Workflow Modeling

Alec Sharp, Patrick McDermott

Book review/summary, by Razvan

The Approach in a Nutshell (3)

1. 2. 3. 4. Frame the process Understand the current (As-Is) process Design the new (To-Be) process Develop use case scenarios

1. Frame the process

Identify the business process Clarify its boundaries Perform an initial assessment Establish goals for the redesigned process

2. Understand the current (As-Is) process

Model the workflow Perform a more specific assessment

3. Design the new (To-Be) process

Devise potential improvements Assess them Select the main characteristics of the process Design the new workflow

4. Develop use case scenarios

Transition into system requirements analysis
Describe how process actors would interact with a system to complete tasks

Modeling techniques and frameworks

Central technique:
Process workflow modeling

Other:
Establish context for the process Address other Critical Success factors (CSFs) Define Information Systems requirements

Why it works
Techniques, frameworks, guidelines, phases, and steps that make it:
Complete Repeatable Learnable

Practical (actual is), rather than a theoretical exploration (ought to be)

Based on experience

What makes it different

Ensures real business processes are identified, with clearly defined boundaries Simple to read and highlights the role played by individual participants Includes methods to address:
all the factors (enablers) that support a process the environmental factors that constrain it

Integrates process-oriented and IT-oriented efforts

Processes results, not work

Process definition:
A collection of interrelated work tasks (4), initiated in response to an event (3), achieving a specific result (2) for the customer & other stakeholders (1) of the process.

The Result
Must be: Specifically identifiable
w/out a clear scope: scope creep

Countable
Helps differentiate process from function definition (e.g. Shipments vs. Logistics)

Framework(s) in general
Structure(s) for:
discovering organizing presenting ideas or information

Manage complexity by reducing vague and complex topics to a set of simpler questions. They:
organize work maintain focus (during interviews or facilitated sessions) encourage coverage of all aspects of a topic provide a standard format to document the findings

Example: 3Ts framework (R:similar to SMART):

Topic Traget Time frame

A framework for process enablers

An enabler is a factor that helps a process achieve its intended result and meet performance targets within the applicable constraints. The process enablers framework includes: 1.Workflow design 2.Information technology (IT) 3.Motivation and measurement 4.Human resources 5.Policies and rules 6.Facilities design, or other categories appropriate to the context

Enabler: Workflow design

Consists of a sequence (flow) of:
steps (tasks) decisions hand-offs

carried out by process actors between the initial event and the final result

Enabler: Information Technology (IT)

Enables a process by:
Automating and supporting steps (tasks) Capturing or presenting information Managing and expediting the workflow

Consists of:
Systems (applications, databases) Information Computers and other devices Telecommunications, networks

Enabler: Motivation & measurement

Explicit and implicit reward system Experience shows that people do what they are measured on, and if the measures do not align with the goals of a redesigned process, failure is virtually certain

Enabler: Human resources

Covers:
Knowledge, skills, and experience Training Organizational structure Job description and so on

A process requires:
the right people in the right job with the right skills

Enabler: Policies and rules

Includes:
Organizations rules and policies; they guide or constrain business processes Applicable laws and regulations

Enabler: Facilities & other

Facilities:
Workplace design Physical infrastructure (e.g. equipment, furniture, lighting, air quality, etc.)

Other:
Specific to the context

A framework for putting processes and systems in context

3-layer framework:
Mission, strategy, and goals Business process Information systems

Individual processes have their own mission, strategy, and goals

should align with their enterprise counterparts (together) they provide important guidance when making decisions

Other factors:
Culture Core competencies

Expanding the IT layer

5-tier framework: Mission, strategy, and goals Business processes Information systems
Presentation Application logic Data management

Models in general
An abstraction or representation of some subject matter. 2 types:
Iconic model:
resembles the physical object it represents, except that its smaller and simplified

Symbolic model:
A representation of some physical or conceptual subject matter that isnt intended to look like the subject

Useful models criteria

Generally, they:
highlight facets of interest while masking unnecessary details Employ conventions for adding progressive amounts of details Are more convenient, less expensive, and safer to (create and) manipulate

Modeling is not an end in itself and people frequently have to be reminded to stop modeling when the purpose has been achieved:
As-Is process: understand why the current process behaves the way it does To-be process: guide implementation

The modeling technique we employ

Business process: process workflow models Presentation: use case scenarios Application logic: various techniques Data management: data models

Business process: process workflow models

Aka. Swimlane diagrams Swimming pool Swimming Lanes Swimmers (actors, role) Steps (tasks) Sequence and flow (arrows) (Hand-offs)

Presentation: use case scenarios

Consider how information systems will help an actor complete a task Variant of the popular use case technique Essentially, it models a dialogue between an actor and a system for a particular scenario Note (R:) unlike typical scenario, a scenario (in this technique) may flow through multiple use cases

Application logic: various techniques

The most complex of the 3 IS layers. Various techniques:
Event identification State transition modeling Transaction specification

Data management: data models

The heart of a data model is the entityrelationship diagram (ERD), made up of 3 types of components:
Entities: distinct things about which information is needed Relationships: associations among those entities Attributes: facts about each entity that must be recorded

Five-tier thinking (a summary)

An enterprise has a mission, strategy, and goals which are supported by business processes. Actors in a business process are in turn supported by information systems that they interact with via the presentation layer, which communicates commands to the application logic layer, which enforces business rules and coordinates updates to the stored records in the data management layer.