Testing a Framework for the Quality of Process Models - A Case Study

Process modeling can be regarded as the currently most popular form of conceptual modeling.\ud Research evidence illustrates how process modeling is applied across the different information\ud system life cycle phases for a range of different applications, such as configuration of Enterprise\ud Systems, workflow management, or software development. However, a detailed discussion of\ud critical factors of the quality of process models is still missing. This paper proposes a framework\ud consisting of six quality factors, which is derived from a comprehensive literature review. It then\ud presents in a case study, a utility provider, who had designed various business process models for\ud the selection of an Enterprise System. The paper summarizes potential means of conducting a\ud successful process modeling initiative and evaluates the described modeling approach within the\ud Guidelines of Modeling (GoM) framework. An outlook shows the potential lessons learnt, and\ud concludes with insights to the next phases of this study

A framework of issues in large process modeling projects

As process management projects have increased in size due to globalised and company-wide initiatives, a corresponding growth in the size of process modeling projects can be observed. Despite advances in languages, tools and methodologies, several aspects of these projects have been largely ignored by the academic community. This paper makes a first contribution to a potential research agenda in this field by defining the characteristics of large-scale process modeling projects and proposing a framework of related issues. These issues are derived from a semi-structured interview and six focus groups conducted in Australia, Germany and the USA with enterprise and modeling software vendors and customers. The focus groups confirm the existence of unresolved problems in business process modeling projects. The outcomes provide a research agenda which directs researchers into further studies in global process management, process model decomposition and the overall governance of process modeling projects. It is expected that this research agenda will provide guidance to researchers and practitioners by focusing on areas of high theoretical and practical relevance

Testing a Framework for the Quality of Process Models

Process modeling can be regarded as the currently most popular form of conceptual modeling. Research evidence illustrates how process modeling is applied across the different information system life cycle phases for a range of different applications, such as configuration of Enterprise Systems, workflow management, or software development. However, a detailed discussion of critical factors of the quality of process models is still missing. This paper proposes a framework consisting of six quality factors, which is derived from a comprehensive literature review. It then presents in a case study, a utility provider, who had designed various business process models for the selection of an Enterprise System. The paper summarizes potential means of conducting a successful process modeling initiative and evaluates the described modeling approach within the Guidelines of Modeling (GoM) framework. An outlook shows the potential lessons learnt, and concludes with insights to the next phases of this study

Defining the Quality Business Process Reference Models

This paper presents an empirical contribution to the quality of business process reference models, a tool used within enterprises for knowledge management and business process management. Quality in this case is defined as the existence of user desired attributes. The primary goal of the case studies was to examine user opinions of the quality attributes of reference models. The paper concludes that consistency and completeness of the model and access to feedback mechanisms are amongst the most critical attributes of reference model quality. New concepts such as a terminology-matching-dictionary and the dimension of economic efficiency of use are also introduced

Why do shadow systems exist after an ERP implementation? : Lessons from a case study

One of the main promises of an ERP implementation is the ‘full integration of a business’. Reports of shadow systems in post ERP implementations suggest that this is not always the case. Using an exploratory single case study method with grounded theory coding techniques this study investigates why shadow systems exist after an ERP implementation. This paper provides a theoretical framework which reveals that the causal factors found in the categories of technology, organization, business procedures and people all contribute to the phenomenon of shadow systems in an ERP context