ON THE EFFECT OF MIXING TEXT AND DIAGRAMS ON BUSINESS PROCESS MODEL USE

A picture is worth a thousand words, but a few words can greatly enhance a picture. It is common to find textual and diagrammatic components complement each other in enterprise models in general, and business process models in particular. Previous work has considered the question of the relative understandability of diagrammatic versus textual representations of process models for different types of users. However, the effect of combining textual and diagrammatic components on the actual use of process models has to the best of our knowledge not been considered. This paper addresses the question of how the mix of diagrammatic and textual components in business process models affects their sustained use. This question is approached via a case study in a telecommunications company where models with different mixtures of text and diagrams have been collected over time. The study shows that models, in which the ordering relations between tasks are captured in diagrammatic form, while the details of each task are captured in textual form, are more likely to be used on a sustained basis

The uses of qualitative data in multimethodology:Developing causal loop diagrams during the coding process

In this research note we describe a method for exploring the creation of causal loop diagrams (CLDs) from the coding trees developed through a grounded theory approach and using computer aided qualitative data analysis software (CAQDAS). The theoretical background to the approach is multimethodology, in line with Minger’s description of paradigm crossing and is appropriately situated within the Appreciate and Analyse phases of PSM intervention. The practical use of this method has been explored and three case studies are presented from the domains of organisational change and entrepreneurial studies. The value of this method is twofold; (i) it has the potential to improve dynamic sensibility in the process of qualitative data analysis, and (ii) it can provide a more rigorous approach to developing CLDs in the formation stage of system dynamics modelling. We propose that the further development of this method requires its implementation within CAQDAS packages so that CLD creation, as a precursor to full system dynamics modelling, is contemporaneous with coding and consistent with a bridging strategy of paradigm crossing

Quantitative Measure of Memory Loss in Complex Spatio-Temporal Systems

To make progress in understanding the issue of memory loss and history dependence in evolving complex systems, we consider the mixing rate that specifies how fast the future states become independent of the initial condition. We propose a simple measure for assessing the mixing rate that can be directly applied to experimental data observed in any metric space $X$. For a compact phase space $X \subset R^M$, we prove the following statement. If the underlying dynamical system has a unique physical measure and its dynamics is strongly mixing with respect to this measure, then our method provides an upper bound of the mixing rate. We employ our method to analyze memory loss for the system of slowly sheared granular particles with a small inertial number $I$. The shear is induced by the moving walls as well as by the linear motion of the support surface that ensures approximately linear shear throughout the sample. We show that even if $I$ is kept fixed, the rate of memory loss (considered at the time scale given by the inverse shear rate) depends erratically on the shear rate. Our study suggests a presence of bifurcations at which the rate of memory loss increases with the shear rate while it decreases away from these points. We also find that the memory loss is not a smooth process. Its rate is closely related to frequency of the sudden transitions of the force network. The loss of memory, quantified by observing evolution of force networks, is found to be correlated with the loss of correlation of shear stress measured on the system scale. Thus, we have established a direct link between the evolution of force networks and macroscopic properties of the considered system

A Dynamic Knowledge Management Framework for the High Value Manufacturing Industry

Dynamic Knowledge Management (KM) is a combination of cultural and technological factors, including the cultural factors of people and their motivations, technological factors of content and infrastructure and, where these both come together, interface factors. In this paper a Dynamic KM framework is described in the context of employees being motivated to create profit for their company through product development in high value manufacturing. It is reported how the framework was discussed during a meeting of the collaborating company’s (BAE Systems) project stakeholders. Participants agreed the framework would have most benefit at the start of the product lifecycle before key decisions were made. The framework has been designed to support organisational learning and to reward employees that improve the position of the company in the market place

Protsessimudelite struktuur koosmõjus mudeli kasutusega

“Üks pilt on väärt tuhat sõna” - kui eelnev mõttetera on esitatud info edastamise kontekstis, kus lisaks tuimadele faktidele soovitakse anda edasi ka emotsiooni ja tunnet, siis kuidas toimib sama lause just nimelt tuimade faktide edastamisel? Järjest rohkem esitatakse töötajatele suunatud organisatsioonide kirjeldusi läbi erinevate jooniste ja tekstide, seda eriti protsessimudelite juures. Antud doktoritöö keskendub kahele küsimusele: (i) kuidas kombineeritakse struktuurseid ja mittestruktuurseid komponente protsesside kirjeldamisel praktikas; (ii) ja mis tagab protsessimudelite jätkusuutliku kasutuse organisatsioonis? Protsessihierarhia lisamine protsessimudelisse avaldab positiivset mõju mudeli kasutusele organisatsioonis. Samas, protsesside esitamisel diagrammi kujul tuleb arvestada lõppkasutajaga (antud kontekstis töötaja), kelle jaoks ei tarvitse olla lihtne lugeda olulist informatsiooni diagrammilt. Seega peab olema töötajatele suunatud mudelites teksti kujul esitatud faktide hulk oluliselt suurem kui läbi joonise kirjeldatu. See on eriti oluline suuremate mudelite juures, kus protsessidiagrammidega esitatav info on mahukas ja joonised sageli keerulised. Kui mudeli lugemisel peab kasutaja fookus olema eelkõige protsessijoonisel ja lisafakte esitatakse teksti kujul, siis sellised mudelid sobivad pigem tehnilisele lugejaskonnale, mitte organisatsiooni teadmistebaasi. Kui organisatsioon soovib aktiivset teadmistebaasi kasutust, siis on vaja saavutada hea tasakaal organisatsiooni (Organisatsiooni, Modelleerimise ja Kasutusega seotud edufaktorid) ja tehniliste parameetrite (Protsessimudeli ja Tarkvaraga seotud edufaktorid) vahel. Näiteks, tehnilist poolt kajastavate edufaktorite kontekstis on väga oluline ‘Mudeli struktuur’, mis otseselt mõjutab protsessimudeli laiemat kasutust organisatsioonis. Organisatsiooni ja kasutajate kontekstis mängib olulist rolli juhtkonna eeskuju protsessimudeli aktiivsel kasutamisel.A picture is worth a thousand words, but adding even a few words can greatly enhance a picture. It is common to find textual and diagrammatic components complementing each other in enterprise models in general, and in business process models in particular. This doctoral thesis discusses the questions of: (i) how do structured and unstructured components of process models co-exist with each other in practice; and (ii) what determines that a process model is used on a sustained basis within an organization? Presenting the process hierarchy of a process model in a structured form has a positive impact on the sustained use of the model. Caution is necessary when adding structured components into the descriptions of processes — it might not be easy for process workers to understand the structure(s) and obtain essential information from the diagrams. Thus, the balance between pure text and diagrams needs to be “shifted” toward the text, especially in the context of larger process models where the amount of information is great and the process diagrams tend to be voluminous and complicated. If a significant part of the information is presented on a diagram and less information is given via text (you have to “read” the diagram first), then the model is rather appropriate for technical people but has no place in the knowledge base of process workers. A good balance between the organizational setting (factors related to Organization, Users and Process Modelling) and technical parameters directly related to the knowledge base (factors related to Model and Tools) is necessary when the sustained use of knowledge base is important for the organization. One factor in particular that was highlighted in the context of technical parameters as contributing to sustained use was the Structure of the process model. The impact of management on users through a positive example plays a substantial role during the deployment phase of the knowledge base in the organization