THE MINADEPT CLUSTERING APPROACH FOR DISCOVERING REFERENCE PROCESS MODELS OUT OF PROCESS VARIANTS

2010 ◽  
Vol 19 (03n04) ◽  
pp. 159-203 ◽  
Author(s):  
CHEN LI ◽  
MANFRED REICHERT ◽  
ANDREAS WOMBACHER
Keyword(s):  
Process Model ◽  
Clustering Algorithm ◽  
Reference Model ◽  
Average Distance ◽  
Process Models ◽  
Process Variants ◽  
Reference Process ◽  
Build Time ◽  
Clustering Approach ◽  
New Generation

During the last years a new generation of adaptive Process-Aware Information Systems (PAIS) has emerged, which enables dynamic process changes at runtime, while preserving PAIS robustness and consistency. Such adaptive PAIS allow authorized users to add new process activities, to delete existing activities, or to change pre-defined activity sequences during runtime. Both this runtime flexibility and process configurations at build-time, lead to a large number of process variants being derived from the same process model, but slightly differing in structure due to the applied changes. Generally, process variants are expensive to configure and difficult to maintain. This paper presents selected results from our MinAdept project. In particular, we provide a clustering algorithm that fosters learning from past process changes by mining a collection of process variants. As mining result we obtain a process model for which average distance to the process variant models becomes minimal. By adopting this process model as reference model in the PAIS, need for future process configuration and adaptation decreases. We have validated our clustering algorithm by means of a case study as well as comprehensive simulations. Altogether, our vision is to enable full process lifecycle support in adaptive PAIS.

Modeling Business Process Variability for Design-Time Configuration

2011 ◽  
pp. 204-228 ◽  
Author(s):  
Macello La Rosa ◽  
Marlon Dumas ◽  
Arthur H.M. ter Hofstede
Keyword(s):  
Business Process ◽  
Process Model ◽  
Process Models ◽  
Attractive Alternative ◽  
Process Variability ◽  
Design Time ◽  
Reference Process ◽  
Multiple Variants

A reference process model represents multiple variants of a common business process in an integrated and reusable manner. It is intended to be individualized in order to fit the requirements of a specific organization or project. This practice of individualizing reference process models provides an attractive alternative with respect to designing process models from scratch; in particular, it enables the reuse of proven practices. This chapter introduces techniques for representing variability in the context of reference process models, as well as techniques that facilitate the individualization of reference process models with respect to a given set of requirements.

Database Support for Workflow Management Systems

2009 ◽  
pp. 208-213
Author(s):  
Francisco A.C. Pinheiro
Keyword(s):  
Process Model ◽  
Reference Model ◽  
Workflow Management ◽  
Process Models ◽  
Formal Structure ◽  
Work Processes ◽  
Software Applications ◽  
Process Enactment ◽  
Workflow Management Coalition ◽  
Process Structure

A workflow is a series of work processes performed under rules that reflect the formal structure of the organization in which they are carried out and the relationships between their various parts. Workflow applications are software applications used to automate part of workflow processes. They run under the control of a workflow management system (WfMS). The WfMS usually comprises an organizational model, describing the process structure, and a process model, describing the process logic. The Workflow Management Coalition (WfMC, 2008) publishes a set of workflow definitions and related material, including a reference model. Databases are commonly used as a WfMS supporting technology. Not only workflow data are maintained in databases but also the rules governing processes can be stored in database schemas. Database functionality can be used both for defining and managing process models as well as for environment notification and process enactment. This article shows how particular database-related technologies can be used to support WfMS.

