1,200 research outputs found
Business Process Modeling for developing Process Oriented IT Systems
International audienceInformation system developers are challenged to develop systems that should meet the requirements of modern organizations. By promoting the enterprise-wide integration, the paradigm of Business Process Management contrasts with traditional information system development, which was suffered, but also crystallized, the vertical division of the enterprise activities. In addition, the paradigms of Business Process Reengineering and Business Process Improvement contrast with traditional information system development that focused on automating and supporting existing business processes. Now, enterprises should create new ways of working to survive in a competitive environment. This organizational transformation depends of the creation of a powerful vision of what future should be like. We claim that an in depth understanding of the current functioning is also required. In this context, enterprise modeling can help understanding the current business situation and establishing a vision of what the future should be like. Therefore, business process modeling becomes a pre-requisite for system requirements elicitation and system development
Integrating the goal and business process perspectives in information system analysis
There are several motivations to promote investment and scientific effort in the integration of intentional and operational perspectives: organisational reengineering, continuous improvement of business processes, alignment among complementary analysis perspectives, information traceability, etc. In this paper we propose the integration of two modelling languages that support the creation of goal and business process models: the i* goal-oriented modelling method and Communication Analysis, a communication-oriented business process modelling method. We describe the methodological integration of the two modelling methods with the aim of fulfilling several criteria: i) to rely on appropriate theories; ii) to provide abstract and concrete syntaxes; iii) to provide scenarios of application; and iv) to develop tool support. We provide guidelines for using the two modelling methods in a top-down analysis scenario. We also present an illustrative case that demonstrates the feasibility of the approach.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft
Modeling Business Process: Analysis of Goal-Oriented Approaches
A crucial management issue for most corporations is the effective design and implementation of their business process. However, existing approaches describe an enterprise in terms of activities and tasks view without offering sufficient guidance towards a process-centric description of the organization.
Goals have long been recognized to be essential components involved in the business process. Business process engineering research has increasingly recognized the leading role played by goals in the business process. Such recognition has led to a whole stream of research on goaloriented approaches. The study of goal-oriented methodologies indicates that modeling of organizational goals constitutes a central activity of the business process.
In this paper we advocate the use of goal-oriented approaches to business process modeling. Some systematic approaches to developing and documenting business processes on the basis of the explicit or implicit business objectives are discussed. From the representation view of model, the way that models are expressed is demonstrated
GoBIS: An integrated framework to analyse the goal and business process perspectives in information systems
[EN]
Context
Organisational reengineering, continuous process improvement, alignment among complementary analysis perspectives, and information traceability are some current motivations to promote investment and scientific effort for integrating goal and business process perspectives. Providing support to integrate information systems analysis becomes a challenge in this complex setting.
Objective
The GoBIS framework integrates two goal and business process modelling approaches: i⁎ (a goal-oriented modelling method) and Communication Analysis (a communication-oriented business process modelling method).
Method
In this paper, we describe the methodological integration of both methods with the aim of fulfilling several criteria: i) to rely on appropriate theories; ii) to provide abstract and concrete syntaxes; iii) to provide scenarios of application; iv) to develop tool support; v) to provide demonstrable benefits to potential adopters.
Results
We provide guidelines for using the two modelling methods in a top-down analysis scenario. The guidelines are validated by means of a comparative experiment and a focus-group session with students.
