Understanding conceptual models of business domains is a key skill for practitioners tasked with systems analysis and design. Research in this field predominantly uses experiments with specific user proxy cohorts to examine factors that explain how well different types of conceptual models can be comprehended by model viewers. However, the results from these studies are difficult to compare. One key difficulty rests in the unsystematic and fluctuating consideration of model viewer characteristics (MVCs) to date. In this paper, we review MVCs used in prominent prior studies on conceptual model comprehension. We then design an empirical review of the influence of MVCS through a global, cross-sectional experimental study in which over 500 student and practitioner users were asked to answer comprehension questions about a prominent type of conceptual model - BPMN process models. As an experimental treatment, we used good versus bad layout in order to increase the variance of performance. Our results show MVC to be a multi-dimensional construct. Moreover, process model comprehension is related in different ways to different traits of the MVC construct. Based on these findings, we offer guidance for experimental designs in this area of research and provide implications for the study of MVCs.

This thesis deals with modeling, analysis and optimization of business process Alarm of assembly products -- the issue that a medium-sized company from the manufacturing area dealt with. First of all, the current state of the selected process is modeled. Then, the process model is thoroughly analyzed. Due to the analysis, we are able to discover all of the deficiencies in the process. Then, the description and the design of innovations (resulting from the previous stage) are created. Business Process Model and Notation and Petri Nets are used as a tool for modeling and solving the blocking points via the modeling software AccuProcess Modeler, Enterprise Architect and Petri .NET Simulator. The thesis also includes the implementation of a web application for managing all of the processes within the company. The application is developed using PHP and MySQL technologies.

The thesis is dedicated to the modeling of processes related to the operation of information systems. The theoretical part deals with the operation of information systems in the context of the general methodology for IT services and procedural framework ITIL for service management in IT services. The following part focuses on overview of the basic principles for process modeling and brief characteristics of selected modeling methodologies and notations. Theoretical assumptions are applied in the practical part of the thesis, in which BPMN notation through using the software tool ARIS Express are assembled general models of identified key processes associated with the operation of an information system according to the procedural framework ITIL.

Process modeling is an indispensable task in the discipline of Business Process Management. The process models created in this task help its readers in to acquiring a higher comprehension of a process, allowing for the discovery of opportunities for its improvement. However, the comprehension of a process model is not guaranteed, as process modeling is a complex task that depends on the proficiency of the process modeler to avoid the creation of badly designed constructs. Process modeling guidelines are an essential tool in this regard, though they are dispersed across the many studies of the literature and not all of them have empirical evidence validating their effects. In addition to this problem, it is still an open questions if a set of process modeling guidelines makes the process modeling task more challenging and how effective modelers are in using them. It is also unclear how receptive process analysts are to the modeling guidelines. This dissertation presents a systematic literature review we conducted to collect and analyze the modeling guidelines found in the literature. It investigated a total of 520 articles, extracting a total of 45 modeling guidelines spread across 4 different categories. These 45 guidelines were simplified into a set of 20 guidelines, based on their significance to create more comprehensible process models and their practicality. This dissertation also presents the findings of an empirical experiment performed by 13 subjects that compared the results of two process modeling tasks with and without the support of the 20 modeling guidelines presented by the review, in which it was possible to observe that the subjects recognize the usefulness of the guidelines, but find them difficult to understand and use.

