AN EMPIRICAL ASSESSMENT OF THE USEFULNESS OF WEAKNESS PATTERNS IN BUSINESS PROCESS REDESIGN

Business Process Management (BPM) is a topic with growing relevance for businesses as well as public organisations. Until today, the analysis part of a BPM cycle is mostly done manually. Process modelling methods are not designed to allow for automated analysis. Our aim is to show that meaningful weakness patterns that support semi-automatic analysis of business process diagrams (BPD) can be defined when a semantically enhanced modelling method is used. We derive exemplary weakness patterns by analysing literature and interviews from a business process redesign project. These are applied to a set of process models, in which occurrences of these weaknesses are being searched automatically. A comparison of achieved and expected results indicates that our approach helps to identify weaknesses within the processes and therefore supports business process analysis endeavours

Analysis templates for identifying improvement opportunities with process mining

Process mining tools help analysts in conducting a data-driven analysis of business processes. However, identifying improvement opportunities is still a manual task that depends largely on analysts’ expertise and experience with process analysis and process mining tools. In this paper, we present a set of templates that aid analysts in systematically identifying improvement opportunities with process mining tools. Based on review studies, we identified 22 improvement opportunities that can be identified from process logs. Then, we conducted a content analysis of 129 business process intelligence challenge submissions to elicit how improvement opportunities can be identified. Based on this data, we developed 21 templates that guide process analysts in identifying improvement opportunities using Apromore as a process mining tool. We evaluated the templates by combining interviews with survey methodology. The survey evaluation indicates that the templates are useful (score 4.37/5) and easy to use (4.65/5) for identifying improvement opportunities with Apromore

Proceedings of RSEEM 2006 : 13th Research Symposium on Emerging Electronic Markets

Electronic markets have been a prominent topic of research for the past decade. Moreover, we have seen the rise but also the disappearance of many electronic marketplaces in practice. Today, electronic markets are a firm component of inter-organisational exchanges and can be observed in many branches. The Research Symposium on Emerging Electronic Markets is an annual conference bringing together researchers working on various topics concerning electronic markets in research and practice. The focus theme of the13th Research Symposium on Emerging Electronic Markets (RSEEM 2006) was ?Evolution in Electronic Markets?. Looking back at more than 10 years of research activities in electronic markets, the evolution can be well observed. While electronic commerce activities were based largely on catalogue-based shopping, there are now many examples that go beyond pure catalogues. For example, dynamic and flexible electronic transactions such as electronic negotiations and electronic auctions are enabled. Negotiations and auctions are the basis for inter-organisational trade exchanges about services as well as products. Mass customisation opens up new opportunities for electronic markets. Multichannel electronic commerce represents today?s various requirements posed on information and communication technology as well as on organisational structures. In recent years, service-oriented architectures of electronic markets have enabled ICT infrastructures for supporting flexible e-commerce and e-market solutions. RSEEM 2006 was held at the University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany in September 2006. The proceedings show a variety of approaches and include the selected 8 research papers. The contributions cover the focus theme through conceptual models and systems design, application scenarios as well as evaluation research approaches

Students\u27 perceptions of a course dedicated website A regression analysis to predict its use

There has been an unprecedented surge in the number of web related tools used for course delivery. This paper examined the reasons for students to go to course dedicated websites and the impact these sites have on classroom attendance. An empirical assessment shows that course dedicated websites enhance learning and do not tempt students to turn away from the classroom. A software program called Zlocker which gives students and teachers an opportunity to share a locker in cyberspace was incorporated in the courses that were examined in this study

Modeling and Simulating Causal Dependencies on Process-aware Information Systems from a Cost Perspective

Providing effective IT support for business processes has become crucial for enterprises to stay competitive in their market. Business processes must be defined, implemented, enacted, monitored, and continuously adapted to changing situations. Process life cycle support and continuous process improvement become critical success factors in contemporary and future enterprise computing. In this context, process-aware information systems (PAISs) adopt a key role. Thereby, organization-specific and generic process support systems are distinguished. In the former case, the PAIS is build "from scratch" and incorporates organization-specific information about the structure and processes to be supported. In the latter case, the PAIS does not contain any information about the structure and processes of a particular organization. Instead, an organization needs to configure the PAIS by specifying processes, organizational entities, and business objects. To enable the realization of PAISs, numerous process support paradigms, process modeling standards, and business process management tools have been introduced. The application of these approaches in PAIS engineering projects is not only influenced by technological, but also by organizational and project-specific factors. Between these factors there exist numerous causal dependencies, which, in turn, often lead to complex and unexpected effects in PAIS engineering projects. In particular, the costs of PAIS engineering projects are significantly influenced by these causal dependencies. What is therefore needed is a comprehensive approach enabling PAIS engineers to systematically investigate these causal dependencies as well as their impact on the costs of PAIS engineering projects. Existing economic-driven IT evaluation and software cost estimation approaches, however, are unable to take into account causal dependencies and resulting effects. In response, this thesis introduces the EcoPOST framework. This framework utilizes evaluation models to describe the interplay of technological, organizational, and project-specific evaluation factors, and simulation concepts to unfold the dynamic behavior of PAIS engineering projects. In this context, the EcoPOST framework also supports the reuse of evaluation models based on a library of generic, predefined evaluation patterns and also provides governing guidelines (e.g., model design guidelines) which enhance the transfer of the EcoPOST framework into practice. Tool support is available as well. Finally, we present the results of two online surveys, three case studies, and one controlled software experiment. Based on these empirical and experimental research activities, we are able to validate evaluation concepts underlying the EcoPOST framework and additionally demonstrate its practical applicability

