DIENSTORIENTIERTE IT-SYSTEME FÜR HOCHFLEXIBLE GESCHÄFTSPROZESSE BAMBERG ERLANGEN-NÜRNBERG REGENSBURG Daniel Wagner, Otto K. Ferstl Enhancing Flexibility and Precision of Enterprise Architectures by Modeling Context-Aware Business Processes Herausgeber: Prof. Dr. Dieter Bartmann Prof. Dr. Freimut Bodendorf Prof. Dr. Otto K. Ferstl Prof. Dr. Elmar J. Sinz forflex ist Mitglied in
Dienstorientierte IT-Systeme für hochflexible Geschäftsprozesse Universität Bamberg Universität Regensburg Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg Daniel Wagner, Otto K. Ferstl Enhancing Flexibility and Precision of Enterprise Architectures by Modeling Context-Aware Business Processes kontakt@forflex.de, http://www.forflex.de
i forflex-bericht-nr.: forflex-2009-003 Bayerischer Forschungsverbund forflex - Dienstorientierte IT-Systeme für hochflexible Geschäftsprozesse Bamberg, Erlangen-Nürnberg, Regensburg 2009 Alle Rechte vorbehalten. Insbesondere ist die Überführung in maschinenlesbare Form sowie das Speichern in Informationssystemen, auch auszugsweise, nur mit schriftlicher Einwilligung von forflex gestattet.
ii Abstract Business Process Models form a major part of enterprise architectures. In times of short product cycles and international competition, organizations are forced to react quickly on changing surrounding conditions. The definition of an enterprise architecture and especially business process models are not only nice to have but crucial. To enhance flexibility and precision of enterprise architectures, which mostly contain static business process models in a nearly isolated way, the modeling of context-aware business processes is discussed in this research report. The methodical framework employed is the Semantic Object Model developed by FERSTL/SINZ (Ferstl and Sinz 2006).
iii Table of Contents 1. Business Process Models as a Major Part of Enterprise Architectures... 1 2. Necessity of Context-Aware Business Processes... 2 3. Related work... 2 4. Modeling Context of Business Processes... 4 5. A Context modeling framework... 8 5.1 Case 1: Context-sensitive user support... 8 5.2 Case 2: Context-sensitive pricing... 9 5.3 Case 3: Context-sensitive distribution... 10 5.4 Case 4: Context-sensitive multi channel banking... 12 6. Conclusion and Future Work... 13 References... 14
iv Table of Figures Fig. 1 SOM Enterprise architecture... 1 Fig. 2 Interaction schema... 4 Fig. 3 Task-event schema... 4 Fig. 4 Context cloud... 5 Fig. 5 Context-sensitive business object... 5 Fig. 6 Context-sensitive transaction... 6 Fig. 7 Non context-sensitive task in TES... 6 Fig. 8 Context-sensitive task and transaction in TES... 7 Fig. 9 Context modeling framework... 8 Fig. 10 Context-sensitive user support: generation of variants... 8 Fig. 11 Context-sensitive user support: TES... 9 Fig. 12 Context-sensitive pricing: IAS... 9 Fig. 13 Context-sensitive pricing: TES... 10 Fig. 14 Context-sensitive distribution: IAS... 10 Fig. 15 Context-sensitive distribution: IAS'... 11 Fig. 16 Context-sensitive distribution: TES... 11 Fig. 17 Context-sensitive multi channel banking: IAS... 12 Fig. 18 Context-sensitive multi channel banking: TES... 12
Enhancing EA by Modeling Context-Aware Business Processes Page 1 1. Business Process Models as a Major Part of Enterprise Architectures Enterprise architectures are often compared to architectures of buildings or towns, because in both cases models are used to cope with high complexity (Op't Land 2008). A critical difference however is that the expected lifetime of architectures in the classical sense is expected to be significantly higher than those of enterprise architectures. Organizations are forced to react quickly on changing surrounding conditions and have to cope with new challenges within shorter reaction periods. The restructuring of targets, business plans, business processes and IT-Systems needs to be performed in short time frames, which puts a greater focus on Business-IT-Alignment initiatives. Amongst others, enterprise architectures are to support organizations in implementing changed requirements. The more precise enterprise architectures are modeled, the faster it can be identified where and how changes need to be performed. Effective and efficient business process design and management is only possible if an explicit architecture exists, which, as a major part, contains business process models. The Semantic Object Model defines an enterprise architecture which contains three layers. (1) Enterprise Business Plan, which describes the enterprise from an outside perspective, (2) Business Process Model, which describes the tasks of the organization from an inside perspective and (3) Resource Model, specifying the resources of the enterprise, especially IT-Systems and Business Application Systems. An overview is given in fig. 1. Fig. 1 SOM Enterprise architecture This research report concentrates on layer 2 of the SOM enterprise architecture. Business process models are the essential instrument to describe the way how an organization's goals
Enhancing EA by Modeling Context-Aware Business Processes Page 2 shall be reached. Also practitioners consider business processes as one of the most important aspects of enterprise architectures (Aier et al. 2008). It is however obvious that business processes are never free of environmental influences. The modeling of context-aware business processes helps to represent those influences in business process models. The consideration of the context of business processes enhances flexibility and precision of enterprise architectures. Furthermore, as one goal of modeling is to obtain a proper description of a relevant part of reality to specify IT-Systems, we consider context-free business process models as an incomplete representation of reality. 