Conclusions
From a practitioner viewpoint (modeller and/or analyst), the guidelines facilitate the traceability between goal and business process models, the experimental results highlight the benefits of GoBIS in performance and usability perceptions, and demonstrate an improvement on the completeness of the latter having an impact on efficiency. From a researcher perspective, the validation has produced useful feedback for future research.This work has been supported by the Spanish MICINN Project ProS-Req (TIN2010-19130-C02-01, TIN2010-19130-C02-02) and EOSSAC (TIN2013-44641-P); the Generalitat Valenciana Project IDEO (PROMETEOII/2014/039); the FPI-UPV Pre-Doctoral Grant; the European Commission Project CaaS (FP7 611351); and the ERDF Structural Funds.Ruiz Carmona, LM.; Costal, D.; España Cubillo, S.; Franch, X.; Pastor López, O. (2015). GoBIS: An integrated framework to analyse the goal and business process perspectives in information systems. Information Systems. 53:330-345. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.is.2015.03.007S3303455
Participative enterprise modelling for balanced scorecard implementation
Balanced Scorecards (BSC) have been established as a valuable and practicable instrument addressing major management problems in organisations. BSC are commonly IT-supported and found a conceptual basis for management information systems. They are often applied to IT-Controlling, and they are also repeatedly applied to specify requirements towards the corporate IT architecture. However, BSC implementation often struggles when it comes to discovering and documenting organisational knowledge that is not easily accessible or not of sufficient quality. On the other hand, Enterprise modelling (EM) seeks to solve organisational design problems in, for instance, business process reengineering, strategy planning, enterprise integration, and information systems development. Here, participative EM methods lead to improved quality as well as to consensus and to increased acceptance of the business decisions. At this juncture, participative EM can support BSC implementation projects that comprise activities requiring the discovery and documentation of organisational knowledge that is not easily accessible or not of sufficient quality. For that reason, the aim of this paper is to integrate participative EM approaches, taking Enterprise Knowledge Development (EKD) as an example, and BSC implementation. In order to operationalise this conceptual improvement, we will perform a stepwise analysis of BSC implementation processes and identify shortcomings that are able to be addressed with the help of participative enterprise modelling
An i*-based Reengineering Framework for Requirements Engineering
Avui en dia, els sistemes d'informació són un actiu clau en les organitzacions i sovint els proporcionen un avantatges competitiu. Per a que això segueixi així, han de ser mantinguts i evolucionats d'acord amb els objectius estratègics de la organització. Aquesta evolució inclou els requeriments del sistema d'informació, la tecnologia emprada i els processos suportats. L'impacte dels canvis pot anar des de petites modificacions al desenvolupament d'un nou sistema d'informació i, per aquest motiu, l'evolució dels sistemes d'informació s'analitza durant la fase de requeriments, on es possible avaluar-ne la magnitud utilitzant menys recursos. Des d'aquest punt de vista, els mètodes de l'enginyeria de requeriments i els de la reenginyeria de processos sovint comparteixen els mateixos objectius i es pot considerar que la reenginyeria de processos es adequada tant per al desenvolupament com per al manteniment dels sistemes d'informació. El llenguatge i* està orientat a objectius i permet modelar els sistemes d'informació en termes d'actors i dependencies entre ells. El llenguatge i* s'utilitza en l'enginyeria de requeriments i en la reenginyeria de processos de negoci, però no existeixen gaires propostes comunes a ambdues disciplines. Amb l'objectiu d'utilitzar el llenguatge i* en la reenginyeria de processos, s'ha definit PRiM, un mètode basat en i* per a la reenginyeria de processos (Proces Reenginieering i*-based Method). PRiM assumeix que ja existeix un procés que s'utilitzarà com a punt de partida per l'especificació o l'evolució del nou sistema d'informació. El mètode PRiM consta de sis fases: 1) l'anàlisi dels processos i dels sistemes d'informació actuals, 2) la construcció del model i*, 3) la reenginyeria dels processos actuals, 4) la generació de models i* representant les diferents alternatives, 5) l'avaluació de les alternatives utilitzant mètriques estructurals i 6) l'especificació del nou sistema d'informació a partir del model i* escollit. En les sis fases de PRiM, s'utilitzen diferents mètodes i tècniques algunes creades expressament pel mètode i d'altres provinents de l'enginyeria de requeriments i la reenginyeria de processos. Tot i això, hi ha altres mètodes i tècniques que poden ser utilitzades enlloc d'aquestes i que poden ser mes convenients quan les condicions d'aplicació del mètode canvien. Per tal de permetre la selecció i inclusió d'altres tècniques, es proposa l'aplicació de l'enginyeria de mètodes (Method Engineering). Aquesta disciplina permet construir nous