Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
João Fernando Mota Machado
Business Process Temporal constraints: The
Case of BPMN
Dissertation Project
Master in Engineering and Management of Information
Systems
Work performed under orientation of
José Luís Mota Pereira, Ph.D.
February 2018
ii
iii
ABSTRACT
Nowadays organizations to cope with the demands of the market have adopted an
organizational paradigm based on Business Process Management - BPM. In order to manage
the execution of business process, organizations turn to Business Process Management
System -BPMS that allows to bridge the gap between human resources and information
technology (IT). The use of Business Process Model and Notation – BPMN enable organizations
to model their entire business process, which leads in addition to automate the process to
help realize the potential points of failure and improvement. The emergence of new tools such
as Case Management Model and Notation CMMN and Decision Model and Notation – DMN,
goes some way complete the BPMN modelling, seen in the case of CMMN be possible to focus
on management issues and the DMN for its parts in decisions making issues. Making use of
BPMN notation this dissertation proposes to survey the time constraints as well as their
characterization and proposal of possible alternatives.
Keyword’s: BPM, BPMS, BPMN, CMMN, DMN, Time constraints.
v
RESUMO
Hoje em dia as organizações, de forma a lidarem com as exigências do mercado têm vindo a
adotar um paradigma organizacional baseado na gestão de processos de negócio -BPM. De
forma a gerirem a execução dos processos de negócio, as organizações recorrem ao Business
Process Mangemen System -BPMS, que permite fazer a ponte entre os recursos humanos e as
tecnologias de informação (TI). O uso do Business Process Model and Notation -BPMN permite
às organizações modelarem todo o seu processo de negócio, o que leva para além de
automatizarem o processo a perceberem possíveis pontes de falha e melhoria. O
aparecimento de novas ferramentas como o Case Mangement Model and Notation CMMN e
o Decision Model and Notation -DMN, vem de certa forma completar a modelação BPMN visto
que no caso do CMN é possível focar em questões de gestão e no DMN focar em questões
relacionadas com a tomada de decisão. Fazendo uso da notação BPMN esta dissertação
propõe realizar um levantamento sobre as restrições temporais bem como a sua
caracterização e proposta de possíveis alternativas.
Palvaras Chave: BPM, BPMS, BPMN, CMMN, DMN, Restrições temporais.
vii
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Abstract ..................................................................................................................................... iii
Resumo ....................................................................................................................................... v
List of Figures ............................................................................................................................. ix
List of Tables .............................................................................................................................. xi
List of Abbreviations ................................................................................................................. xiii
1. Introduction ........................................................................................................................ 1
1.1 Research Problem ........................................................................................................ 1
1.2 Objectives and Expected Results ................................................................................. 2
1.3 Document Structure .................................................................................................... 2
2. Literature Review ................................................................................................................ 5
2.1 Business Process Management (BPM) ........................................................................ 5
2.2 Business Process Management System (BPMS) .......................................................... 8
2.3 Business Process Model and Notation (BPMN) ......................................................... 10
2.4 Case Management Model and Notation (CMMN) .................................................... 12
2.5 Decision Model and Notation (DMN) ........................................................................ 14
2.6 Time constraints ........................................................................................................ 16
3. Research Methodology ..................................................................................................... 21
4. Work Plan .......................................................................................................................... 24
5. Conclusion ......................................................................................................................... 25
Bibliography.............................................................................................................................. 26
ix
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1 – Levels of Business Process Management (Mendling et al 2017) .............................. 7
Figure 2 – The architecture of BPMS (Dumas et al, 2013) ....................................................... 10
Figure 3 – Example of a Business Process Diagram (Briol 2008).............................................. 12
Figure 4 - Planning table in a human task (Marin et al 2014) .................................................. 14
Figure 5 - Decision model (Li et al 2017) .................................................................................. 16
Figura 6 –Time constraints in a business process model (Pereira & Varajão, 2017) ............... 19
Figura 7 - Design Science Research ( Peffers et al. 2007). ....................................................... 21
xi
LIST OF TABLES
Table 1 - Scheduling ................................................................................................................. 24
xiii
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS
BPM – Business Process Management
BPMN – Business Process Model and Notation
BPMS – Business Process Management System
CMMN – Case Management Model and Notation
DMN – Decision Model and Notation
DSR – Design Science Research
IT – Information Technologies
BPMI – Business Process Modelling Initiative
ACM – Adaptive Case Management
FEEL - Friendly Enough Expression Language
WfMS – Workflow Management Systems
1
1. INTRODUCTION
In this first chapter is made an introduction to the theme of this dissertation “Time constraints
on business process: the case of BPMN”. In the subchapter of the frame is exposed an overview
of the work. Afterwards are presented the objectives and expected results for this study.
Finally, is presented the document structure.
1.1 Research Problem
In recent years the interest in Business Process Management (BPM) has increased,
allegedly due to the fact that help organizations increase productivity in an attempt to achieve
operational excellence and effort to save costs (Aalst, 2013). Research in this area of study has
led to the improvement of BPM tools that allow the alignment between the business process
and strategic objectives of each organization.
To take better advantage of the BPM, appears a set of applications denominated
Business Process Management System (BPMS), that allow an ease of communication and
integration among the various sectors of the organization.
With the advent of language Business Process Model and Notation (BPMN) was
simplified how to communicate business processes for organizations. The BPMN modelers
available to process a set of representative elements that streamline the modelling of business
processes (Briol, 2008). The BPMN enables organizations have graphical representations of
processes and assess whether their processes represent anomalies, inconsistencies and
opportunities for improvement (Tessari, 2008). Whit this modelling BPMN creates a
standardized bridge for the gap between the business process design and implementation
process (White, 2004).
