From fine-grained to abstract process models: A semantic approach

Organizations actively managing their business processes face a rapid growth of the number of process models that they maintain. Business process model abstraction has proven to be an effective means to generate readable, high-level views on business process models by showing coarse-grained activities and leaving out irrelevant details. In this way, abstraction facilitates a more efficient management of process models, as a single model can provide for many relevant views. Yet, it is an open question how to perform abstraction in the same skillful way as experienced modelers combine activities into more abstract tasks. This paper presents an approach that uses semantic information of a process model to decide on which activities belong together, which extends beyond existing approaches that merely exploit model structural characteristics. The contribution of this paper is twofold: we propose a novel activity aggregation method and suggest how to discover the activity aggregation habits of human modelers. In an experimental validation, we use an industrial process model repository to compare the developed activity aggregation method with actual modeling decisions, and observe a strong correlation between the two. The presented work is expected to contribute to the development of modeling support for the effective process model abstraction.     

Introducing decision-aware business processes

Business processes are designed to smoothly operate under multiple contexts (or business situations). Each context technically implies taking a different course of action. Be that as it may, going for the most appropriate action is still left up to the business process participant without any kind of assistance. Such a situation demonstrates that there is a lack of a context-aware decision-making feature. This paper addresses the issue of enabling a context-aware decision-making within the frame of business processes. We combine the concepts of business process, context-awareness and decision-making to introduce a new concept of Decision-Aware Business Processes in which decision partitions are the cornerstones. A decision partition reacts to the collected contextual parameters by selecting or recommending the most appropriate decision(s). In fact, the focus of this research is to introduce a new formalism for designing these partitions by means of patterns. Throughout our approach, each proposed pattern leads to building decision partitions in a straight-forward fashion. An overall example is proposed to illustrate our approach. It is inspired from the banking industry and introduces a decision-aware business process that handles loan applications. To sum up, whether seasoned, novice or in-between, business process participants will be able to save time in taking action(s). Moreover, the workflow becomes no longer stagnant across the business process. Instead, it dynamically adapts itself to each new set of business requirements imposed by the collected contextual input(s).     

Modeling languages for business processes and business rules: A representational analysis

Process modeling and rule modeling languages are both used to document organizational policies and procedures. To date, their synergies and overlap are under-researched. Understanding the relationship between the two modeling types would allow organizations to maximize synergies, avoid content duplication, and thus reduce their overall modeling effort. In this paper, we use the Bunge–Wand–Weber (BWW) representation theory to compare the representation capabilities of process and rule modeling languages. We perform a representational analysis of four rule modeling specifications: The Simple Rule Markup Language (SRML), the Semantic Web Rules Language (SWRL), the Production Rule Representation (PRR), and the Semantics of Business Vocabulary and Business Rules (SBVR) specification. We compare their BWW representation capabilities with those of four popular conceptual process modeling languages. In our analysis, we focus on the aspects of maximum ontological completeness and minimum ontological overlap. The outcome of this study shows that no single language is internally complete with respect to the BWW representation model. We also show that a combination of two languages, in particular SRML and BPMN, appears to be better suited for combined process and rule modeling than any of these modeling languages used independently.     

BPMN 2.0编排的形式语义和分析

BPMN 2.0编排已成为描述业务流程间交互事实上的标准.BPMN 2.0编排面向流的特征,使之会产生控制流方面的语义错误.因此,检查编排语义正确性是BPMN 2.0编排建模工具所期望具有的功能.但是,BPMN 2.0标准规约中编排缺少形式语义及相应的分析技术,这阻碍了对BPMN 2.0编排的语义分析.本文提出了一种映射,用于将BPMN 2.0编排转换为工作流网,使用Petri网来形式定义BPMN 2.0编排的语义.借助Petri网的分析技术,这种定义的语义可用来分析BPMN 2.0编排的结构和控制流方面的错误.该映射和语义分析已被实现为一种工具.实验结果表明,这种形式化可以识别BPM AI过程模型库中编排的语义错误.     

建模语言DSC和BPMN的对比分析

业务流程建模是业务流程管理(Business Process Management,BPM)中最为重要的环节,一个好的建模语言对业务流程的建模和开发起到非常关键的作用。各具特色的业务过程建模语言不断出现,对语言的研究、分析和比较已经成为流程设计与流程实现之间的一个重要问题。介绍了一种新的业务流程建模语言DSC(Dynamic SystemChart),并将DSC和目前比较流行的建模语言BPMN(Business Process Modeling Notation)做了比较分析。     

智慧家庭服务系统过程建模与设计

智慧家庭服务系统是现代服务计算和云计算环境下服务系统的新形态和新应用,对智慧家庭服务业务过程的分析、建模与设计问题进行了研究。介绍了智慧家庭的新理念,提出了智慧家庭服务系统的体系结构。在详细分析家庭服务业务过程基础上,提出了基于BPMN建模语言的智慧家庭服务过程建模方法。最后以具有典型性的采购服务为例,建立了服务过程模型,并给出了设计与实现方案。     

基于结构化定理的BPMN结构化方法

在基于标准模型驱动业务流程的开发环境中,需要把模型转换为代码。该文提出一种新的基于结构化定理的解决方法,把业务过程建模符号的非结构化程序转化为结构化程序,并通过一个实际案例说明其可行性。实验结果表明,该方法是有效的。     

Merging event logs for process mining: A rule based merging method and rule suggestion algorithm

In an inter-organizational setting the manual construction of process models is challenging because the different people involved have to put together their partial knowledge about the overall process. Process mining, an automated technique to discover and analyze process models, can facilitate the construction of inter-organizational process models. This paper presents a technique to merge the input data of the different partners of an inter-organizational process in order to serve as input for process mining algorithms. The technique consists of a method for configuring and executing the merge and an algorithm that searches for links between the data of the different partners and that suggests rules to the user on how to merge the data. Tool support is provided in the open source process mining framework ProM. The method and the algorithm are tested using two artificial and three real life datasets that confirm their effectiveness and efficiency.     

