MTAT.03.231Business Process Management (BPM)

Lecture 9: Process Automation

Marlon Dumas

marlon.dumas ät ut . Ee

(including slides by Remco Dijkman, TU/e)

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Where are we?

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• Use data sharing (Intranets, ERPs) to:– Increase availability of information to improve decisions or

visibility (subject to security/privacy)– Avoid duplicate data entry, paper copies

• Use network technology to:– Replace materials (e.g. paper document) flow with

information flow• E.g. querying government agency DBs replacing document flow

– Increase communication speed: e-mail, SMS• Note: e-mails are unavoidable, but not always desirable

– Enable self-service (e.g. online forms)(T+,Q+/-,C+/-,F-)

Business Process Automation Possibilities

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Business Process Automation Possibilities

• Use tracking technology to identify/locate materials and resources where reasonable– Identification: Bar code, RFID– Location: indoor positioning, GPS

• Use Business Rule Management Systems to automate decision tasks– Capture and automate business rules where effective

• Use Business Process Management Systems (BPMS) or related technology to automate end-to-end processes

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Data-Driven vs. Process-Aware

• A data-aware system provides functions that allow users to do anything they wish and can…– Example: our study info system

• A process-aware system users figure out what needs to be done and when– E.g. insurance claims handling system

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BPMS – General Architecture

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Worklist

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BPMS Landscape

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The Journey to Executable Processes

more abstract

moreconcrete

morebusinessoriented

moretechnolog

yoriented

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Executable

Model

ProcessModel

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Complete process

Cover all aspects

Adjust task granularity

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1. Complete process

A process often misses control-flow information,because the modelers:

• assumed that it is common knowledge• didn’t know• got contradicting statements• just forgot/ were being lazy• …

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1. Complete process

A process often misses control-flow information:• missing time-outs?• All possible loops/rework captured?• ‘sunny day’ scenario but also ‘rainy day’

scenarios?• Alternatives • …

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1. Complete process

Sunny day scenario:

there is no rejection

acceptreceiveapplication

pay out

Correct by adding a ‘rejection’.

reject

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2. Cover all aspects

• Work assignment rules• Data• Invoked applications

enterrequest

approverequest

Applicationcase_idnamedetails

Approvalcase_idapproved

John SarahAdministrator Checker

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Processor

Senior Finance Officer

FinanceDepartment

What do we need to make a process model executable?

Check Invoice Mismatches

Post InvoiceEnter Invoice

Details

mismatch exists

no mismatches

Block Invoice

Invoice received

Invoice Invoice

1. Control flow2. Data flow3. Resources

> specify decisions, timeouts…> specify data types(e.g. XML Schema) and data mappings

> specify org. model, allocation strategies, application APIs...

Unfortunately, this is not enough…

SAP System

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Let’s get our hands dirty

• Fragment of equipment rental process in Bizagi

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3. Adjust task granularity

Make your tasks the right size, because:

a workflow engine sends work orders.• Should neither be too fine-grained

• nor too coarse-grained

entername

enterstreet

enternumber

enterplace

...

enter application andhave it approved (by somebody else)

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3. Adjust task granularity

A task of the right size should encompass work that a single person can perform ``uninterrupted’’

• nothing less (not too fine-grained)• nothing more (not too coarse-grained)

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3. Adjust task granularity

Consequently, split a task when work is handed over to:

• another role• another person• the system one task

handover to new role

enterclient

enterrequest

approverequest

Administrator Administrator Checker

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3. Adjust task granularity

Consequently, split a task when work is handed over to:

• another role• another person (due to work assignment)• the system

enterclient

enterrequest

approverequest

AdministratorAdministrator Checker

verifyrequest

(four eyes)

Administrator

one taskhandover to new person

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3. Adjust task granularity

Consequently, split a task when work is handed over to:

• another role• another person• the system

– for a routing decision– before or after an automated task