BPMN is about processing, and with the appearance of Case Management Model and
Notation (CMMN) the managing started to have a tool, and for other side the Decision Model
and Notation (DMN) is about deciding. These three are “the crown of process improvement
standards, supporting process management, case management and decision management
initiative. Together they are enable end to end modelling operations” (Gagne, 2015).
2
The temporal dimension reveals critically important in the management of business
process since it is frequently hampered. Nowadays modelling languages, as the case of BPMN,
considered standard, only have basic features in temporal variable ratio. The models offer
little more than the ability to set the terms of tasks.
The common time constraints on business process are, the duration of the activity,
processing time, deadline, minimum and maximum, fixed dates, waiting times, negative
information (Pereira & Varajão, 2017).
So, this work is proposed to systematize all kinds of time constraints that may arise in
the execution of business process to subsequently identify gaps at that level displayed by the
current version of BPMN.
1.2 Objectives and Expected Results
The execution of business processes has implicitly and associated temporal dimension.
In fact, even the most elementary process when it is determined that the X activity must
precede the Y activity, it is simplicity restrict the execution of Y activity requiring that it be
performed only after the activity X. This is, perhaps, the simplest time restriction we can
identify a process. But there are many other, much more sophisticated and complex, it may
be necessary to include a process model. Of course, a modelling language processes will be
more complete the more time constraints allow modelling. Although there are other
languages for process modelling, BPMN language currently in its version 2.0, it is now
considered the standard in terms of modelling organizational process. For this reason, it will
be the BPMN language that interests us consider in this study.
It is intended to an exhaustive collection and characterization of the time constraints
that can cover all process execution requirements (1) Identification of the existing limitations
in the current version of the BPMN regarding the modelling of time constraints (2) Proposal
for temporal modelling extensions the BPMN language.
1.3 Document Structure
This section describes the structure of this document, where it is synthesized content of
the five sections that compose this document.
3
In this first chapter, is described the research problem which gives rises to the need to
produce this research/thesis, as well as the objectives and expected results with the
realization of this project.
In the second is presented the literature review, with the goal to obtain in-depth
knowledge of the issues to be studied, including BPM, BPMN, CMMN, DMN and an approach
to the time constraints.
Then in third chapter is defined the research methodology adopted to develop this
project, in which case the Design Science Research (DSR) the chosen methodology. It is also
justified the choice if this same methodology. Within this chapter is explained the literature
review strategy.
The fourth chapter aims to present the proposed activity plan, which contains all the
activities that will be conducted throughout this project, their respective order of execution
and the time allotted for the end.
Finally, the chapter number five takes place the conclusions withdrawn on the work
done.
4
5
2. LITERATURE REVIEW
This chapter is performed the relevant literature review considered for the identified problem,
BPM, BPMS, BPMN, CMMN, DMN and time constraints. The interest in areas related to the
modelling of business process, is constantly growing up by organizations, such as BPM
approaches are among the main. This type of approach enables organizations that have
modelled their activity to assist in decision-making in the face of pressures and opportunities
offered by the markets. With this it is important to process simulation, as it allows
organizations to understand/ predict the effects of any decisions taken, to change as little as
possible, the normal functioning in their activities. The simulation of business processes
requires adequate modelling language, and the BPMN currently the most common language.
Recently appears the CMMN and DMN with the purpose to fill some modelling process that
in BPMN isn´t possible to model.
2.1 Business Process Management (BPM)
Nowadays the organizations are involved in a competitive and constantly changing
market, also increasingly the stakeholders are more instructed and demanding. Taking in
account these, organizations look for solutions to improve the productivity and saving costs,
and with that appear BPM with the objective to meet these requirements.
“The research field of BPM as situated between computer, management and
information systems” (Recker & Mendling, 2016)
For van der Aalst (2013) BPM is the discipline that combines knowledge of management
and information technologies, making use of that knowledge to apply in business process
operations. The same author´s apologist that BPM, from one perspective plans to enhance
the business procedure potentially without the utilization of new technologies, for instance,
by demonstrating a business procedure and afterward breaking down it is utilizing the
recreation that could prompt thoughts that emerge in the cost lessening impact and
enhance/upgrade administrations. The again, the author concedes the utilization of BPM
programming to deal with related control and bolster operational procedures (Aalst, 2013).
Numerous BPM ventures apply one approach like a cookbook way to deal with all
hierarchical forms. Which brings about various task disappointments. Going past this closed
6
approach, the rule of setting mindfulness calls attention to that BPM requires thought of the
given hierarchical setting. Important situations include a worry for factors that recognize BPM
settings between associations, for example, measure, technique, industry, market and aims
of BPM, inside associations such as sorts of procedures or accessible assets. For instance, little
organizations may have less work force assets for BPM administration than other
organizations, while Information Technologies (IT) frameworks may no yield proficiency picks
up in all procedures to a similar degree (vom Brocke et al., 2014).
Vom Brock et. al (2014) argued that frequently BPM is presented in an association
through here and now extends that plan to tackle particular wasteful aspects. However, it is
critical to go past just accomplishing fast wins. The standard of congruity focuses on that BPM
thought to be a permanent practice that encourages persistent picks up in productivity and
viability. Setting up a long haul BPM approach and introducing a procedure outlook reasonably
is essential to be ready to use the potential and the estimation of BPM (vom Brocke et al.,
2014).
