Process Model

A Process Model is a model that describes a process at the type level, providing a template for its various instantiations.

• AKA: Workflow.
• Context:
  • It can serve different fundamental purposes:
    • Being a Descriptive Process Model that tracks actual processes and analyzes their effectiveness.
    • Being a Prescriptive Process Model that defines desired processes and establishes guidelines.
    • Being an Explanatory Process Model that provides process rationale and explores alternatives.
  • It can be instantiated multiple times to create specific Process Instances for different applications.
  • It can range from representing:
    • Manual Workflows to Automated Workflows (by intervention level).
    • Structured Workflows to Unstructured Workflows (by organization level).
    • General Workflows to Domain-Specific Workflows (by scope).
    • Simple Workflows to Complex Workflows (by complexity).
    • Sequential Workflows to Parallel Workflows (by execution pattern).
  • It can describe process components including:
    • Process Steps and Workflow Tasks that define individual actions.
    • Process Flows and Workflow Dependencies that establish relationships between steps.
    • Decision Points and Workflow Conditions that guide process branching.
    • Process Loops and Workflow Loops that handle repetitive tasks.
    • Process Parallelism and Workflow Parallelism for concurrent execution.
  • It can be created and modified through a Process Modeling Task.
  • It can be represented using various formalisms:
    • BPMN (Business Process Model and Notation) for business processes.
    • UML (Unified Modeling Language) for software processes.
    • Petri Nets for concurrent system processes.
  • It can be analyzed for:
    • Process Optimization opportunities.
    • Workflow Efficiency improvements.
    • Process Compliance verification.
  • It can be managed by specialized tools such as:
    • Process Management Systems.
    • Workflow Management Systems.
    • Business Process Management Suites.
  • ...
• Example(s):
  • Software Lifecycle Models (for software processes), such as:
    • Agile Development Process Models (for agile development processes).
    • Waterfall Process Models (for sequential development processes).
    • DevOps Process Models (for continuous delivery processes).
  • Business Process Models (for business processes), such as:
    • Order Processing Process Models (for order processing processes).
    • Employee Onboarding Process Models (for employee onboarding processes).
    • Financial Approval Process Models (for financial approval processes).
  • Quality Management Process Models (for quality management processes), such as:
    • Safety Inspection Process Models (for safety inspection processes).
    • Quality Control Process Models (for quality control processes).
    • Audit Process Models (for audit processes).
  • Industry-Specific Process Models (for industry-specific processes), such as:
    • Clinical Trial Process Models (for clinical trial processes).
    • Manufacturing Process Models (for manufacturing processes).
    • Regulatory Compliance Process Models (for regulatory compliance processes).
  • Data Management Process Models (for data management processes), such as:
    • ETL Process Models (for ETL processes).
    • Data Quality Process Models (for data quality processes).
    • Data Governance Process Models (for data governance processes).
  • ...
• Counter-Example(s):
  • a Capability Maturity Meta-Model, which describes process capability rather than the process itself.
  • a Meta-Process Model, which defines how process models should be created.
  • a Process Mining Result, which analyzes actual process execution rather than defining the process.
  • a Spreadsheet, which may track process data but doesn't define the process.
• See: Process Architecture, Business Process Management, Workflow Pattern, Process Mining, Model Verification.

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References

2023

• chat
  • Q: what kind of workflows are there aside from automated workflows?
  • A: There are many different types of workflows that can be used to manage and coordinate tasks, and the specific type of workflow that is used can depend on the nature of the tasks involved and the desired outcomes. Some common types of workflows include:
    1. Manual workflows: Manual workflows involve tasks that are performed manually by individuals. These workflows do not involve automation or technology and rely on the knowledge, skills, and expertise of the individuals involved.
    2. Semi-automated workflows: Semi-automated workflows involve tasks that are partially automated and partially performed manually. These workflows can involve the use of technology or tools to automate certain parts of the workflow, but may also involve manual tasks that are performed by individuals.
    3. Fully automated workflows: Fully automated workflows involve tasks that are entirely automated and do not require any manual intervention. These workflows can be implemented using specialized workflow software or other tools, and can be triggered by specific events or conditions.

2022

• (Wikipedia, 2022) ⇒ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/workflow Retrieved:2022-12-29.
  • A workflow consists of an orchestrated and repeatable pattern of activity, enabled by the systematic organization of resources into processes that transform materials, provide services, or process information. It can be depicted as a sequence of operations, the work of a person or group, the work of an organization of staff, or one or more simple or complex mechanisms. From a more abstract or higher-level perspective, workflow may be considered a view or representation of real work. The flow being described may refer to a document, service, or product that is being transferred from one step to another. Workflows may be viewed as one fundamental building block to be combined with other parts of an organization's structure such as information technology, teams, projects and hierarchies.

2022

• HTTP://chat.openai.com
  • Q: What is a workflow?
  • A: A workflow is a series of steps or tasks that are performed in a specific order to achieve a specific goal. Workflows can be used to automate processes, improve efficiency, and reduce the risk of errors by ensuring that tasks are performed in the correct order and with the necessary resources.

     Workflows can be found in a wide variety of contexts, including business processes, software development, and scientific research. They are often defined using a workflow specification, which is a set of instructions that defines the steps and dependencies involved in a process or task.

    There are many different approaches to designing and implementing workflows, and the specific characteristics of a workflow will depend on the needs and goals of the organization or project. Some common elements of a workflow include:

    • Tasks: The individual steps or actions that need to be performed as part of the workflow.
    • Dependencies: The relationships between tasks, such as the order in which they should be performed or the resources that are required to perform them.
    • Conditions: Rules or criteria that determine which tasks should be performed based on the status or outcome of previous tasks.
    • Loops: Structures that allow a task or group of tasks to be repeated based on certain conditions.
    • Parallelism: The ability to perform tasks concurrently rather than sequentially.
  • Workflows can be implemented using a variety of tools and technologies, such as workflow management systems, domain-specific languages (DSLs), and general-purpose programming languages.

2021

• (Wikipedia, 2021) ⇒ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Process_modeling Retrieved:2021-11-28.
  • The term process model is used in various contexts. For example, in business process modeling the enterprise process model is often referred to as the business process model. ...

    

2013

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Process_modeling#Overview
  • Process models are processes of the same nature that are classified together into a model. Thus, a process model is a description of a process at the type level. Since the process model is at the type level, a process is an instantiation of it. The same process model is used repeatedly for the development of many applications and thus, has many instantiations. One possible use of a process model is to prescribe how things must/should/could be done in contrast to the process itself which is really what happens. A process model is roughly an anticipation of what the process will look like. What the process shall be will be determined during actual system development.

    The goals of a process model are to be:

    • Descriptive
      • Track what actually happens during a process.
      • Take the point of view of an external observer who looks at the way a process has been performed and determines the improvements that must be made to make it perform more effectively or efficiently.
    • Prescriptive
      • Define the desired processes and how they should/could/might be performed.
      • Establish rules, guidelines, and behavior patterns which, if followed, would lead to the desired process performance. They can range from strict enforcement to flexible guidance.
    • Explanatory
      • Provide explanations about the rationale of processes.
      • Explore and evaluate the several possible courses of action based on rational arguments.
      • Establish an explicit link between processes and the requirements that the model needs to fulfill.
      • Pre-defines points at which data can be extracted for reporting purposes.

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