GroupProcess: Using Process Knowledge from the : Using Process - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

GroupProcess GroupProcess: Using Process Knowledge from the : Using Process Knowledge from the Participative Design and Practical Operation of Ad Hoc Participative Design and Practical Operation of Ad Hoc Processes for the Design of Structured Workflows Processes for the Design of Structured Workflows

An Enhancement of a Groupware based An Enhancement of a Groupware based Workflow and Office Management System Workflow and Office Management System

Carsten Huth Carsten Huth -

• Ingo Erdmann

Ingo Erdmann -

• Ludwig

Ludwig Nastansky Nastansky University of Paderborn, Germany University of Paderborn, Germany 34th Annual 34th Annual Hawai Hawai‘i International ‘i International Conference on System Sciences (HICSS) Conference on System Sciences (HICSS)

Maui, HI Maui, HI -

• January 3

January 3 – – 6, 2001 6, 2001

Overview Overview

• 1. Context
• 1. Context
• 2. Motivation
• 2. Motivation/

/Starting Starting point point 3.

• 3. Objectives

Objectives of

• f the GroupProcess

the GroupProcess-

• project

project 4.

• 4. T

The he GroupProcess GroupProcess-

• s

system ystem

• 5. Conceptual approaches and challenges
• 5. Conceptual approaches and challenges
• 6. Architecture and technological aspects
• 6. Architecture and technological aspects

"We live

Groupware"

1.

• 1. C

Context

• ntext

" " Paperless Paperless office environment

• ffice environment /

/ virtual virtual communities communities

" " O Office ffice management management " " Computer based teaching and Computer based teaching and l learning earning " " Coordination of projects Coordination of projects " " Workflow Workflow e environments nvironments " " Content management for the Content management for the chair chair‘s w ‘s website ebsite

1.

• 1. Context

Context: : Chronology Chronology of

• f projects

projects at at GCC GCC (2/2) (2/2)

1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 Commercial products

GroupOffice PAVONE Espresso Lotus Domino WorkFlow WAGS GroupOrga GroupProject GroupProcess

Research projects

GroupFlow PAVONE Enterprise Office ONEStone Prozessware

• 2. Motivation/
• 2. Motivation/Starting

Starting point point (1/2) (1/2)

• 2. Motivation/
• 2. Motivation/Starting

Starting point point (2/2) (2/2)

1.

• 1. Execution

Execution of ad

• f ad hoc

hoc p pro roc cesse esses s is done with currently is done with currently existi existing ng, , different media different media, , often

• ften e

e-

• m

mail ail

" " Ex post Ex post a analys nalysis is of

• f processes is

processes is oft

• ften

en not possible not possible # # Knowledge from Knowledge from a ad hoc d hoc p pro roc cesse esses s and and therefore the process therefore the process knowledge knowledge of

• f the involved persons can not be used

the involved persons can not be used

2.

• 2. Practical experience from daily work

Practical experience from daily work of a

• f a groupware

groupware-

• bas

based ed o

• ffice

ffice environment environment

" " Office Office management management, administrative , administrative processes processes " " Learning processes Learning processes " " Small Small projects projects

3.

• 3. Workflows

Workflows are often only used for core processes are often only used for core processes of

• f
• rganizations
• rganizations

" " Design Design of

• f workflows is nearly always done by specialists

workflows is nearly always done by specialists

Visualis Visualisation ation

GroupProcess GroupProcess-

• C

Continuum

• ntinuum
• 1. Ad hoc workflows
• 2. Semi-structured workflows

a) Ad hoc WF b) Open Team Task within Ad hoc WF c) Ad hoc WF with sub- workflow/ or cluster a) Ad hoc sub-workflow within standard WF b) Open Team Task within Standard WF c) Ad hoc mo- difikation of standard WF

• 3. Standard

predefined workflows

e-mail, store-and-forward

• or -

partially predefined combination of determined and

• pen tasks within

a single ad hoc workflow Integration of a sub-workflow within an ad hoc workflow Predefined workflow with

• ne part being ad

hoc planned and executed combination of predetermined and open tasks within a single workflow Completely predetermined workflow with exception Completely predetermined workflow

• urgent
• short-lived
• exceptional
• confidential
• highly recurrent
• pre-determined
• easy-to-apply ad hoc modifica-tion / re-routing
• highly recurrent
• well structured
• pre-determined

e.g. new type of request e.g. co-authoring

• f publication

e.g. boss wants some job to be done but does not know the details e.g. solving software problems e.g. co-editing of annual report e.g. consumer credit application with particular custormer request e.g. cosumer credit application

Tendency of processes to develop over time flexible, changeable, unique determined, structured, recurrent

GroupProcess GroupProcess-

• C

Continuum

• ntinuum
• 1. Ad hoc workflows
• 2. Semi-structured workflows
• 3. Standard predefined

workflows

a) Ad hoc workflow a) Open Team Task within Standard Workflow Completly predefined workflow b) Offene Team Task within ad hoc workflow b) Ad hoc sub-workflow within standard workflow c) Integration of a sub-workflow within an ad hoc workflow c) Ad hoc modification of standard workflow

Degree of structuring of processes Tendency of processes to develop over time

3.