mètodes a partir de parts de mètodes ja existents, i s'ha utilitzat per definir un mètode marc per a la reenginyeria anomenat ReeF (Reengineering Framework). A ReeF, les sis fases de PRiM es presenten de forma genèrica per tal de permetre la selecció de la tècnica més apropiada per cada una de les fases, a partir de l'experiència de l'usuari com dels seus coneixements de l'aplicació. Com a exemple d'aplicació de ReeF, s'ha definit el mètode SARiM.Les contribucions principals de la tesis son dues. En primer lloc, els dos mètodes basats en i* definits (PRiM per a la reenginyeria de processos, i SARiM, per a la reenginyeria d'arquitectures software). En segon lloc, les diferents tècniques i* definides en PRiM i que poden ser utilitzades per construir models i*, generar alternatives i avaluar-les amb mètriques estructurals. Aquestes tècniques i mètodes s'han obtingut a partir de l'estudi de l'estat de l'art i s'han validat en diferents casos d'estudi formatius i en un cas d'estudi industrial. Com a suport, s'han desenvolupat dues eines: 1) REDEPEND-REACT, que permet la modelització gràfica de models i*, la generació d'alternatives i la definició de mètriques estructurals, i 2) J-PRiM, que dóna suport a les fases de PRiM mitjançant el tractament textual dels models i*.Information Systems are a crucial asset of the organizations and can provide competitive advantages to them. However, once the Information System is built, it has to be maintained and evolved, which includes changes on the requirements, the technology used, or the business processes supported. All these changes are diverse in nature and may require different treatments according to their impact, ranging from small improvements to the deployment of a new Information System. In both situations, changes are addressed at the requirements level, where decisions are analysed involving less resources. Because Requirements Engineering and Business Process Reengineering methods share common activities, and the design of the Information System with the business strategy has to be maintained during its evolution, a Business Process Reengineering approach is adequate for addressing Information Systems Development when there is an existing Information System to be used as starting point. The i* framework is a well-consolidated goal-oriented approach that allows to model Information Systems in a graphical way, in terms of actors and dependencies among them. The i* framework addresses Requirements Engineering and Business Process Reengineering but none of the i*-based existing approaches provides a complete framework for reengineering. In order to explore the applicability of i* for a reengineering framework, we have defined PRiM: a Process Reengineering i* Method, which assumes that there is an existing process that is the basis for the specification of the new Information System. PRiM is a six-phase method that combines techniques from the fields of Business Process Reengineering and Requirements Engineering and defines new techniques when needed. As a result PRiM addresses: 1) the analysis of the current process using socio-technical analysis techniques; 2) the construction of the i* model by differentiating the operationalization of the process form the strategic intentionality behind it; 3) the reengineering of the current process based on its analysis for improvements using goal acquisition techniques; 4) the generation of alternatives based on heuristics and patterns; 5) the evaluation of alternatives by defining structural metrics; and, 6) the specification of the new Information System from the selected i* model.There are several techniques from the Requirements Engineering and Business Process Reengineering fields, that can be used instead the ones selected in PRiM. Therefore, in order to not enforce the application of a certain technique we propose a more generic framework where to use and combine them. Method Engineering is the discipline that constructs new methods from parts of existing ones and, so, it is the approach adopted to define ReeF: a Reengineering Framework. In ReeF the six phases of PRiM are abstracted and generalized in order to allow selecting the most appropriate techniques for each of the phases, depending on the user expertise and the domain of application. As an example of the applicability of ReeF, the new method SARiM is defined. The main contributions of this work are twofold. On the one hand, two i*-based methods are defined: the PRiM method, which addresses process reengineering, and SARiM, which addresses software architecture reengineering. On the other hand, we provide several i*-based techniques to be used for constructing i* models, generating alternatives, and evaluating them using Structural Metrics. These methods and techniques are based on exhaustive review of existing work and their validation is done by means of several formative case studies and an industrial case study. Tool support has been developed for the approach: REDEPEND-REACT supporting the graphical modelling of i*, the generation of alternatives and the definition of Structural Metrics; and J-PRiM supporting all the phases of the PRiM method using a textual visualization of the i* models
Process Modelling: The Deontic Way