Scientific field of BPM has making progress in noted areas such as (1) the syntactic
confirmation of complex business process models before actualizing them by means of IT, to
keep away from possibly expensive errors at run time. (2) The programmed formation of
configurable process models from a gathering of process demonstrate variations, used to
controlling experts while choosing the correct arrangement. (3) The programmed execution
of business process models considering methodically characterized semantics, and through
an assortment of BPM frameworks (4) The adjustment of procedures on-the-fly and the
assessment of the effect of their progressions, keeping in mind the goal to respond to special
cases. (5) The programmed disclosure of process models from crude occasion information
delivered by regular data frameworks found in companies. (Van Der Aalst, La Rosa, & Santoro,
2016).
To Mendling et al (2017), they defend that exist three different levels of BPM, like shows
Figure 1 below, the top level is the multiprocess management, the middle level is the process
model management and the last is the process instance management. (Mendling et al., 2017)
7
Figure 1 – Levels of Business Process Management (Mendling et al 2017)
The multiprocess management it is worried about the distinguishing identification of the
main processes of an organization and the normal assessment of the needs doled out to these
procedures. These exercises interrelate with questions of planned management and the
general process organization. The results of multiprocess management are frequently put
away in a focal process repository. The theoretical structure of this vault is additionally alluded
to as the process architecture.
Process model management activities are regularly alluded to as the BPM lifecycle. This
lifecycle is begum once a procedure is chosen for upgrade. “First, this process is documented
in the discovery phase resulting in an as-is process model. Second, the process is analysed
using qualitative and quantitative analysis techniques. In this way, weaknesses and issues can
be uncovered. Third, different directions for redesign are investigated in order to fix the issues
and generally improve the performance of the process. This yields a to-be process model as a
specification of how the process is meant to operate in the future. Fourth, this to-be process
model is taken into implementation. The corresponding information systems are designed or
reconfigured and staff is trained to work according to the new setup. Fifth, once the process
8
has been executed for a period of time according to the new design, process controlling checks
to which degree performance and conformance objectives are met. Process mining can be
used to extract knowledge about how the process operates” (Mendling et al., 2017)
The last level is the process instance management, these instances can be arranged with
respect when their activities are planned and which assets should to be included. With or
without such a calendar, process activities are executed as indicated by the standards
characterized in the process display. Process monitoring continuously checks rules, for
examples, nature of benefit declarations what´s more, trigger alarms if undesired conduct is
watched. Such cautions may be the explanation behind adjusting the course of execution for
a singular process instance.(Mendling et al., 2017)
2.2 Business Process Management System (BPMS)
Business Process Management System (BPMS), is a service of the organization with a set
of instruments that make contribute for the implementation of changes that make companies
competitive, whit delineated organizational process, automated and rational. The BPMS have
the capability of connect people and process, managing the access to the information and the
workflows. (Verner, 2004).
To Harmon (2007) the companies realise that could integrate different technologies, in
view of to improve the day-to-day management. The idea has was combine workflow systems,
software of integration systems and Internet technologies that could coordinate the day-to-
day activities, between processes and people (Harmon, 2007)
The reason for a BPMS is to facilitate a robotized business process in such a way, that all
work is done at the according time by the correct source (Dumas, La Rosa, Mendling, & Reijers,
2013). Also, the BPMS allow for a conformance, so there is with that an increasing
uniformization and more consistency. An improvement in the management of compliance
with the time limits laid down in the contractual obligations. In terms of agility, using BPMS
consents the diminution of the time-to-market with the new products and services. In the
changes the agility is bigger and have more elasticity for the integration of the information
system.
9
According Dumas et al (2013), although BPMS offer a variety of functionalities, the main
feature is the automated business process. With BPMS it becomes easy to support the
execution of a particular business process using the model services that the system allows.
BPMS architecture, as we can see in the Figure 2, it consists in execution engine, process
modelling tool, worklist handler, administration and monitoring tools. To highlight that
execution engine interact with external services (Dumas et al., 2013).
• Execution engine: Nuclear component of BPMS. It offers different features such
as, let to create instances of executable processes, to delegate work by those
involved with a view to business process execution. Also allows to automatically
retrieve data and store these, in the case that these data are crucial for the
implementation of the process.
• Process modelling tool: has the following features, provides users the capability
to create and change process models, records data additional of the process
models as input and output data, aptitude to store, share and retrieve process
models from a process model repository.
• Worklist handler: tasks and accountability of this implementation are offered to
the actors involved in the process. The engine implementation keeps track of
tasks that must be performed and makes it available through the list of works of
individual actors of the process manager.
• Administration and monitoring tools: these tools are necessary to control all
operational aspects of a BPMS. Responsible for exceptional situations that might
happen in the implicated environment, such as, the unavailability of someone be
sick or holidays, replacing this other person is available.
• External engine: it might be helpful to include other applications in the execution
of a business procedure. In numerous business there are exercises which are not
to be executed in a totally manual manner.
10
Figure 2 – The architecture of BPMS (Dumas et al, 2013)
BPMS belongs to a class of enterprise information systems that are described by the
need on explicitly display process rationale. Through the procedure rationale, it is rather
simple to manage explicitly the routing and allocation of work items along a business
procedure through the framework (Poelmans, Reijers, & Recker, 2013).
2.3 Business Process Model and Notation (BPMN)
In the last chapters was discussed the new organizational paradigm the BPM and the
way that these paradigm is technologically supported through the BPMS. This chapter will be
about BPMN and their role in modelling of organizational processes.