Process Model for an Empiracally Grounded Reference Model Construction

2011 ◽  
pp. 77-97 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frederik Ahlemann ◽  
Heike Gastl
Keyword(s):  
Literature Review ◽  
Process Model ◽  
Epistemological Beliefs ◽  
Reference Model ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Process Models ◽  
Research Projects ◽  
Ongoing Research ◽  
Reference Models ◽  
Proposed Model

This chapter stresses the importance of integrating empirical evidence in the construction process of reference models. With reference to the authors’ underly-ing epistemological beliefs, requirements for an empirically grounded process model are derived. Based on a literature review of existing process models and experience gained from three research projects, an advanced process model is proposed in order to provide concrete instructions that show how these require-ments can be met. Real-life examples from completed and ongoing research pro-jects are continuously integrated so as to contribute to the practicability of the proposed model for the reader.

scholarly journals Modelling the bioinformatics tertiary analysis research process

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (S13) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sara Pidò ◽  
Pietro Crovari ◽  
Franca Garzotto
Keyword(s):  
Process Model ◽  
User Study ◽  
Reference Model ◽  
Research Process ◽  
Analysis Pipeline ◽  
Analysis Process ◽  
Reference Process ◽  
Tremendous Amount ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Standard Formalism

Abstract Background With the advancements of Next Generation Techniques, a tremendous amount of genomic information has been made available to be analyzed by means of computational methods. Bioinformatics Tertiary Analysis is a complex multidisciplinary process that represents the final step of the whole bioinformatics analysis pipeline. Despite the popularity of the subject, the Bioinformatics Tertiary Analysis process has not yet been specified in a systematic way. The lack of a reference model results into a plethora of technological tools that are designed mostly on the data and not on the human process involved in Tertiary Analysis, making such systems difficult to use and to integrate. Methods To address this problem, we propose a conceptual model that captures the salient characteristics of the research methods and human tasks involved in Bioinformatics Tertiary Analysis. The model is grounded on a user study that involved bioinformatics specialists for the elicitation of a hierarchical task tree representing the Tertiary Analysis process. The outcome was refined and validated using the results of a vast survey of the literature reporting examples of Bioinformatics Tertiary Analysis activities. Results The final hierarchical task tree was then converted into an ontological representation using an ontology standard formalism. The results of our research provides a reference process model for Tertiary Analysis that can be used both to analyze and to compare existing tools, or to design new tools. Conclusions To highlight the potential of our approach and to exemplify its concrete applications, we describe a new bioinformatics tool and how the proposed process model informed its design.

scholarly journals A Framework and Tool Support for Managing a Family of Business Process Variants

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Henry Chika Eleonu
Keyword(s):  
Business Process ◽  
Business Processes ◽  
Education Institution ◽  
Product Line ◽  
Process Models ◽  
Tool Support ◽  
Business Organizations ◽  
Process Variants ◽  
Build Time ◽  
Business Requirements

Business organizations maintain business processes with multiple variants because of varied business requirements of which the support of these multiple business process variants constitutes a big challenge. BPPLE tool demonstration presents an extension of Eclipse BPMN modeller to cope with the modelling, and customization of business processes at build time and run time to compose the business process variants it may have. BPPLE tool is based on the Business Process Product Line Engineering (BPPLE) approach, our proposed approach for managing a family of business process variants. We have applied BPPLE in the scenarios such as the student registration in a higher education institution. Tests carried out showed that BPPLE tool enables the customization of business process models or instances to compose business process variant models or instances, respectively.

AN INTEGRATED LIFE CYCLE FOR WORKFLOW MANAGEMENT BASED ON LEARNING AND PLANNING

2006 ◽  
Vol 15 (04) ◽  
pp. 485-505 ◽  
Author(s):  
HUGO M. FERREIRA ◽  
DIOGO R. FERREIRA
Keyword(s):  
Process Model ◽  
Business Processes ◽  
Inductive Logic ◽  
Workflow Management ◽  
Process Models ◽  
Planning Techniques ◽  
Successive Refinement ◽  
Business Goals ◽  
Learning Techniques ◽  
Build Time

