Adapted Loss Database – A New Approach to Assess IT Risk in Automated Business Processes

Service-oriented architectures (SOA) provide companies with dynamic IT infrastructures to adapt business processes flexibly to new requirements. However, the success of SOA will also depend on the ability to manage risk resulting from frequent and context-specific changes of IT support for automated business processes. Assessing this IT risk is challenging, since frequently changing relations between the causes of risk and their effects on business processes turns established methods for assessing risk into a game of hazard. Following a design science approach, this contribution proposes a novel approach for taking changes of cause-effect relations into consideration. Based on a backward-directed recalculation of historical loss data, a risk-adjusted loss database is generated that can provide a more realistic basis for assessing IT risk

A RISK BASED APPROACH FOR SELECTING SERVICES IN BUSINESS PROCESS EXECUTION

The vision of automated business processes within a service-oriented paradigm includes the flexible orchestration of IT services. Whenever alternative services are available for activities in an ITsupported business process, an automated decision is worth aspiring to. According to valueoriented management, this decision should be motivated economically and also requires taking account of risk. This paper presents a novel approach for assessing the risk of IT services, based on vulnerability information as can be obtained in the form of publicly available Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS) data

PRIMA: A Model-Based Method for Analyzing Place-Related Information in Disaster Response Processes

Processes in disaster response management (DRM) and business processes are similar due to their general structure and goals. Thus, applying workflow management systems (WfMS) is discussed as a promising approach to manage disaster response processes (DRP). However, one main obstacle for realizing the potentials of WfMS in DRM is the lack of methods and tools addressing disaster-specific aspects that exceed the “classical” business context. A particular challenge is posed by the analysis of interdependencies resulting from stationary and mobile activities and resources. Therefore, in this contribution, a novel model-based method for analyzing place-related information is proposed and discussed. The PRIMA method aims at the identification of non-operable activities (and possible remedies) before the execution of an actual DRP stalls and is improvised. Applying the method promises a sound basis for both effective and efficient planning of DRP as well as their successful management by future disaster response WfMS

A Reference Architecture for a Workflow Management System Front End Designed for Augmented Reality Headsets

A well-known approach to managing and controlling workflows in organizations is the workflow management system (WFMS). Recently, approaches utilizing augmented reality headsets as WFMS front ends have been discussed, promising higher efficiency, effectiveness, and usability for certain application scenarios. However, existing design-oriented approaches lack actionable guidance for implementation. A well-known approach to address such knowledge gaps is a reference architecture, which inter alia reduces development times and risks and facilitates collaboration between developers. Based on an existing tentative design theory for an augmented reality-based WFMS front end, we contribute a reference architecture containing an extended design theory, user interface design, and models for use cases, components, classes, and sequence flows in the unified modeling language. The reference architecture was successfully operationalized in a prototype and positively evaluated via a survey of potential users

Towards a Taxonomy for Neighborhood Volunteering Management Platforms

The management and organization of volunteering in the social sector have been strongly influenced by technological progress over the last two decades. New proposals for IT-based volunteering management platforms that draw on many elements of social media are appearing with increasing frequency. In this article, we analyzed the current state of the art and use a methodological approach to develop a taxonomy for classifying existing and emerging developments in the field. The taxonomy is intended to assist practitioners in selecting appropriate systems for their respective purposes as well as support researchers in identifying research gaps. The resulting research artifact has undergone an initial evaluation and can support maintaining a better overview in a growing subject area