Enhancing declarative process models with DMN decision logic

Modeling dynamic, human-centric, non-standardized and knowledge-intensive business processes with imperative process modeling approaches is very challenging. Declarative process modeling approaches are more appropriate for these processes, as they offer the run-time flexibility typically required in these cases. However, by means of a realistic healthcare process that falls in the aforementioned category, we demonstrate in this paper that current declarative approaches do not incorporate all the details needed. More specifically, they lack a way to model decision logic, which is important when attempting to fully capture these processes. We propose a new declarative language, Declare-R-DMN, which combines the declarative process modeling language Declare-R with the newly adopted OMG standard Decision Model and Notation. Aside from supporting the functionality of both languages, Declare-R-DMN also creates bridges between them. We will show that using this language results in process models that encapsulate much more knowledge, while still offering the same flexibility

УПРОВАДЖЕННЯ ОБЛІКОВИХ ПРОЦЕСІВ ЯК АЛЬТЕРНАТИВНИЙ СПОСІБ ОРГАНІЗАЦІЇ БУХГАЛТЕРСЬКОГО ОБЛІКУ

This article explores the possibilities and prospects for the introduction of accounting processes in order to improve the organization of accounting in the enterprise. The theoretical content of the process approach to management is investigated and the definition of the concept “accounting process” in the context of business and non-business entities is proposed.Modern complex conditions of socio-economic development require dynamic changes in the methodology and organization of accounting. The improvement of information technologies and their implementation in the process of accounting and analysis has set the task of developing cross-cutting business processes that will include accounting and analytical processes. The article substantiates the possibility of distinguishing the accounting process as an independent business process, since it has all the characteristics of the process (initial data, results, resources), as well as the result of the introduction of the accounting and analytical process, the final product is formed - financial reports.Taking into account the peculiarities of the economic and organizational activities of legal entities, it is proposed to apply the following terminology of the definition “accounting process”: a business accounting process for an enterprise, since an economic benefit must be obtained to evaluate its application; the accounting process, for a non-profit entity, since the assessment of its use will be mainly a socio-economic effect. It is safe to say that accounting has moved from simple accounting and analytical information support to accounting management of enterprise economic processes, becoming one of the main types of management. The subject of accounting in a balanced development is the management and control of internal and external processes, and in the course of organizing accounting, engineering tools are used.In addition, the article substantiates the composition of indicators for assessing the effectiveness and efficiency of accounting processes. They are divided into three main groups: product performance indicators; process efficiency indicators; customer satisfaction indicators.Изучены возможности и перспективы внедрения учетных процессов с целью усовершенствования организации учета на предприятии. Исследовано теоретическое содержание процессного подхода к управлению и предложено определение понятия «учетный процесс» в разрезе субъектов предпринимательской и непредпринимательской деятельности.Современные сложные условия социально-экономического развития требуют динамических изменений в методологии и организации учета. Совершенствование информационных технологий и их внедрение в процессе бухгалтерского учета и анализа поставило задачу разработки сквозных бизнес-процессов, которые будут включать бухгалтерские и аналитические процессы. Обоснована возможность различения процесса бухгалтерского учета как самостоятельного бизнес-процесса, поскольку он имеет все характеристики процесса (исходные данные, результаты, ресурсы), а также результат внедрения бухгалтерского и аналитического процесса.Принимая во внимание особенности экономической и организационной деятельности юридических лиц, предлагается применить следующую терминологию определения «процесс учета»: бизнес-процесс учета для предприятия, поскольку экономическая выгода должна быть получена для оценки его применения; процесс учета для некоммерческого субъекта, поскольку оценка его применения будет в основном социально-экономическим эффектом.С уверенностью можно утверждать, что бухгалтерский учет перешел от простого учетно-аналитического обеспечения информацией к бухгалтерскому управлению экономическими процессами предприятия, став одним из основных видов менеджмента. Предметом бухгалтерского учета в условиях сбалансированного развития является управление  внутренними и внешними процессамии контроль за ним, а в ходе организации учета используется инжиниринговый инструментарий.Обосновывается состав индикаторов для оценки эффективности и эффективности процессов учета. Они делятся на три основные группы: показатели эффективности продукции; индикаторы эффективности процесса, показатели удовлетворенности клиентов.Вивчено можливості і перспективи запровадження облікових процесів з метою вдосконалення організації обліку на підприємстві. Досліджено теоретичний зміст процесного підходу до управління і запропоновано визначення поняття «обліковий процес» у розрізі суб’єктів підприємницької та непідприємницької діяльності.Сучасні складні умови соціально-економічного розвитку вимагають динамічних змін у методології та організації обліку. Удосконалення інформаційних технологій і їх упровадження у процесі бухгалтерського обліку й аналізу поставило завдання — розробити наскрізні бізнес-процеси, які будуть включати в себе бухгалтерські та аналітичні процеси. Обґрунтовано можливість розрізнення процесу бухгалтерського обліку як самостійного бізнес-процесу, оскільки він має всі характеристики процесу (вихідні дані, результати, ресурси), а також результат упровадження бухгалтерського та аналітичного процесу.Беручи до уваги особливості економічної та організаційної діяльності юридичних осіб, запропоновано застосувати таку термінологію визначення «процес обліку»: бізнес-процес обліку для суб’єкта господарювання, оскільки економічна вигода повинна бути отримана для оцінки його застосування; процес обліку для некомерційного суб’єкта, оскільки оцінка його застосування буде в основному соціально-економічним ефектом. Із упевненістю можна стверджувати, що бухгалтерський облік перейшов від простого обліково-аналітичного забезпечення інформацією до бухгалтерського управління економічними процесами підприємства, ставши одним із основних видів менеджменту. Предметом бухгалтерського обліку в умовах збалансованого розвитку є управління внутрішніми і зовнішніми процесами та контроль за ними, а в ході організації обліку використовується інжиніринговий інструментарій.Крім того, обґрунтовується склад індикаторів для оцінювання ефективності та ефективності процесів обліку. Їх поділяють на три основні групи: показники ефективності продукції індикатори ефективності процесу; показники задоволеності клієнтів

