on the notion of flexibility in business processes pnina soffer porto, june 2005

On the Notion of On the Notion of Flexibility in Business Flexibility in Business

ProcessesProcesses

Pnina SofferPnina Soffer

Porto, June 2005

Business process Business process flexibility:flexibility:

What does it mean?What does it mean?

Two types of BP Two types of BP flexibilityflexibility

Short term flexibilityShort term flexibility

Long term flexibilityLong term flexibility

Capability to deviate from a standard way of working

Capability to change the standard way of working

Theoretical background: Theoretical background: The Generic Process Model The Generic Process Model

(GPM)(GPM) A processA process: a sequence of unstable states : a sequence of unstable states

transforming by law until a stable state is transforming by law until a stable state is reached.reached.

Process goalProcess goal: a set of stable states on : a set of stable states on which the process terminates. Defined by a which the process terminates. Defined by a condition that specifies what the process is condition that specifies what the process is to achieve.to achieve.

Domain lawDomain law: Mappings between subsets of : Mappings between subsets of states, specifying possible transformations.states, specifying possible transformations.

Theoretical background: Theoretical background: The theory of coordinationThe theory of coordination

Coordination: the management of Coordination: the management of dependenciesdependencies

Dependency types:Dependency types: Flow dependencyFlow dependency Sharing dependencySharing dependency Fit dependencyFit dependency

Short term flexibilityShort term flexibility

Ability to achieve the process goal Ability to achieve the process goal via multiple paths.via multiple paths.

In flexible BPs the law imposes a In flexible BPs the law imposes a minimal set of constraints minimal set of constraints

Constraints should be distinguished Constraints should be distinguished to essential and inessential.to essential and inessential.

Constraint classificationConstraint classification

Environmental constraintsEnvironmental constraints

Goal reachability constraintsGoal reachability constraints

BPS system imposed constraintsBPS system imposed constraints

Sharing dependency related Sharing dependency related constraintsconstraints

Soft-goal related constraintsSoft-goal related constraints

Environmental Environmental constraintsconstraints

Constraints imposed by the Constraints imposed by the environmentenvironment LegislationLegislation LocationLocation TechnologyTechnology MarketMarket

Cannot be eliminated or bypassed in Cannot be eliminated or bypassed in the short termthe short term







ESSENTIAL

Goal reachability Goal reachability constraintsconstraints

Source: process interaction, where an Source: process interaction, where an outcome of one process is required for outcome of one process is required for another process to attain its goal.another process to attain its goal.

Example: inventory management Example: inventory management process and production process.process and production process.

Cannot be eliminated if all goals are to Cannot be eliminated if all goals are to be reached.be reached.







ESSENTIAL

ESSENTIAL

BPS system imposed BPS system imposed constraintsconstraints

Source: BPS system design to Source: BPS system design to support a specific way of workingsupport a specific way of working

Example: municipal tax collectionExample: municipal tax collection

A BPS system should be designed to A BPS system should be designed to support every possible path that support every possible path that leads to the process goal – goal leads to the process goal – goal orientation.orientation.







ESSENTIAL

ESSENTIAL

INESSENTIAL

Sharing dependency Sharing dependency constraintsconstraints

Source: limited capacity of shared Source: limited capacity of shared resource.resource.

Possible result: transformation of Possible result: transformation of sharing dependency into flow sharing dependency into flow dependency, constraining the paths to dependency, constraining the paths to the process goal.the process goal.

Example: computer class allocationExample: computer class allocation

Should be resolved by capacity increaseShould be resolved by capacity increase







ESSENTIAL

ESSENTIAL

INESSENTIAL

INESSENTIAL

Soft-goal related Soft-goal related constraintsconstraints

Source: policy aimed at achieving Source: policy aimed at achieving improved performance measuresimproved performance measures

Example: regular delivery vs. express Example: regular delivery vs. express deliverydelivery

Should be treated as path selection Should be treated as path selection guidelines rather than constraintsguidelines rather than constraints







ESSENTIAL

ESSENTIAL

INESSENTIAL

INESSENTIAL

INESSENTIAL

Long term flexibilityLong term flexibility Ability to easily change the process Ability to easily change the process

definitionsdefinitions

Identify desired / required changeIdentify desired / required change Compliance with environmental constraintCompliance with environmental constraint New goalsNew goals Soft-goal improvementSoft-goal improvement

Design BP + BPS systemDesign BP + BPS system

Implement changeImplement change

Compliance with Compliance with environmental constraintenvironmental constraint

Goals are not changedGoals are not changed New paths to designNew paths to design Impact analysis: new goal Impact analysis: new goal

reachability constraintsreachability constraints BPS system: goal orientationBPS system: goal orientation Soft-goal considerations as Soft-goal considerations as

guidelinesguidelines

New goalsNew goals

New processes to designNew processes to design Impact analysis: new goal Impact analysis: new goal

reachability constraintsreachability constraints BPS system: BPS system: adaptiveadaptive goal goal

orientationorientation Soft-goal considerations as Soft-goal considerations as

guidelinesguidelines Shared resources: capacity issuesShared resources: capacity issues

Soft-goal improvementSoft-goal improvement

Goals are not changedGoals are not changed New paths to designNew paths to design Impact analysis: new goal Impact analysis: new goal

reachability constraintsreachability constraints BPS system: goal orientationBPS system: goal orientation Soft-goal considerations as Soft-goal considerations as

guidelinesguidelines

Inhibitors of long term Inhibitors of long term flexibilityflexibility

Impact analysis capabilityImpact analysis capability BPS system: adaptive goal BPS system: adaptive goal

orientationorientation Flexible capacity of shared resourcesFlexible capacity of shared resources Soft-goal improvement defined as Soft-goal improvement defined as

new paths of a high priority. new paths of a high priority. Maintaining existing paths to avoid Maintaining existing paths to avoid short-term rigidity.short-term rigidity.

conclusionconclusion

Vague flexibility concept decomposed Vague flexibility concept decomposed into short and long term flexibility.into short and long term flexibility.

Explanation based on GPM and the Explanation based on GPM and the theory of coordination.theory of coordination.

As a result: focus on practical tasks for As a result: focus on practical tasks for achieving flexibility.achieving flexibility.

Remaining question: how to perform Remaining question: how to perform these tasks…these tasks…

on the notion of flexibility in business processes pnina soffer porto, june 2005

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