running a business process as an interactive multiplayers game
TRANSCRIPT
1DSV SU + IbisSoft
Running a Business Process as an Interactive Multiplayers Game
Ilia Bider, Amin Jalali, David Söderström
BPMDS’15 Working ConferenceBusiness process modeling, development and support
A BPS system as an interactive game – “crazy” idea
Creating Self-Managed Cross-Professional Teams with Metaphoric Business Process Support (BPS) Systems
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BPM & BPS systems ResultConveyor belt mentality = individual silos
Where is initiative, creativity, innovation?
These values have been lost
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Why Result PromiseWorkflow thinking + focus on optimizing the
activity/operation flow and usage of resources
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Solution BPMS with shared spaces/construction site?
“Shared space” in construction industry
From our presentation at BPMDS’13
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Would it work?
Probably, yes
Each member of the team is involved in all activities/ processes in the enterprise company
Organizationalboundary
OrganizationalAssets
Developmentprocess
Salesprocess
Supportprocess
Start-up team
Case 1: Startup
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Would it work?
Probably, yes but with silos and their negative consequences
Functional structure and specialization. Each department “owns” their processes
Case 2: a traditional mature organization
Organizationalboundary
OrganizationalAssets
Engineeringdepartment
Supportdepartment
SalesDepartment
Developmentprocess
Salesprocess
Supportprocess
What about bridges between
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Would it work?
Probably, not, the shared space will fall apart into isolated islands
Specialization and structure is preserved but the ownership of the processes becomes shared through creating cross-professional teams.
Case 3: cross-manning of business processes
Different professions use different
slangs
Organizationalboundary
OrganizationalAssets
Engineeringdepartment
Supportdepartment
SalesDepartment
Developmentprocess
Salesprocess
Supportprocess
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Communication difficulties
• Different professional slangs• Different cultures• Poor understanding of others goals and
problems• Different methods and tools to do the job
• In other words difficult to be understood and appreciated outside own professional group
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Is there a solution?
From text-based shared space to the visual one
What to visualize?
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Plan of presentation
1. Why we need a new type of BPMS?
2. How to build it using interactive game technology?
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What is common between a tale-based game and a business process instance?
• Both are about finding the best path to a goal a while moving in a (state) space
• Hinders active and passive that comes and goes when moving to the goal
• Cooperation between different players• Presence of counter-partners that can actively
influence the “game”• Getting knowledge and experience to “play” better
next time• … 13
Bewitch princess, Treasure hunting, …
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Main idea• Instead of visualizing what is happening in the real
business process instance/case• Visualize happenings in a ferry tail that is mapped into
the business process• Use interactive game technology to implement
visualization
Is mapping possible?
Will it work in practice?
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Example: mapping consultative sale to a treasure hunting tale
Mapping main phases between the process & tale
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Example: mapping ...
Mapping sub-goals in the process & tale
# Consultative sales Treasure hunting1 Info about the customer A mystical map of the island, 2 Department/unit/person in the
company who owns the problem
A cross on the map
3 A document describing the needs
A shaft going down to the treasure
4 A proposed solution A treasure lifted from underground
5 A signed deal A treasure safely at home
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Example: mapping ...
Mapping roles between the process & tale
Professions in
Consultative Sales
Activities in Consultative
Sales
Professions in Treasure Hunting
Activities in Hunting
Sales person Charting a map of the organization and locating business needs
Surveyor, Prospector
Detailing the map and locating the treasure
Business analyst
Understanding business needs discovering requirements
Digger, Driller Digging/drilling a shaft to the treasure
Solution Engineer
Drafting a solution to offer
Lifter Lifting the treasure
Negotiator (lawyer)
Negotiating a deal Captain of the ship
Navigating the ship home
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Example: mapping ...
Mapping tools in the process & tale
Customer Actors
Inhabitant of the treasure island
CEO ⇔ King of the island
Middle Manager
⇔ Local tribe chief
Field employees
⇔ Inhabitants
Spade – a facilitating workshop
Excavator - Interviews with various stakeholders
Shaft drilling machines – measurement taking
Mapping counter-agents in the
process & tale
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Main idea (repeated)• Instead of visualizing what is happening in the real
business process instance/case• Visualize happenings in a ferry tail that is mapped into
the business process• Use interactive game technology to implement
visualization
Is mapping possible? It looks like it is possible
Will it work in practice? Still an open question
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If we succeed …
We will get a new type of collaborative platform
• With metaphoric visualization of goals and problems to remove obstacles in mutual understanding
• Evoking a feeling of involvement in “foreign” affairs
• Giving new perspective for one's own work• Supporting team spirit• Appealing to the new generation of digital
natives
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Lastly - positioning
Deterding, S., Dixon, D., Khaled, R., Nacke, L.: From Game Design Elements to Gamefulness: Defining “Gamification”. In : MindTrek, Tampere, Finland (2011)
The nearest analogy from the world of games – ARG (Alternative Reality Games)