A Process Model of the U.S. Federal Perspective on STEM

Although advocacy for better science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education has a long and distinguished history in the United States, the recent emphasis has included strong rhetoric and concomitant funding. Policy makers legislate as though STEM is clearly defined. Yet, the concept remains nebulous, which limits the nation’s capacity to act in a strong and uniformed manner to address societal challenges. In this study, the authors used grounded theory methods to synthesize and interpret the federal perspective that defines STEM in the United States. The resulting theory is a model that includes five core processes: recruitment, recapture, retention, quality assurance, and quality control. These processes interact to support the system in achieving its goal of producing a qualified future workforce. Such a model has implications for advancing the overall goals of STEM as well as further research and development on the components of the model itself

Characterizing and evaluating the quality of software process modeling language: Comparison of ten representative model-based languages

Software organizations are very conscious that deployments of well-defined software processes improve software product development and its quality. Over last decade, many Software Process Modeling Languages (SPMLs) have been proposed to describe and manage software processes. However, each one presents advantages and disadvantages. The main challenge for an organization is to choose the best and most suitable SPML to meet its requirements. This paper proposes a Quality Model (QM) which has been defined conforms to QuEF (Quality Evaluation Framework). This QM allows to compare model-based SPMLs and it could be used by organizations to choose the most useful model-based SPML for their particular requirements. This paper also instances our QM to evaluate and compare 10 representative SPMLs of the various alternative approaches (metamodel-level approaches; SPML based on UML and approaches based on standards). Finally, this paper concludes there are many model-based proposals for SPM, but it is very difficult to establish with could be the commitment to follow. Some non-considered aspects until now have been identified (e.g., validation within enterprise environments, friendly support tools, mechanisms to carry out continuous improvement, mechanisms to establish business rules and elements for software process orchestrating).Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad TIN2016-76956-C3-2-R (POLOLAS

Towards a decision-aware declarative process modeling language for knowledge-intensive processes