• 3. Objectives

Objectives of

• f GroupProcess

GroupProcess (1/2) (1/2)

" " A Ad hoc d hoc w workflow

• rkflow m

management anagement s system ystem for for Groupware Groupware-

• bas

based ed office environments

• ffice environments

" " Transform implicit process knowledge into explicit Transform implicit process knowledge into explicit process knowledge process knowledge " " Transition from Transition from a ad hoc d hoc w workflows

• rkflows into structured

into structured/ / pre predefine defined d w workflows

• rkflows

" " Integration Integration of an a

• f an ad hoc

d hoc workflow workflow c component

• mponent into

into a a tradition traditiona al l w workflow

• rkflow m

management anagement s system ystem

3.

• 3. Objectives

Objectives of

• f GroupProcess

GroupProcess (2/2) (2/2)

" " For For the use the use of

• f synergeti

synergetic c e effe ffec ct ts s from from a a process process driven view GroupProcess establishes the missing driven view GroupProcess establishes the missing link link between between o

• ffice

ffice management management, , w workflow

• rkflow

managment managment and k and knowledge nowledge m management anagement

GroupProcess GroupProcess Ad hoc Ad hoc Workflow Workflow Management Management Workflow Workflow Management Management Knowledge Knowledge Management Management Office Office Management Management

Design Design-

• tools for

tools for a ad hoc d hoc w workflows

• rkflows
• 1. Tab
• 1. Tabular

ular Editor Editor 2.

• 2. Graphical

Graphical Pro Proc cess ess model modeling tool ing tool 3 3. . C Combination

• mbination of
• f 1.
• 1. a

and nd 2. 2.

• 4. E
• 4. E-
• Mail

Mail-

• Tracking

Tracking

" " Follow the development Follow the development of a

• f a Store

Store-

• and

and-

• forward

forward E E-

• Mail

Mail-

• Pro

Proc cess ess and and store it for store it for ex post ex post analysis analysis and and further use further use

Tab Tabular ular Editor Editor

5.

• 5. Conceptual

Conceptual approaches approaches / / challenges challenges

" " Parti Partic cipat ipatory

• ry,

, distributed distributed Design Design " " Simultane Simultaneous

• us execution

execution

" " Build Time = Run Time Build Time = Run Time

" " Transition from Transition from c con

• nc

crete rete to ab to abstra strac ct t process modeling process modeling

Phase Phases s of w

• f workflow
• rkflow m

management anagement

Process Definition

Build Time

Business Process Analysis, Modeling & Definition Tools

Run Time

Workflow Enactment Service Process changes

Process Instantiation & Control Applications & IT Tools

Run Time

Interaction with Users & Application Tools Process Design & Definition Worklow Control Data Workflow Relevant Data Application Data WfMC: Glossary. 3.0. 1999, pp. 39.

Build Time = Run Time Process Definition and Process Instance as one unity

6.

• 6. Archite

Architec ctur ture e GroupProcess GroupProcess

Groupware platform

Organization

DB Process DB Application DB Workflow Engine (predef. WF) Transformation tool Ad hoc to predef. WF Ad hoc Workflow Engine Ad hoc Workflow Modeler and Viewer Workflow Modeler (predef. WF) Organization Modeler (Ad hoc and predef. WF) EMail Tracking and Routing Office- and Workflow-Applications

6.

• 6. Archite

Architec ctur ture e: Do : Doc cument uments s/ Message / Message-

• Obje

Objec ct ts s

Backend Fields (not visible) Frondend Fields (visible)

Display of process model as

• verview with current state and

the option to change the model while the process is running Content of the workflow case. In most cases in an office environment rich text, but also fields for structured information are possible Storage of process model and other routing information within the backend fields of document

6.

• 6. Technologi

Technological cal Aspects Aspects

" " User Interface User Interface

" " Modeling Modeling of

• f process elements

process elements and and persons or organisational persons or organisational entities entities on

• n one screen
• ne screen

" " View View of

• f the process model while the process is running

the process model while the process is running

" " Technological aspects Technological aspects of

• f tools for

tools for ad hoc ad hoc workflow workflow management management

" " No separate i No separate installation nstallation of

• f modeling tools

modeling tools " " Usage Usage of

• f the modeling tools within

the modeling tools within a w a web eb-

• b

browser rowser und und L Lotus

• tus

Notes Notes c client lient " " Sending Sending of

• f message

message o

• bje

bjec ct ts s with with an an integr integra ate ted d modeling tool modeling tool

" " Java Java as as t technolog echnology y for the graphical user for the graphical user interface interface

Questions Questions, , Remarks Remarks & & Dis Disc cussion ussion