The Business Process Model and Notation is the most representative modelling
language of business processes nowadays. It was developed with the same objective and the
main concern being widely understood by all users and analysts, from process modelling
professionals, implementers up to organizational managers, regardless of their specialization
levels, so that everyone carry out their development tasks, implementation and monitoring in
a simplified manner.
BPMN appeared in 2004 through the Business Process Modelling Initiative (BPMI) as a
graphical notation inspired mostly in UML activity diagrams. Currently the BPMN is in version
2.0 which was released in 2001, this version still used today as a standard in the graphical
representation of business processes (Chinosi & Trombetta, 2012).
11
BPMN specification provides a set of rules for graphical notations and modelling
business processes. The purpose of BPMN is to support the definition of processes or by
technical staff or by analysts, managers and users, providing an intuitive notation and the
same sufficiently complete for the representation processes
The ease of communication between organizational agents as well as making strategic
decisions based on techniques such as cost analyses, scenario analysis and simulation, thus
arises as a prerequisite of models of business processes in general and BPMN (Recker,
Indulska, Rosemann, & Green, 2006).
These notation, BPMN is increasingly becoming a standard important of modelling
processes, having big impacts on the business practice. BPMN has proven to be an appropriate
notation for the graphical representation of processes and all its activities, demonstrating
simplicity and independence technological. This rating resulted from the unification of several
existing ratings for to facilitate handling and understanding the end user. The adoption of this
notation becomes much easier, having a positive feedback from the organizational leaders
(Recker, 2010).
The BPMN notation is based on four categories of elements, that are, Flow Objects,
Connecting Objectives, Swimlanes and Artefacts. The flow objects are divided in three groups
(events, activities and gateways). The Connecting Objectives have three different groups
(sequence flows, message flows and association). Swimlanes are separated in two classes
(pool and lane). For the last, Artefacts are divided in three categories (data object, group and
annotation) (White, 2004).
The Flow Objects represent all the actions which can happen inside a business process
determining its behaviour. Connecting Objects provide ways of connecting various objects to
each other. The Swimlanes give the skill of grouping the principal modelling elements.
Artefacts are used to provide additional information about process that does not affect the
flow (Freitas & Pereira, 2008).
In the diagram of Figure 3 shown some of the elements of BPMN 2.0.
12
Figure 3 – Example of a Business Process Diagram (Briol 2008)
The supports of BPMN envisioned three types of models that can be represented by
BPMN. As is the case of private business process, that are internal to an organization and that
can be implemented by a workflow management system. The abstract business process is
other model, which are represented processes as well as being internal to the organization
have communication and interaction with the external environment through a constant
exchange of messages that are representable. The last model is the¸ collaboration process
where processes that define constant interactions between two or more organizations and
where each has its own internal business processes can be represented (Mili et al., 2010)
2.4 Case Management Model and Notation (CMMN)
In parallel to the efforts of modelling variable processes in the working theatre, there
were approaches for including adaptability to process models in the conventional application
13
fields of BPMN. The efforts, subsumed as Adaptive Case Management (ACM) are expressly
modelling human choices as a feature of formal procedure (Wiemuth et al., 2017).
The Object Management Group (OMG) published in 2014 the CMMN, that consist in a
declarative style for modelling business process. The declarative nature of CMMN is intended
to complement the procedural style of BPMN (Marin, Lotriet, & Van Der Poll, 2015).
“The declarative nature of CMMN is intended to supplement the procedural perspective
of BPMN. CMMN takes a data-centric view to process modelling based on business artefacts
to provide flexibility for knowledge workers, while retaining the advantages of BPM systems”
(Marin, Lotriet, & van der Poll, 2014)
CMMN model have two stages, during the plan stage the analyst defines predefined
fragments for the situation show, and can also characterize optional items, which enable the
case manager to alter the case during runtime. In the second stage, the case manager executes
the process following the pre-defined plan. The case manager can also alter the process
design, instantiating the optional item by picking solid ones depending on his needs (Carvalho,
Mili, Gonzalez-Huerta, Boubaker, & Leshob, 2016).
A case includes both a procedure and an information structure on which the tasks
characterized in the process work. CMMN expects that the information (reports and data)
require by a case is collected in a hierarchical structure called case file, the entrance to the
segments of the case document (called case file items) can the members in the case based on
the parts that play. In CMMN the case procedure is comprised of stages which are groupings
of events, the opening and shutting stages depend on occasions, for example, the
achievement of a milestone, the conclusion of a task, a transformation in the case file, a time
event or a human decision. The thought of optional errand is worried to present adaptability
simultaneously (Bruno, 2017).
A human task containing two discretionary tasks like we can see in the Figure 4, an
expanded planning table. However, planning tables can also be utilized as a part of stages, in
which case the connector is never utilized. CMMN does not have an object in the meta-model
to demonstrate the second circumstance. There is no object that represents the association
of an expanded table in a human task to its optional items (Marin et al., 2014)
14
Figure 4 - Planning table in a human task (Marin et al 2014)
CMMN has recently focused efforts to standardize business processes base on
modelling rules. This practice does not rely on an explicit flow, Event-Conditions-Action (ECA)
restrict the input/output activities within the model. Therefore , taking into account the
CMMN is relatively recent, this presents some weaknesses (Zeising, Schönig, & Jablonski,
2014) :
• CMMN does not support different modalities;
• CMMN forget the organizational perspective. The potential performer of a
human task can only be selected based on a role and the perspective is
completely missing in the graphical representation of CMMN models (diagrams);
• Cross-perspective modelling is limited in CMMN. Rules may only depend on
events of informational entities and activities and may only constrain the entry
and exit of activities.