A Notação e Modelo de Processo de Negócio (BPMN - Business Process Model and Notation) possibilita apresentar informações sobre o fluxo de dados de um processo por meio de dados e artefatos, tais como objetos, associações e repositórios de dados. No entanto, esses elementos apresentam poder de expressão limitado, principalmente quando se referem ao mapeamento das fontes de dados (ex.: serviço web) em um modelo de processo. Neste contexto, o presente trabalho propõe uma abordagem para associar fontes de dados a elementos de BPMN (ex.: tarefa de serviço). Tal abordagem deve servir como um ponto de partida para profissionais de gerenciamento de processos de negócio quanto ao mapeamento, na etapa de modelagem, da fonte de dados que está sendo utilizada pelo processo, através da utilização de elementos de BPMN. Visando demonstrar os resultados, foram evidenciadas cinco correlações, que são chamadas de “propostas de definições”, seguidas por sua descrição textual e um exemplo de uso. Essas propostas de definições, juntamente com as fontes de dados utilizadas, foram avaliadas por meio de uma pesquisa de opinião. Como resultado, destaca-se que as fontes de dados selecionadas foram validadas pelos participantes da pesquisa de opinião, que demonstraram conhecimento em ao menos uma das fontes de dados, fornecendo indícios que as fontes de dados selecionadas são as mais apropriadas para o trabalho em questão. Ainda, como resultados, as propostas de definições foram validadas com os participantes, obtendo resultados positivos quanto aos fragmentos de processo elaborados para representar as fontes de dados internos, transferência de arquivos e base de dados compartilhada. A principal contribuição deste trabalho é auxiliar na identificação de fontes de dados de um processo de negócio, a partir do conjunto de elementos disponibilizado pela BPMN 2.0.2, onde, anteriormente, tal identificação era possível apenas através da documentação do processo. / Business Process Model and Notation (BPMN) makes it possible to display information about the data flow of a process through data and artifacts such as objects, associations and data stores. However, these elements provide a limited capacity, especially when referring to the mapping of the data sources (e.g. web service) in a process model. In this context, this paper proposes an approach to associate data sources to BPMN elements (e.g. service task). Such approach aims to serve as a starting point to business process management professionals in order to map, in design time, the data source that is being used by the process, through the use of BPMN elements. In order to demonstrate the results, five correlations were evidenced, which are called “definitions proposals”, followed by their textual description and an example of use. These definitions proposals, together with the data sources used, were evaluated through a survey. As a result, the selected data sources were validated by the participants of the survey that demonstrated knowledge in at least one of the data sources, providing evidence that the selected data sources are the most appropriated for the work concerned. Also, as results, the definitions proposals were validated with the participants, obtaining positive results regarding to the process fragments designed to represent the data sources internal data, file transfer and shared database. The main contribution of this thesis is to assist the identification of data sources of a business process, from the set of elements provided by BPMN 2.0.2, where, previously, such identification was only possible through the process documentation.

Process modeling is an indispensable task in the discipline of Business Process Management. The process models created in this task help its readers in to acquiring a higher comprehension of a process, allowing for the discovery of opportunities for its improvement. However, the comprehension of a process model is not guaranteed, as process modeling is a complex task that depends on the proficiency of the process modeler to avoid the creation of badly designed constructs. Process modeling guidelines are an essential tool in this regard, though they are dispersed across the many studies of the literature and not all of them have empirical evidence validating their effects. In addition to this problem, it is still an open questions if a set of process modeling guidelines makes the process modeling task more challenging and how effective modelers are in using them. It is also unclear how receptive process analysts are to the modeling guidelines. This dissertation presents a systematic literature review we conducted to collect and analyze the modeling guidelines found in the literature. It investigated a total of 520 articles, extracting a total of 45 modeling guidelines spread across 4 different categories. These 45 guidelines were simplified into a set of 20 guidelines, based on their significance to create more comprehensible process models and their practicality. This dissertation also presents the findings of an empirical experiment performed by 13 subjects that compared the results of two process modeling tasks with and without the support of the 20 modeling guidelines presented by the review, in which it was possible to observe that the subjects recognize the usefulness of the guidelines, but find them difficult to understand and use.

Teoricamente, o Alinhamento Estratégico pode ser obtido com um bom Gerenciamento de Processos de Negócio (BPM na sigla em inglês), porém a relação entre esses temas é, na maioria das vezes, assumida implicitamente e pouco elaborada, tornando-se difícil a visualização e vínculo entre as estratégias e os modelos de processos detalhados, sendo necessário empreender pesquisas na direção de uma união efetiva dos dois temas. O presente trabalho desenvolveu um metamodelo multinível, para ligar os objetivos estratégicos com os processos de negócio da organização através da modelagem de processos de negócio. O trabalho conceitual foi acrescido por uma ferramenta de suporte à modelagem que permite a geração de modelos com base no metamodelo multinível e também a representação dos modelos em diferentes formas de abstração. A abordagem foi aplicada em uma grande multinacional e posteriormente foi conduzida uma avaliação experimental no qual foram realizadas entrevistas com funcionários de diferentes níveis hierárquicos para validar a eficiência e eficácia do trabalho desenvolvido. Como resultado foi possível constatar não apenas a efetividade em alcançar os objetivos propostos como também a facilidade na utilização e compreensão da abordagem em níveis devido a simplicidade na representação dos elementos e seus possíveis relacionamentos / Theoretically, the Strategic Alignment can be accomplished with a good Business Process Management, but the relationship between these themes is, most often, implicitly assumed and little developed, making it difficult to visualize and link between the strategies and the models of detailed processes, being necessary to undertake research towards an effective union of the two themes. This study developed a multilevel metamodel for connecting strategic objectives with organizational business processes through modeling of business processes. The conceptual work was increased by a support tool for modeling that allows the generation of models based on multilevel metamodel and also the representation of models in different forms of abstraction. The approach was applied in a large multinational and was subsequently conducted an experimental evaluation in which interviews with employees from different hierarchical levels were performed to validate the efficiency and effectiveness of their work. As a result it was possible to not only the effectiveness in achieving the proposed objectives as well as the ease of use and understanding of the tiered approach because of the simplicity in the representation of the elements and their possible relationships