Designing the management systems for offices

An initial review of literature concerned with commercial and industrial office design indicated the need to research and develop a method for the design of the management systems of offices with the purpose of improving the operational effectiveness and alignment to strategy. In particular the literature review indicated that the application of lean methods, in non-manufacturing areas is comparatively rare. A critical review of the literature identified that Value Stream Mapping has been used to map mechanistic task activities, however, a need was identified for a new generation of Value Stream Mapping to map mixed mechanistic and organic task activities. To complement the literature survey and discover if there were significant variables (e.g. task uncertainty, interdependence, task complexity, mechanistic / organic structures, risk, task analysability etc) influencing office design, pilot studies were carried out in a mechanistic and organic office. Several additional variables were identified. From the pilot studies combined with the literature review a conceptual model was formulated which provides guidelines for managers enabling them to design the management systems fully taking all the variables into account. The conceptual model was then tested using a multiple case study design of two small consulting type offices that exhibited mixed mechanistic and organic characteristics. This resulted in an improved version of the model which was then further validated. This validation based upon the opinions of office managers focused mainly on identifying the practical usefulness of the model from an industrial perspective. Following the validation a final form of the model has been proposed in this research. It remains for future researchers to fully test the model by applying it in a wider range of offices. This study makes an explicit contribution to the redesign of offices as well as the utilisation of Value Stream Mapping to the mechanistic and the organic task activities within commercial and industrial offices

Process Mining Supported Process Redesign: Matching Problems with Solutions

Process mining is a widely used technique to understand and analyze business process executions through event data. It offers insights into process problems but leaves analysts barehanded to translate these problems into concrete solutions. Research on business process management discusses both process mining and improvement patterns in isolation. In this paper, we address this research gap. More specifically, we identify six categories of process problems that can be identified with process mining and map them to applicable best practices of business processes. We analyze the relevance of our approach using a thematic analysis of reports that were handed in to the Business Process Intelligence Challenges over recent years, and observe the dire need for better guidance to translate process problems identified by process mining into suitable process designs. Conceptually, we position process mining into the problem and solution space of process redesign and thereby offer a language to describe potentials and limitations of the technique

Achieving business and IT alignment in digital service redesign: a study of UK e-government

Prior research has shown that there are a variety of ways in which business-IT alignment (BIA) can help an organisation. BIA can increase the UK’s e-government maturity level, improve the quality of e-government and service redesign process, and ensure the establishment of an integrated, coherent, user-centred, and agile digital culture. However, business-IT alignment is challenging when there are many organisations (central and local government organisations) involved in the process. This research aims to increase our understanding of the ‘process of aligning’ - vertically (between central and local government), and horizontally (across government agencies). Data analysis was conducted by the use of grounded theory. A number of factors that influence alignment in UK service redesign were identified and discussed as ‘enablers’ or ‘inhibitors’ of alignment. This thesis captures alignment in both ‘theory and practice’. It includes multiple case studies to explore business-IT alignment in the context of the UK government. Additionally, this study not only provides ‘theory for explanation’, making it scientifically useful, but also offers ‘theory for design’, for practical uses. During the analysis of the case studies governance is found to be one of the alignment enablers, and a number of governance frameworks were designed to facilitate alignment in UK service redesign. This thesis presents a theoretical model which demonstrates the interrelationships found between the alignment key factors (i.e. standardisation, shared domain knowledge, business-IT engagement and silo-based systems associated with localism) with the core factor: communication. Network theories are used in this research to propose actions. It therefore proposes the adoption of a goal-directed network aimed at alignment in service redesign. This research links alignment, e-government, service redesign and networks together, a connection which is not fully explored in the literature

Transactions of 2019 International Conference on Health Information Technology Advancement Vol. 4 No. 1

The Fourth International Conference on Health Information Technology Advancement Kalamazoo, Michigan, October 31 - Nov. 1, 2019. Conference Co-Chairs Bernard T. Han and Muhammad Razi, Department of Business Information Systems, Haworth College of Business, Western Michigan University Kalamazoo, MI 49008 Transaction Editor Dr. Huei Lee, Professor, Department of Computer Information Systems, Eastern Michigan University Ypsilanti, MI 48197 Volume 4, No. 1 Hosted by The Center for Health Information Technology Advancement, WM