BPMN改进MVC建模的研究

介绍了业务流程研究的最新成果和对企业级应用集成的意义,分析了MVC实际应用中的缺陷,MVC和BPMN(Business Process Modeling Notation)在机理上的可衔接性,从而提出用BPMN辅助MVC建模,使基于MVC模型的应用结构更趋合理,并且更容易实现EAI.     

基于Pi演算的BPMN编排模式

针对业务流程建模标记（BPMN）无法依靠自身对编排进行形式化分析的问题,提出用Pi演算描述BPMN编排模式,实现对BPMN编排的描述。BPMN编排模式是服务交互模式的BPMN表达。实验结果表明,该方法能够找到并排除BPMN编排中的死锁。     

Integrating visual goal models into the Rational Unified Process

The Rational Unified Process is a comprehensive process model that is tailorable, provides templates for the software engineering products, and integrates the use of the Unified Modeling Language (UML); it is rapidly becoming a de facto standard for developing software. The process supports the definition of requirements at multiple levels. Currently, the early requirements, or goals, are captured in a textual document called the Vision Document, as the UML does not include a goal modeling diagram. The goals are subsequently refined into software requirements, captured in UML Use Case Diagrams. Given the well documented advantages of visual modeling techniques in requirements engineering, including the efficient communication and understanding of complex information among numerous diverse stakeholders, the need for an enhanced version of the Vision Document template which supports the visual modeling of goals is identified. Here, an Enhanced Vision Document is proposed which integrates two existing visual goal models: AND/OR Graph for functional goals and Softgoal Interdependency Graph for non-functional goals. A specific approach to establishing traceability relationships from the goals to the Use Cases is presented. Tool support has been developed for the Enhanced Vision Document template; the approach is illustrated using an example system called the Quality Assurance Review Assistant Tool.     

Plural: A decentralized business process modeling method

Top-down and centralized approaches prevail in the design and improvement of business processes. However, centralized structures pose difficulties for organizations in adapting to a rapidly changing business environment. Here we present the Plural method which can be used to guide organizations in performing process modeling in a decentralized way. Instead of a centralized group of people understanding, modeling and improving processes, our method allows individuals to model and improve their own processes to help in fulfilling their roles in the organization. An individual model depicts a set of activities performed by a role, which together result in a cohesive service within the organization. These individual models are then integrated as necessary to show the way the organization works. We applied the Plural method in a case study of a small-size software organization. We describe the method and its underlying principles and then discuss the findings of our case study, lessons learned, and limitations. The study thus provided evidence of Plural's utility and showed how an organization might exploit its strengths.     

Clear justification of modeling decisions for goal-oriented requirements engineering

Representation and reasoning about goals of an information system unavoidably involve the transformation of unclear stakeholder requirements into an instance of a goal model. If the requirements engineer does not justify why one clear form of requirements is chosen over others, the subsequent modeling decisions cannot be justified either. If arguments for clarification and modeling decisions are instead explicit, justifiably appropriate instances of goal models can be constructed and additional analyses applied to discover richer sets of requirements. The paper proposes the “Goal Argumentation Method (GAM)” to fulfil three roles: (i) GAM guides argumentation and justification of modeling choices during the construction or critique of goal model instances; (ii) it enables the detection of deficient argumentation within goal model instances; and (iii) it provides practical techniques for the engineer to ensure that requirements appearing both in arguments and in model instance elements are clear.

面向目标的信息系统分析和建模策略

通过具体实例的讨论,结合现有的信息系统建模技术,阐述了面向目标的信息系统的分析方法和建模策略。     

Workflow simulation for operational decision support using event graph through process mining

It is increasingly common to see computer-based simulation being used as a vehicle to model and analyze business processes in relation to process management and improvement. While there are a number of business process management (BPM) and business process simulation (BPS) methodologies, approaches and tools available, it is more desirable to have a systemic BPS approach for operational decision support, from constructing process models based on historical data to simulating processes for typical and common problems. In this paper, we have proposed a generic approach of BPS for operational decision support which includes business processes modeling and workflow simulation with the models generated. Processes are modeled with event graphs through process mining from workflow logs that have integrated comprehensive information about the control-flow, data and resource aspects of a business process. A case study of a credit card application is presented to illustrate the steps involved in constructing an event graph. The evaluation detail is also given in terms of precision, generalization and robustness. Based on the event graph model constructed, we simulate the process under different scenarios and analyze the simulation logs for three generic problems in the case study: 1) suitable resource allocation plan for different case arrival rates; 2) teamwork performance under different case arrival rates; and 3) evaluation and prediction for personal performances. Our experimental results show that the proposed approach is able to model business processes using event graphs and simulate the processes for common operational decision support which collectively play an important role in process management and improvement.