2.5 Decision Model and Notation (DMN)
In order to enable a seller-independent formalization of decision designs with a common
understanding and tool support, the OMG worked on a standardized meta-model and a profile
that enables the modelling of decision making their elements. The result of this effort is the
DMN that appears in 2014 the 1.0 version and in the next year the version 1.1 (Boumahdi,
Chalal, Guendouz, & Gasmia, 2016).
To Ghlala et. al (2016)DMN is a BPMN add-in. It is structured in two parts, the Decision
Requirements Diagram which contain the decision to analyse, business knowledge models,
input´s and knowledge source. The other part is, Decision Logic which is represented by a
15
decision table that can be converted into Friendly Enough Expression Language (FEEL)
scripting language. The DMN decisions can be classify in some categories such as, eligibility,
validation, calculation, risk, fraud. They describe DMN as a formalism for modelling decision-
making at a task process without trying to investigate its circumstances. Put it the DMN does
not take into contemplation, the harmonization of decisions throughout the process, the
decision in a distributed context with both collaborative and choreographic forms, the
uncertainty of decisions (Ghlala et al., 2016).
The DMN was thought to be used in combination with BPMN or other business process
modelling language. While BPMN concentrations around on the process themselves, the
decisions must be de depicted in isolate models, called decision models. Keeping in mind the
goal to accomplish compatibility, business process models need to define tasks inside business
processes where decision-making is required to happen, at that point the decision model
needs to specify in detail the decision-making, carried out in the process tasks (Dangarska,
Figl, & Mendling, 2016).
DMN is meant for a variety of business uses and business users in a wide variety of
domains. However, the fundamental purpose behind the notation is to support the
formalization of business processes in terms of decisions, and the rules that make up those
decisions. Essential semantic elements include decisions, business rules, the considerations
for those rules and various common operators that relate factors to constants, for example,
greater than and less than (Thomas, Diament, Martino, & Bellamy, 2012).
The main goal of DMN is to give a common notation that is readily understandable by
all business users, from the business analyst, needing to make initial decision requirements
and then decisions models in greater details to the technical developers, responsible for
automating the decisions in processes, lastly, to the business people, who will manage and
monitor those decisions. DMN makes a standardized bridge for the gap between the business
decision design and implementation, and allow the inclusion of decision tasks into the process
model. The way in which the data flows in the process can impact (Perez-Alvarez, Gomez-
Lopez, Parody, & Gasca, 2016).
A decision model can be represented as four elements (1) Input data, that corresponds
to a concept of data, (2) Decision, that is an element that corresponds to the decision that
determines the output value from a number of input values through some decision logic, (3)
Knowledge Model which corresponds to the function that encapsulates an area of domain
16
knowledge as executable decision logic, (4) Knowledge Source the defines an authority for
decisions. Figure 5 shows a generic decision model and the elements that have been explained
above (Li, Zhang, Roy, & Lee, 2017)
Figure 5 - Decision model (Li et al 2017)
2.6 Time constraints
Workflow technology has emerged as one of the main technologies in modelling,
redesigning, and executing business processes. At the present available workflow
management systems (WfMS) and research prototypes offer a very limited support for the
definition, detection and, management of temporal constraints over business processes. The
WfMS assumes control over the duty for the coordinated execution of tasks of a business
process. Organisations use WfMS to streamline. Computerize and manage business processes
that depend on information systems and human resources (Combi & Posenato, 2009).
Time is a critical dimension of process modelling as it is directly related with purchaser
satisfaction and cost lessening. The rapid delivery of goods or services directly affects
consumer loyalty. Besides, time improvement is regularly a very effective cost reduction
strategy for an organization. The temporal perspective contributes to both the definition and
the enactment of a workflow specification. When charactering a workflow, the temporal
perspective permits the modeler to expressly indicate temporal constraints and dependencies
to guarantee that every temporal requirement of the process are met. At enactment time, the
temporal perspective of the workflow process prompts the capacity to decisively plan a
process and its assets (Trudel & Gagné, 2008).
With the booming business globalization, organizations tend to trust more on business
process to streamline their operations. Many business processes have constraints, like a
17
limited duration of sub-processes, terms of delivery, date of re-submission and deadlines.
Normally, time violations rise the price of a business process because these lead to some
forms of expectation handling. The business process field ins influenced by a wide range of
temporal constraints which rise from legal, regulatory and administrative rules
(Cheikhrouhou, Kallel, Guermouche, & Jmaiel, 2013).
To the same author´s, Cheikhrouhou et. al (2013) the BPMN is poorly addresses the time
dimension so far. The BPMN notation does not offer an explicit approach to depict conditions
between more than one action since it is not possible to include a temporal constraint on the
finish of an activity (task or sub-process) other than the default Finish-to-start sequence flow.
They distinguish three major categories of temporal constraints, (1) Intra-activity temporal
constraints, (2) Inter-activity temporal constraints, (3) Inter process temporal constraints. The
intra-activity temporal constraints category collects temporal constraints related to one
activity inside a business process such as, duration, time constraints over cardinality, star/end
temporal constraints and the intra activity absence constraint. The inter-activity temporal
constraints is focuses to temporal constraints crossing the boundary of an activity in the
process model such as, temporal dependency and inter-activity absence constraint. Inter-
process temporal constraints introduce temporal constraints crossing the limit of one process
like as, exchanged temporal data and deadline of message exchange (Cheikhrouhou et al.,
2013).
