Enactment
Once the system configuration phase is completed, business process instances
can be enacted. The process enactment phase encompasses the actual run time
of the business process. Business process instances are initiated to fulfil the
business goals of a company. Initiation of a process instance typically follows
a defined event, for instance, the receipt of an order sent by a customer.
The business process management system actively controls the execution
of business process instances as defined in the business process model. Process
enactment needs to cater to a correct process orchestration, guaranteeing that
the process activities are performed according to the execution constraints
specified in the process model.
A monitoring component of a business process management system visualizes
the status of business process instances. Process monitoring is an important
mechanism for providing accurate information on the status of business
process instances. This information is valuable, for instance, to respond to a
customer request that inquires about the current status of his case.
Detailed information on the current state of process instances are available
in a business process management system. In Section 3.4, the states and
state transitions of activity instances are investigated, while Section 3.5 covers
process instances. State information can be used to visualize and monitor
process instances. Visualization techniques can be based on colours, so that,
for instance, an enabled activity is shown in green, a running instance is
marked in blue, and a completed process instance is represented in grey. Most business process management systems provide monitoring information that is
based on states of active business processes.
During business process enactment, valuable execution data is gathered,
typically in some form of log file. These log files consist of ordered sets of log
entries, indicating events that have occurred during business processes. Start
of activity and end of activity is typical information stored in execution logs.
Log information is the basis for evaluation of processes in the next phase of
the business process lifecycle.
Evaluation
The evaluation phase uses information available to evaluate and improve business
process models and their implementations. Execution logs are evaluated
using business activity monitoring and process mining techniques. These techniques
aim at identifying the quality of business process models and the adequacy
of the execution environment.
For instance, business activity monitoring might identify that a certain
activity takes too long due to shortage of resources required to conduct it.
Since this information is useful also for business process simulation, these
phases are strongly related.
Similar considerations apply to process mining, which has recently developed
into an active field of research. There are different applications of process
mining. If the execution logs are generated by traditional information systems,
they collectively can be used as a starting point to develop business process
models. The evaluation of existing business process models is another application
area of process mining. The evaluation phase is not covered in detail in
this book; for further information, the reader is referred to the bibliographical
notes in the end of this part.
Administration and Stakeholders
There are numerous artefacts at different levels of abstraction in business
process management scenarios that need to be organized and managed well.
Structured storage and efficient retrieval of artefacts regarding business process
models and information on business process instances as well as the organizational
and technical execution environment need to be taken into account.
Especially in large organizations with hundreds or thousands of business
process models, a well-structured repository with powerful query mechanisms
is essential. In addition to business processes, knowledge workers with their
organizational roles and skills, as well as the information technology landscape
of the enterprise, need to be represented properly.
The business process domain is characterized by several types of stakeholders
with different knowledge, expertise, and experience; these are classified into
the following roles:
• Chief Process Officer: The chief process officer is responsible for standardizing
and harmonizing business processes in the enterprise. In addition, he
or she is responsible for the evolution of business processes in the presence
of changing market requirements. Installing an explicit role of chief
process officer acknowledges the importance of business process management
at the top level management.
• Business Engineer: Business engineers are business domain experts responsible
for defining strategic goals of the company and organizational
business processes. Often, business engineers have a nontechnical educational
background, so that convenient and simple-to-use process modelling
notations are required to communicate about business processes with these
stakeholders.
• Process Designer: Process designers are responsible for modelling business
processes by communicating with business domain experts and other
stakeholders. Very good analytical capabilities and excellent communication
skills are important for a process designer.
• Process Participant: Process participants conduct the actual operational
work during the enactment of business process instances. They also play
an important role during business process modelling, because they are
knowledgeable about the activities conducted and their interrelationships
with activities conducted by other process participants. It is the task of
the process designer to assemble from this information a consistent overall
view and capture it as a business process model.
• Knowledge Worker: Knowledge workers are process participants who use
software systems to perform activities in a business process. Knowledge
workers are equipped with detailed knowledge of the application domain,
and they can perform activities, or even parts of business processes, autonomously.
• Process Responsible: Each business process model is assigned an individual
who is responsible for the correct and efficient execution of all business
processes using this model. He or she is responsible for detecting inefficiencies
in the process and for improving it, in close collaboration with the
process participants and the process designers.
• System Architect: System architects are responsible for developing and
configuring business process management systems so that the configured
business process management system enacts the business processes in the
context of the information systems infrastructure at hand.
• Developers: Developers are information technology professionals who create
software artefacts required to implement business processes. The implementation
of interfaces to existing software systems is an important
area of work for developers.
These different types of stakeholders need to cooperate closely in designing
business processes and in developing adequate solutions for enacting them.
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