algorithms for mining structured process models

Abstract: Process mining automatically produces a process model while considering only an organization’s records of its operational processes. Over the last decade, many process discovery techniques have been developed, and many authors have compared these techniques by focusing on the properties of the models produced. However, none of the current techniques guarantee to produce sound (i.e., syntactically correct) process models. Furthermore, none of the current techniques provide insights into the trade-offs between the different quality dimensions of process models. In this thesis we present the Evolutionary Tree Miner (ETM) framework. Its main feature is the guarantee that the discovered process models are sound. Another feature is that the ETM framework also incorporates all four well-known quality dimensions in process discovery (replay fitness, precision, generalization and simplicity). Additional quality metrics can be easily added to the Evolutionary Tree Miner. The Evolutionary Tree Miner framework is able to balance these different quality metrics and is able to produce (a collection of) process models that have a specific balance of these quality dimensions, as specified by the user. The third main feature of the Evolutionary Tree Miner is that it is easily extensible. In this thesis we discuss extensions for the discovery of a collection of process models with different quality trade-offs, the discovery of (a collection of) process models using a given process model, and the discovery of a configurable process model that describes multiple event-logs. The Evolutionary Tree Miner is implemented as a plug-in for the process mining toolkit ProM. The Evolutionary Tree Miner and all of its extensions are evaluated using both artificial and real-life data sets.

Oryx --- An Open Modeling Platform for the BPM Community

Abstract: In the academic business process management community, tooling plays an increasingly important role [8,6]. There are good reasons for this fact. Firstly, theoretical concepts benefit from exploration using prototypical implementation of the concepts. By experimentation based on real-world business processes, concepts can be evaluated and refined. Secondly, the practical applicability of the research work can be demonstrated, which is important to raise awareness of academic BPM research to practitioners.

Business process modelling and analysis using discrete-event simulation

Abstract: Globalisation and competitive pressure urge many organisations to radically change business processes. Although this approach can provide significant benefits such as reducing costs or improving efficiency, there are substantial risks associated with it. Using simulation for modelling and analysis of business processes can reduce that risk and increase the chance for success of business process re-engineering projects. This paper investigates the potential of simulation modelling to be used for modelling business processes and supports the case for a wider use of simulation techniques by the business community. Following a discussion on business process modelling methods and tools, the usability of simulation modelling for evaluating alternative business process strategies is investigated. Examples of simulation models representing business processes are presented and discussed.

A strategy driven business process modelling approach

Abstract: – Most of the process models concentrate on who does what, when, ie on the description of the operational performance of tasks The goal driven approaches try to establish a close relationship between the “whys” and the “whats” The former captures the strategic goals of the organisation whereas the latter tells us how they are achieved through tasks carried out by actors In addition, managers do not naturally make the distinction between what to achieve (the goal) and the manner to achieve it (the strategy) This confusion often leads to the expression of manners as goals In order to make clear the fundamental distinction between these two concerns and to master the complexity of process modelling, this paper seeks to propose a goal‐perspective, the map‐driven process modelling approach, – The map representation system conforms to goal models in the fact that it recognises the concept of a goal but departs from those by introducing the concept of strategy to attain a goal, – A business and its supporting system change in a concurrent way In order to help the propagation of the intentional changes onto operational ones, we adopted the two levels hierarchical spiral process model The intentional spiral deals with the production of the business process models using the map formalism and the operational one deals with the specifications of the supporting systems, – A business process is defined in terms of goals and strategies of reaching these goals The approach allows choosing an appropriate level of details when analysing and redesigning business processes