Gagne and Trudel (2009) proposed an extension for BPMN called Time-BPMN, that
captures temporal perspective of business process. These extensions deals with temporal
constraints and needs that could happen while the definition of real world business processes.
Time-BPMN provides some attributes and property extensions to BPMN along their
representation. Denote “These extensions do no conflict with or alter the current specification
of BPMN”. General constraints can be specified to control the start or finish time of a process
or activity. The temporal constraints can be inflexible, for example, tied to a specific time
point, also can be flexible such as no tied to a specific time point. The inflexible are, Must
Start On and Must Finish On. To other side the flexible temporal constraints does not specify
a specific time point for a process, but rather imposes scheduling upper and/lower bounds, so
the flexibles temporal constraints are, As soon as Possible, As Late As Possible, Start No earlier
Than, Finish No earlier Than, Start No Later Than and Finish No. Also the same author´s identify
four types of temporal dependencies in Time BPMN such as, Start-to-Finish, Start-to-Start,
18
Finish-to-Start and Finish-to-Finish. The time dependencies are relationships between two
activities in which one activity depends on the start or finish of other activity in order to start
or end. (Gagne & Trudel, 2009).
To Trudel & Gagné (2008) the temporal perspective is composed of Time-Points,
Intervals, Interval Duration and Dependencies. (Trudel & Gagné, 2008).
• Time-Points: intervals of interest to the model that usually are necessary when
modelling a process. These Time-Points can be specified as Absolute (e.g. Friday
June 12), Periodic (e.g. every Saturday, 19:00hrs) or Relative (e.g. 5 days after start).
• Intervals: the size of the interval can be clearly specified such as a duration, or
implicitly derived from the interval endpoints
• Interval Duration: although interval duration can be inferred from the time
points, temporal dependencies and constraints of the workflow specification, in
some case is simpler to directly specify the duration of an interval. Two parts of
interval duration are the Maximum and Minimum duration. Both can be directly
specified as a constraint for a process or an activity or any other temporal
component (e.g. Maximum duration = 10 for the acceptance process).
• Dependencies: temporal dependencies can be more constrained with delays
called Lead and Lag time. The Lag Time can be used as a constraint to specify a
delay between the finish of the predecessor and the start of the successor. Lead
Time cause the superposition of the successor and the predecessor, the
successor starts before the predecessor finishes.
Pereira & Varajão (2017) after identify time constraints, such as Activity duration,
Process duration, Deadlines, Minimum limit, Maximum limit, Fixed dates, Waiting time,
Negative information propose a temporal process model, that Figure 6 shows. (Pereira &
Varajão, 2017).
19
Figura 6 –Time constraints in a business process model (Pereira & Varajão, 2017)
21
3. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
The research methodology taken in this thesis will be the DSR comprising a set of
analytical techniques and perspectives (includes positivist and interpretative perspectives) for
conducting studies in Information Systems (IS). DSR involves the development of new
knowledge through the use of innovative performance analysis and artefacts designed to
understand, explain and improve the behaviour of the aspects under study ((Vaishnavi &
Kuechler, 2004).
The DSR consists of six steps that must be followed strictly at the development and
evaluation of artefacts designed (Peffers, Tuunanen, Rothenberger, & Chatterjee, 2007). In
Figure 7 we can see the mapping of the six steps to the dissertation project.
Figura 7 - Design Science Research ( Peffers et al. 2007).
The steps shown above are described in the following order (Peffers et al., 2007):
1. Identification of the Problem and Motivation: this step is to set the specific problem
of research as well as the justification concerning the relevance of the solution.
2. Setting the goals of a solution: the solution objectives are identified.
3. Design and Development: this step is on the establishment of articles taking into
account the definition of models, methods or instances.
4. Demonstration: where is presented the artefact created to address one or more
instances of the problem. It may involve simulation, test or case study.
22
5. Evaluation: this step corresponds to the respective comparison of the proposed
objectives and the results obtained from the use of the artefact during the
demonstration. Conclusions are a withdrawn if the artefact in question can to answer
the problem.
6. Communication: this step is disclosed of the problem and its relevance. The artefact
and its respective use are also disclosed as well as the results to the public.
Briefly the design science research methodology seeks to answer questions like, “what use
provides the artefact?” and “Which shows that utility?”. Evidence must be submitted to
address these two issues, which is the essence of the DSR (Esearch, Hevner, March, Park, &
Ram, 2004).
3.1 Literature Review Strategy
The strategy for the realization of this literature review was to collect information from
reputable academic and scientific repositories, such as:
• Google Scholar;
• Scopus;
• Microsoft Academic;
• B-on;
• IEEE-Xplore;
• ScienceDirect;
• Springer;
• ACM-Digital Library;
• Web of Science;
• Repository of Minho University;
The choice of material of academic and scientific repositories underwent some
preferences, such as:
• Preference of more recent articles;
• Relevance of author (s) on the theme;
• Increased number of article citations;
23
• Document type: book, article, thesis, or professional blogs;
• Preferences to articles written in English;
The collection of the associated literature was based on research keywords in academic
and scientific repositories mentioned above. Some used words or phrases were:
• “Business process management”
• “BPM”
• “Business process management and notation”
• “BPMN”
• “Business process management system”
• “BPMS”
• “Case management model and notation”
• “CMMN”
• “Decision model notation”
• “DMN”
• “Time issues in BPM”
• “Time constraints in BPMN”
• “Temporal restrictions on BPMN”.