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-12T16:01:30Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 arquivo9415_1.pdf: 2190260 bytes, checksum: 2972a41af6edc33657e680fccdd03a29 (MD5) license.txt: 1748 bytes, checksum: 8a4605be74aa9ea9d79846c1fba20a33 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011 / O surgimento da Computação Orientada a Serviços (COS) como um novo paradigm de programação trouxe muitas características boas, como permitir a programação em massa, integração mais fácil entre sistemas de empresas diferentes, escalabilidade, mas, principalmente, o foco na lógica de mais alto nível do negócio. Mas, enquanto este foco na lógica do negócio é mais produtivo e muito crucial aos usuários de negócio que não possuem conhecimento tecnológico (e de fato, não precisam dele), ainda há uma brecha semântica entre o que o usuário descreve na lógica de negócio e no que realmente é executado na máquina. Neste contexto, apresentamos a Ferramenta de Tradução Sec-MoSC, uma abordagem proposta para evitar esta brecha, responsável por fazer a tradução entre modelos de processo de negócio alto-nível e processos executáveis. Dois avanços principais são extraídos deste trabalho: uma forma mais fácil e reusável de criar novos artefatos de tradução e a incorporação de requisitos não-funcionais (como segurança) no processo de tradução modelagem-para-execução, especificamente, com uma implementação para as duas linguagens mais usadas para modelar e executar processos de negócio, respectivamente, BPMN e BPEL

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-12T16:01:31Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 arquivo9419_1.pdf: 1374398 bytes, checksum: 76832205ae37ac03060aa290575a2470 (MD5) license.txt: 1748 bytes, checksum: 8a4605be74aa9ea9d79846c1fba20a33 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / O alto índice de despesas com a sinistralidade de tratamentos odontológicos tem dificultado o equilíbrio econômico e orçamentário das empresas operadoras de planos odontológicos. A busca por soluções mediada pela Tecnologia da Informação tem o propósito de diminuir tais custos de operação e tem sido um dos objetos de estudo dessas empresas. Um dos principais motivadores para o aumento da sinistralidade concentra-se na forma como a operadora autoriza a execução dos tratamentos odontológicos solicitados por seus prestadores de serviço (dentista). O grande desafio dos peritos é estabelecer o equilíbrio entre a detecção de incoerências em tempo hábil, de tal forma que não prejudique o atendimento dos beneficiários, sem permitir a efetivação de despesas indevidas. Este trabalho tem o objetivo de investigar deficiências que uma empresa operadora de plano odontológico de médio porte possui para avaliar os tratamentos solicitados. Utilizando-se a notação Business Process Modeling Notation (BPMN) foi realizado um mapeamento dos processos envolvendo todo o ciclo dos planos de tratamento, identificando os fatores críticos que comprometem a qualidade do processo de tomada de decisão sob as autorizações concedidas. Também é abordado como o ambiente computacional existente na empresa automatiza esses processos. Baseado nessa análise é proposto o redesenho dos processos críticos apoiados por um Sistema Especialista (SE), que integrado ao ambiente computacional existente visa suprir as necessidades identificadas. No SE proposto são abordadas técnicas para representar o conhecimento utilizado pelos peritos durante o processo de tomada de decisão

The diploma thesis deals with Business Process Management and changes of business environment which have occurred mainly in last century and caused a formation of new approaches in company management. Further it defines a concept of process, process kinds and operation of process leaded organization including advantages and disadvantages. The thesis also includes Business Process Modelling problematic which has relations to Business Process Management. There are also identified techniques and specific diagrams possible and suitable to use in modelling area. This knowledge is applied in Draft of the Model of Auction Process of Buying Commodities.