Current enterprise systems rely heavily on the modelling and enactment of business processes. One of the key criteria for a business process is to represent not just the behaviours of the participants but also how the contractual relationships among them evolve over the course of an interaction. In this paper we provide a framework in which one can define policies/business rules using deontic assignments to represent the contractual relationships. To achieve this end we use a combination of deontic/normative concepts like proclamation, directed obligation and direct action to account for a deontic theory of commitment which in turn can be used to model business processes in their organisational settings. In this way we view a business process as a social interaction process for the purpose of doing business. Further, we show how to extend the i* framework, a well known organisational modelling technique, so as to accommodate our notion of deontic dependency
ROLE ON REQUIREMENTS ENGINEERING PROCESS MODEL
The contribution of the requirements engineering in the success of projects is incontestable and it has been proved, through studies and statistics that succeed or fail a project depends generally on requirements engineering. This domain became the centre of interest of a big number of researchers to present the most adequate model and process to succeed the requirements engineering and so succeed the project. Requirements engineering is done according to a process spread all along the life cycle of the system and that aims to provide methods, technologies and tools allow developing and implanting some computing systems providing the services and the information expected by their users, demanded by their acquirers, and compatible with their functioning environment. Requirements engineering process is executed on three principals steps: First, the requirements elicitation to identify future system needs .Then, the specification and the requirements documentation validated or modified following a discussion between the different actors of the process. The end product which is an outfit of models that allows to take into account the actors’ point of view, represent not only the final specifications but also the intermediate results. This permits having coherent and well structured documents. The validation and verification of the requirement specification is the final step. On this article, after a presentation of principal challenges that requirements engineering face and notably in specification step, we will define the fundamental notion of a role that will allow us to surround a system in all his perspectives : the organizational, the functional and even the intentional, etc. Then, after a study of some models of requirements engineering we will propose a model of process of requirements engineering with focusing on role notation and its participation in the different process steps
Effect of Business Process Reengineering Factors on Organizational Performance: IT Capability as a Moderator
The main objective of this study is to examine the effects of the business process reengineering (BPR) factors on the Nigerian banks organisational performance. Additionally, this study also investigates the moderating effect of information technology (IT) capability in the relationship of BPR factors and the organisational performance. BPR factors are operationalised by change management, BPR strategy alignment, customer focus, management commitment, IT investment, and adequate financial resource. The IT capability dimensions include IT knowledge, IT operations and IT objects. Data was sent and collected through a hand-delivery method. A proportionate stratified random sampling was used for sample selection. 560 questionnaires were sent to banks’ managers but 417 of them were returned; giving a response rate of 74%. The findings were as follows: first, the findings show that fully supported relationships were found between IT capability and organisation performance. Second, the results showed that BPR factors such as adequate financial resources and management commitment were significantly related to overall organisational performance. Specifically, adequate financial resource's dimension was significantly related to cost reduction, customer service management and operations efficiency. Next, management commitment was found to be significantly related to customer service management and operation efficiency. Meanwhile, IT investment was significantly associated with customer service management. Other dimensions of BPR factors such as change management, customer focus, and BPR strategy alignment were found insignificant to the banks’ performance. Third, upon investigating the moderating effects of IT capability on the relationship between BPR factors and organisational performance, the results revealed mixed supports for the interaction effects of IT capability attributes. The outcome of this study provides important insights to both managers and researchers for further understanding on the effects of BPR factors and IT capability on organisational performance. The necessary suggestions on new area of research were recommended for future researchers
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