Modeling loosely framed and knowledge-intensive business processes with the currently available process modeling languages is very challenging. Some lack the flexibility to model this type of processes, while others are missing one or more-perspectives needed to add the necessary level of detail to the models. In this paper we have composed a list of requirements that a modeling language should fulfil in order to adequately support the modeling of this type of processes. Based on these requirements, a metamodel for a new modeling language was developed that satisfies them all. The new language, called DeciClare, incorporates parts of several existing modeling languages, integrating them with new solutions to requirements that had not yet been met, Deciclare is a declarative modeling language at its core, and therefore, can inherently deal with the flexibility required to model loosely framed processes. The complementary resource and data perspectives add the capability to reason about, respectively, resources and data values. The latter makes it possible to encapsulate the knowledge that governs the process flow by offering support for decision modeling. The abstract syntax of DeciClare has been implemented in the form of an Ecore model. Based on this implementation, the language-domain appropriateness of the language was validated by domain experts using the arm fracture case as application scenario. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Tackling Dierent Business Process Perspectives

Business Process Management (BPM) has emerged as a discipline to design, control, analyze, and optimize business operations. Conceptual models lie at the core of BPM. In particular, business process models have been taken up by organizations as a means to describe the main activities that are performed to achieve a specific business goal. Process models generally cover different perspectives that underlie separate yet interrelated representations for analyzing and presenting process information. Being primarily driven by process improvement objectives, traditional business process modeling languages focus on capturing the control flow perspective of business processes, that is, the temporal and logical coordination of activities. Such approaches are usually characterized as \u201cactivity-centric\u201d. Nowadays, activity-centric process modeling languages, such as the Business Process Model and Notation (BPMN) standard, are still the most used in practice and benefit from industrial tool support. Nevertheless, evidence shows that such process modeling languages still lack of support for modeling non-control-flow perspectives, such as the temporal, informational, and decision perspectives, among others. This thesis centres on the BPMN standard and addresses the modeling the temporal, informational, and decision perspectives of process models, with particular attention to processes enacted in healthcare domains. Despite being partially interrelated, the main contributions of this thesis may be partitioned according to the modeling perspective they concern. The temporal perspective deals with the specification, management, and formal verification of temporal constraints. In this thesis, we address the specification and run-time management of temporal constraints in BPMN, by taking advantage of process modularity and of event handling mechanisms included in the standard. Then, we propose three different mappings from BPMN to formal models, to validate the behavior of the proposed process models and to check whether they are dynamically controllable. The informational perspective represents the information entities consumed, produced or manipulated by a process. This thesis focuses on the conceptual connection between processes and data, borrowing concepts from the database domain to enable the representation of which part of a database schema is accessed by a certain process activity. This novel conceptual view is then employed to detect potential data inconsistencies arising when the same data are accessed erroneously by different process activities. The decision perspective encompasses the modeling of the decision-making related to a process, considering where decisions are made in the process and how decision outcomes affect process execution. In this thesis, we investigate the use of the Decision Model and Notation (DMN) standard in conjunction with BPMN starting from a pattern-based approach to ease the derivation of DMN decision models from the data represented in BPMN processes. Besides, we propose a methodology that focuses on the integrated use of BPMN and DMN for modeling decision-intensive care pathways in a real-world application domain

Business process modeling language selection for research modelers

Business process modeling is a crucial aspect of domains such as Business Process Management and Software Engineering. The availability of various BPM languages in the market makes it challenging for process modelers to select the best-fit BPM language for a specific process modeling task. A decision model is necessary to systematically capture and make scattered knowledge on BPM languages available for reuse by process modelers and academics. This paper presents a decision model for the BPM language selection problem in research projects. The model contains mappings of 72 BPM features to 23 BPM languages. We validated and refined the decision model through 10 expert interviews with domain experts from various organizations. We evaluated the efficiency, validity, and generality of the decision model by conducting four case studies of academic research projects with their original researchers. The results confirmed that the decision model supports process modelers in the selection process by providing more insights into the decision process. Based on the empirical evidence from the case studies and domain expert feedback, we conclude that having the knowledge readily available in the decision model supports academics in making more informed decisions that align with their preferences and prioritized requirements. Furthermore, the captured knowledge provides a comprehensive overview of BPM languages, features, and quality characteristics that other researchers can employ to tackle future research challenges. Our observations indicate that BPMN is a commonly used modeling language for process modeling. Therefore, it is more sensible for academics to explain why they did not select BPMN than to discuss why they chose it for their research project(s)