Collaborative Business Process Management - A Literature-based Analysis of Methods for Supporting Model Understandability

Due to the growing amount of cooperative business scenarios, collaborative Business Process Management (cBPM) has emerged. The increased number of stakeholders with minor expertise in process modeling leads to a high relevance of model understandability in cBPM contexts. Despite extensive works in the research fields of cBPM and model understandability in BPM, there is no analysis and comprehensive overview of methods supporting process model understandability in cBPM scenarios. To address this research gap, this paper presents the results of a literature review. The paper identifies concepts for supporting model understandability in BPM, provides an overview of methods implementing these concepts, and discusses the methods’ applicability in cBPM. The four concepts process model transformation, process model visualization, process model description, and modeling support are introduced. Subsequently, 69 methods are classified and discussed in the context of cBPM. Results contribute to revealing existing academic voids and can guide practitioners in cBPM scenarios

REVISIÓN BIBLIOGRÁFICA SOBRE LOS PRINCIPIOS DEL SISTEMA DE TRABAJO PARA EL ANÁLISIS Y DISEÑO DE PROCESOS ORGANIZACIONALES

Explaining the design of organizational processes is a paramount issue because the processes specify the knowledge of how the organization works. For this reason, the need to create capacities for the timely detection, planning and execution of analysis projects and design of processes oriented to innovation is imposed, which is complex to systematize, due to the dynamics of change to which organizations are subjected to. In the scientific literature, 10 principles have been synthesized that impact on the components of the work system for the innovation of organizational processes. The research aims to expose the results of a literature review conducted to assess the compliance with such principles in methodological and technological solutions that are oriented to process innovation. From the study of 3633 bibliographical references it has been verified that no solution is in conformity with the totality of the principles, evidencing deficiencies that impact on the effectiveness, efficiency and sustainability of the design of the organizational processes.Explicitar el diseño de los procesos de la organización posee gran importancia debido a que los procesos especifican el conocimiento de cómo la organización funciona. Por tal motivo, se impone la necesidad de crear capacidades para la detección oportuna, planificación y ejecución de proyectos de análisis y diseño de procesos orientados a la innovación, lo que es complejo de sistematizar, a causa de la dinámica de cambio a la que se ven sometidas las organizaciones. En la literatura científica se han sintetizado 10 principios que impactan en los componentes del sistema de trabajo para la innovación de procesos organizacionales. La investigación tiene como objetivo exponer los resultados de la revisión bibliográfica realizada sobre el grado de cumplimiento de los principios en las soluciones metodológicas y tecnológicas que se orientan a la innovación de procesos. A partir del estudio de 3633 referencias bibliográficas se comprueba que ninguna solución está en conformidad con la totalidad de los principios, evidenciando carencias que impactan en la eficacia, eficiencia y sostenibilidad del diseño de los procesos organizacionales

SNACH a new framework to support business process improvement.

Business processes are central to any organisation. They coordinate activities, roles, resources, systems and constraints within and across organisational boundaries to achieve predefined business goals. The demand for dynamic business environments, customer satisfaction, global competition, system integration, operational efficiency, innovation and adaptation to market changes necessitates the need for continuous process improvement. In order to adequately respond to these demands, business processes are designed in two approaches: Business Process Re-engineering (BPR) and Business Process Improvement (BPI). This thesis follows the BPI approach which considers existing infrastructure in an organization to improve operational efficiency and achieve organisational goals. Many methodologies have been developed for conducting BPI projects, but they provide little support for the actual act of systematically improving a business process. We adopted case study as the research strategy to examine a collaborative business process, specifically the UK Higher Education Institutions (HEI) admission process. The design science research methodology was used to answer the research questions and satisfy the research objectives. The Map technique was employed to construct the new BPI artefact based on the Mandatory Elements of Method (MEM) from Method Engineering. The new BPI framework comprises of a number of elements to support analysts and practitioners in process improvement activities. We present a novel approach to BPI, the SNACH (Simulation Network Analysis Control flow complexity and Heuristics) framework that supports the actual act of process improvement using a combination of process analysis techniques with integrated quantitative measurable concepts to measure and visualize improvement in four dimensions: cost, cycle time, flexibility and complexity. A simulation technique was employed to analyse the process models in terms of time and cost; and Control Flow Complexity was used to calculate the logical complexity of the process model. A complex network analysis approach was used to provide information about the structural relationship and information exchange between process activities. Using a complex network analysis approach to reduce a process model to a network of nodes and links so that its structural properties are analysed to provide information about the structural complexity and flexibility of the network. To achieve this higher level of abstraction, an algorithm was defined and validated using four disparate process models. The complex network analysis technique is integrated into the SNACH framework and its significance lies in the study of the nature of the individual nodes and the pattern of connections in the network. These characteristics are assessed using network metrics to quantitatively analyse the structure of the network, thereby providing insight into the interaction and behavioural structure of the business process activities. To conclude the design science research process phases, the artefact was evaluated in terms of its effectiveness and efficiency to systematically improve a business process by conducting an experiment using another use case