The ability to describe business processes as executable models has always been one of the fundamental premises of workflow management. Yet, the tacit nature of human knowledge is often an obstacle to eliciting accurate process models. On the other hand, the result of process modeling is a static plan of action, which is difficult to adapt to changing procedures or to different business goals. In this article, we attempt to address these problems by approaching workflow management with a combination of learning and planning techniques. Assuming that processes cannot be fully described at build-time, we make use of learning techniques, namely Inductive Logic Programming (ILP), in order to discover workflow activities and to describe them as planning operators. These operators will be subsequently fed to a partial-order planner in order to find the process model as a planning solution. The continuous interplay between learning, planning and execution aims at arriving at a feasible plan by successive refinement of the operators. The approach is illustrated in two simple scenarios. Following a discussion of related work, the paper concludes by presenting the main challenges that remain to be solved.

scholarly journals Flexible Process Model Mapping using Relaxation Labeling

2020 ◽  
Vol 175 (1-4) ◽  
pp. 123-141
Author(s):  
Josep Carmona ◽  
Lluís Padró ◽  
Luis Delicado
Keyword(s):  
Similarity Measure ◽  
Constraint Satisfaction ◽  
Process Model ◽  
Similarity Score ◽  
Experimental Results ◽  
Process Models ◽  
Relaxation Labeling ◽  
Process Variants ◽  
Open Platform ◽  
Model Mapping

Computing a mapping between two process models is a crucial technique, since it enables reasoning and operating across processes, like providing a similarity score between two processes, or merging different process variants to generate a consolidated process model. In this paper we present a new flexible technique for process model mapping, based on the relaxation labeling constraint satisfaction algorithm. The technique can be instantiated so that different modes are devised, depending on the context. For instance, it can be adapted to the case where one of the mapped process models is incomplete, or it can be used to ground an adaptable similarity measure between process models. The approach has been implemented inside the open platform NLP4BPM, providing a visualization of the performed mappings and computed similarity scores. The experimental results witness the flexibility and usefulness of the technique proposed.

TOWARD A QUALITY FRAMEWORK FOR BUSINESS PROCESS MODELS

2013 ◽  
Vol 22 (01) ◽  
pp. 1350003 ◽  
Author(s):  
LAURA SÁNCHEZ-GONZÁLEZ ◽  
FÉLIX GARCÍA ◽  
FRANCISCO RUIZ ◽  
MARIO PIATTINI
Keyword(s):  
Business Process ◽  
Process Modeling ◽  
Process Model ◽  
Reference Model ◽  
Relevant Literature ◽  
Quality Characteristics ◽  
Process Models ◽  
Business Process Models ◽  
Quality Framework ◽  
Effective Assessment

Business process modeling is recognized as a key part of the business process lifecycle. It is during this stage that a conceptual model is produced by collecting business process requirements and representing them with a specific business process notation. While there has been much research into process modeling techniques, little has taken place with regard to the characteristics that should be considered for an effective assessment of the models' quality. This paper presents a synthesis of quality characteristics for business process models, based on a systematic review of the relevant literature. It then goes on to describe a reference model for the quality assessment of business process models, and to relate the aforementioned quality characteristics to existing relevant process model measures. These relations may help organizations to guide the improvement of their business process models according to their chosen quality characteristics.

scholarly journals Flexible Process Model Mapping using Relaxation Labeling

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Josep Carmona ◽  
Lluís Padró ◽  
Luis Delicado
Keyword(s):  
Similarity Measure ◽  
Constraint Satisfaction ◽  
Process Model ◽  
Similarity Score ◽  
Experimental Results ◽  
Process Models ◽  
Relaxation Labeling ◽  
Process Variants ◽  
Open Platform ◽  
Model Mapping

Computing a mapping between two process models is a crucial technique, since it enables reasoning and operating across processes, like providing a similarity score between two processes, or merging different process variants to generate a consolidated process model. In this paper we present a new flexible technique for process model mapping, based on the relaxation labeling constraint satisfaction algorithm. The technique can be instantiated so that different modes are devised, depending on the context. For instance, it can be adapted to the case where one of the mapped process models is incomplete, or it can be used to ground an adaptable similarity measure between process models. The approach has been implemented inside the open platform NLP4BPM, providing a visualization of the performed mappings and computed similarity scores. The experimental results witness the flexibility and usefulness of the technique proposed.

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