24
4. WORK PLAN
This chapter presents the work plan for this thesis, aiming to organize activities to succeed to
achieve the predefined objectives. Are presented below the main tasks to be carried out with
a view to successful completion of this work:
• Information gathering: this task aims to research and selection of references in
articles, publications related to BPM, BPMS, BPMN, CMMN, DMN and compilation of
the time constraints in the BPMN modelling.
• Identification of time constraints: this task focuses to identification of the time
constraints found.
• Characterization of time constraints: this task aims to describe the time constraints
identified.
• Literature review: It aims to write a document with all considered relevant
information about the theme.
• Proposals modelling extension: after completion of the previous task will be
modelling proposed alternatives to the restrictions found.
• Elaboration of the dissertation report: It aims to consolidate all the work done
throughout this project, evidencing the results obtained and the main conclusions.
• Review of the dissertation report: Review of the Dissertation.
The following table is presented a chart where evidenced by month the distribution of each
task described above:
Table 1 - Scheduling
25
5. CONCLUSION
The literature review has led to a deepening of knowledge in areas such as BPM, BPMS
and BPMN. On other hand, also the first contact with the approaches of CMMN and DMN,
these quite useful in ways of dealing with the management and making decisions.
It was also carried out a survey and appropriate lifting time constraints that will already
be a case of study in the scientific community, which led to the awareness of how important
the temporal questions with regard to the modelling of business process. Therefore, it is
considered relevant to continue the study of the subject in question in this dissertation, aiming
in future work conduct a more comprehensive survey and respective characterization od
identified temporal constraints and try to propose solutions.
26
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Aalst, van der. (2013). Business Process Management : A Comprehensive Survey. ISRN
Software Engineering, 2013, 1–37.
https://doi.org/http://dxdoi.org/10.1155/2013/507984
Boumahdi, F., Chalal, R., Guendouz, A., & Gasmia, K. (2016). SOA (Formula presented.) : a new
way to design the decision in SOA—based on the new standard Decision Model and
Notation (DMN). Service Oriented Computing and Applications, 10(1), 35–53.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11761-014-0162-x
Briol, P. (2008). BPMN, the Business Process Modeling Notation Pocket Handbook. Retrieved
from Lulu.com
Bruno, G. (2017). Extending CMMN with entity life cycles. Procedia Computer Science, 121,
98–105. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.procs.2017.11.014
Carvalho, R. M., Mili, H., Gonzalez-Huerta, J., Boubaker, A., & Leshob, A. (2016). Comparing
ConDec to CMMN - Towards a Common Language for Flexible Processes. Proceedings of
the 4th International Conference on Model-Driven Engineering and Software
Development, 233–240. https://doi.org/10.5220/0005688002330240
Cheikhrouhou, S., Kallel, S., Guermouche, N., & Jmaiel, M. (2013). Toward a Time-centric
modeling of Business Processes in BPMN 2.0. International Conference on Information
Integration and Web-Based Applications & Services, 154–163. Retrieved from
http://doi.acm.org/10.1145/2539150.2539182%5Cnpapers3://publication/doi/10.1145
/2539150.2539182
Chinosi, M., & Trombetta, A. (2012). BPMN: An introduction to the standard. Computer
Standards and Interfaces, 34(1), 124–134. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.csi.2011.06.002
Combi, C., & Posenato, R. (2009). Controllability in temporal conceptual workflow schemata.
Lecture Notes in Computer Science (Including Subseries Lecture Notes in Artificial
Intelligence and Lecture Notes in Bioinformatics), 5701 LNCS, 64–79.
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-03848-8_6
Dangarska, Z., Figl, K., & Mendling, J. (2016). An Explorative Analysis of the Notational
Characteristics of the Decision Model and Notation (DMN). Proceedings - IEEE
International Enterprise Distributed Object Computing Workshop, EDOCW (Vol. 2016–
Septe). https://doi.org/10.1109/EDOCW.2016.7584345
27
Dumas, M., La Rosa, M., Mendling, J., & Reijers, H. A. (2013). Fundamentals of Business Process
Management.
Esearch, S. Y. R., Hevner, B. A. R., March, S. T., Park, J., & Ram, S. (2004). D Esign S Cience in I
Nformation. MIS Quarterly, 28(1), 75–105. https://doi.org/10.2307/25148869
Freitas, A. P., & Pereira, J. P. (2008). Process Simulation Support in BPM Tools : The Case of
BPMN, 1–9.
Gagne, D. (2015). An overview BPMN, CMMN, DMN, 30. Retrieved from
http://www.omg.org/news/meetings/tc/ca-16/special-events/healthcare-
presentations/Gagne.pdf
Gagne, D., & Trudel, A. (2009). Time-BPMN. 2009 IEEE Conference on Commerce and
Enterprise Computing, 361–367. https://doi.org/10.1109/CEC.2009.71
Ghlala, R., Aouina, Z., & Said, L. (2016). Decision-Making Harmonization in Business Process,
16–18.
Harmon, P. (2007). Process Architecture and Organizational Alignment. Business Process
Change. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-012374152-3/50034-3
Li, Y., Zhang, H., Roy, U., & Lee, Y. T. (2017). A Data-Driven Approach for Improving
Sustainability Assessment in Advanced Manufacturing, 1736–1745.
Marin, M. A., Lotriet, H., & Van Der Poll, J. A. (2015). Metrics for the Case Management
Modeling and Notation (CMMN) Specification. Proceedings of the 2015 Annual Research
Conference on South African Institute of Computer Scientists and Information
Technologists - SAICSIT ’15, 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1145/2815782.2815813
Marin, Lotriet, H., & van der Poll, J. A. (2014). Measuring Method Complexity of the Case
Management Modeling and Notation (CMMN). Proceedings of the Southern African
Institute for Computer Scientist and Information Technologists Annual Conference 2014
on SAICSIT 2014 Empowered by Technology - SAICSIT ’14, 209–216.
https://doi.org/10.1145/2664591.2664608
Mendling, J., Baesens, B., Bernstein, A., & Fellmann, M. (2017). Challenges of smart business
process management: An introduction to the special issue. Decision Support Systems,
100, 1–5. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dss.2017.06.009
Mili, H., Tremblay, G., Jaoude, G. B., Lefebvre, É., Elabed, L., & Boussaidi, G. El. (2010). Business
process modeling languages. ACM Computing Surveys (Vol. 43).
https://doi.org/10.1145/1824795.1824799
28
Peffers, K., Tuunanen, T., Rothenberger, M. A., & Chatterjee, S. (2007). A Design Science
Research Methodology for Information Systems Research. Journal of Management
Information Systems, 24(3), 45–77. https://doi.org/10.2753/MIS0742-1222240302
Pereira, J., & Varajão, J. (2017). ScienceDirect The Temporal Dimension of Business Processes
- Dealing with Time Constraints, 0.
Perez-Alvarez, J. M., Gomez-Lopez, M. T., Parody, L., & Gasca, R. M. (2016). Process Instance
Query Language to Include Process Performance Indicators in DMN. Proceedings - IEEE
International Enterprise Distributed Object Computing Workshop, EDOCW, 2016–Septe,
233–240. https://doi.org/10.1109/EDOCW.2016.7584381
Poelmans, S., Reijers, H. A., & Recker, J. (2013). Investigating the success of operational
business process management systems. Information Technology and Management,
14(4), 295–314. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10799-013-0167-8
Recker, J. (2010). Opportunities and constraints: the current struggle with BPMN. Business
Process Management Journal, 16(1), 181–201.
https://doi.org/10.1108/14637151011018001
Recker, J., Indulska, M., Rosemann, M., & Green, P. (2006). How good is BPMN Really? Insights
from Thory and Practice. Proceedings 14th European Conference on Information Systems,
13. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0261-5177(02)00005-5
Recker, J., & Mendling, J. (2016). The state of the art of business process management
research as published in the BPM conference: Recommendations for progressing the
field. Business and Information Systems Engineering, 58(1), 55–72.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s12599-015-0411-3
Tessari, R. (2008). Gestão De Processos De Negócio: Um Estudo De Caso Da Bpmn Em Uma
Empresa Do Setor Moveleiro. Retrieved from
http://www.ucs.br/ucs/tplPOSAdministracao/posgraduacao/strictosensu/administraca
o/dissertacoes/dissertacao?identificador=318
Thomas, J. C., Diament, J., Martino, J., & Bellamy, R. K. E. (2012). Using the #x201C;Physics
#x201D; of notations to analyze a visual representation of business decision modeling.
2012 IEEE Symposium on Visual Languages and Human-Centric Computing (VL/HCC), 41–
44. https://doi.org/10.1109/VLHCC.2012.6344478
Trudel, A., & Gagné, D. (2008). The Temporal Perspective: Expressing Temporal Constraints
and Dependencies in Process Models. Bpm 2008, 1–14. Retrieved from
29
http://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en-
us&q=The+Temporal+Perspective:+Expressing+Temporal+Constraints+and+Dependenci
es+in+Process+Models&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-
8%5Cnpapers3://publication/uuid/D18B9B83-05C3-44EC-B9BF-C010961F3F24
Vaishnavi, V., & Kuechler, B. (2004). Design Science Research in Information Systems. Ais, 45.
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-5653-8
Van Der Aalst, La Rosa, M., & Santoro, F. M. (2016). Business process management: Don’t
forget to improve the process! Business and Information Systems Engineering, 58(1), 1–
6. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12599-015-0409-x
Verner, L. (2004). BPM: The Promise and the Challenge. Queue, 2(March), 82.
https://doi.org/10.1145/984458.984503
vom Brocke, J., Schmiedel, T., Recker, J., Trkman, P., Mertens, W., & Viaene, S. (2014). Ten
principles of good business process management. Business Process Management
Journal, 20(4), 530–548. https://doi.org/10.1108/BPMJ-06-2013-0074
White, S. a. (2004). Introduction to BPMN. BPTrends, (c), 1–11.
https://doi.org/10.3727/000000006783982421
Wiemuth, M., Junger, D., Leitritz, M. A., Neumann, J., Neumuth, T., & Burgert, O. (2017).
Application fields for the new Object Management Group (OMG) Standards Case
Management Model and Notation (CMMN) and Decision Management Notation (DMN)
in the perioperative field. International Journal of Computer Assisted Radiology and
Surgery, 12(8), 1439–1449. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11548-017-1608-3
Zeising, M., Schönig, S., & Jablonski, S. (2014). Towards a Common Platform for the Support
of Routine and Agile Business Processes. Proceedings of the 10th IEEE International
Conference on Collaborative Computing: Networking, Applications and Worksharing, 94–
103. https://doi.org/10.4108/icst.collaboratecom.2014.257269
![Enhancing Declarative Process Models with DMN …Enhancing Declarative Process Models with DMN Decision Logic 153 the Decision Model and Notation (DMN) [13]. By separating decisions](https://img.dokumen.tips/doc/110x75/5ec7e18045b8f32c372a8cf0/enhancing-declarative-process-models-with-dmn-enhancing-declarative-process-models.jpg)