2. Necessity of Context-Aware Business Processes The main driver for implementing context information in business process models is the elimination, or at least reduction, of ambiguity. There are numerous examples where business processes need to adapt themselves flexibly to the current situation. Usually business process models do not contain explicit information on influencing factors of the environment of the business process. As a consequence business process models are either generic and flexibility needs to be realized by decreasing the level of automation or they contain predetermined behavior-variants which are limited to those which were specified at the built time of the system. Context-aware business processes instead are aware of the context factors that influence their structure and behavior. An ambiguous situation occurs if the relation between an independent variable X and a dependent variable Y, which is usually described as a relation, is not functional or unambiguous. It cannot be represented as a function :. By adding a parameter C, such a relation can be transformed to a function : (Ferstl 1979). C can be interpreted as the context of the relation. In context-aware business processes C is represented by context factors. In addition to enhancing the precision of enterprise architectures by modeling context of business processes, contextualization also enhances the flexibility of enterprise architectures. Generally flexibility means the ability to react or to adapt to change. In an integrated approach, like the Semantic Object Model, the business process layer is the foundation for the specification of application systems. Therefore in addition to the representation of context factors on the business process layer, the specification of application systems is contextualized as well. By proactively anticipating environmental factors, which cause the necessity to adjust enterprise architectures, the degree of flexibility of context-aware enterprise architectures is higher than of context-free enterprise architectures. An improved reaction time to changed situations can be achieved. 3. Related work Whereas there are different approaches in representing enterprise architectures in models, researchers and practitioners agree that the existence of documented enterprise architectures is
Enhancing EA by Modeling Context-Aware Business Processes Page 3 essential. GOETHALS ET AL. state that an enterprise architecture should be implemented in every organization and their management processes (Goethals et al. 2006). The characteristics of an architecture proposed by IEEE are as follows. Definition 1 (Architecture) Architecture is the fundamental organization of a system embodied in its objects, their relationships to each other, and to the environment, and the principle guiding its design and evolution (IEEE Computer Society 2000). Mostly this is understood as a technology-focused architecture, which is not sufficient for modern enterprises. WINTER/FISCHER compared three enterprise architecture frameworks: TOGAF (The Open Group Architecture Framework), FEAF (Federal Enterprise Architecture Framework) and ARIS (Architecture of Integrated Information Systems). The identified core artifacts are: (1) strategy specification, (2) specification of organization and processes, (3) application specification, (4) software specification, (5) specification of technical infrastructure and (6) specification of dependencies between layers (Winter and Fischer 2006). In contrast to enterprise architecture research, context-aware business processes have not been discussed too intensively till now. Only few authors published research results on contextaware business processes. ROSEMANN ET AL. for example defined the context of a business process as The minimum set of variables containing all relevant information that impact the design and execution of a business process (Rosemann and Recker 2006). For the determination of the actual context of a business process it needs to be clarified which context variables influence process design and/or execution, and how different values of these context variables influence process design and subsequent changes (Rosemann et al. 2006). One core element of the publications of ROSEMANN ET AL. is the Onion Model which names several influencing context variables of a business process. It separates the variables into four layers: (1) immediate layer, (2) internal layer, (3) external layer and (4) environmental layer. SAIDANI/NURCAN developed another approach to understand context-aware business processes. They request mechanisms to retrieve relevant context information from the business process environment. The information retrieved forms the so called Context Related Knowledge. The introduced model of the context consists of four hierarchical layers: (1) aspects, (2) facets, (3) attributes and (4) features, which are represented in a context tree. The relevant context information will be weighted before parameterizing the instance of the business process (Saidani and Nurcan 2007). According to PLOESSER ET AL. the representation of context of business processes in contemporary process modeling languages is non satisfying (Ploesser et al. 2009). We therefore try to close this gap with an approach for modeling context-aware business processes based on existing research results and the Semantic Object Model.
Enhancing EA by Modeling Context-Aware Business Processes Page 4 4. Modeling Context of Business Processes The methodical framework for modeling context-aware business processes is the Semantic Object Model (SOM). The core elements of SOM business process models are business objects (pools of tasks) and transactions between business objects. The SOM enterprise architecture consists of three sub-models, each of them describing the enterprise entirely from a specific viewpoint. This research report concentrates on the second layer, which contains structure-oriented (interaction schema, IAS) and behavior-oriented (task-event schema, TES) business process models (see section 1). A short example, taken from the distribution domain, shall illustrate the modeling method. Fig. 2 shows the structure of a business process. A distributor delivers some product to a customer. The negotiation protocol consists of an initiating, a contracting and an enforcing transaction. The IAS does not contain any information about the sequence of the transactions. Sequence information is provided by the TES shown in fig. 3 Fig. 2 Interaction schema Fig. 3 Task-event schema Several approaches to define the context of business processes have been discussed in the previous section. Our definition of context of business processes is as follows. Definition 2 (Context of a business process) The context of a business process is the set of context factors of its business objects and transactions. Definition 3 (Context of business objects and transactions) The context of business objects and transactions are influencing factors of their environment which are not already modeled in transactions.
Enhancing EA by Modeling Context-Aware Business Processes Page 5 Context factors influence business objects and transactions - but not in the traditional way (implemented via transactions) but as a secondary influence complementary to the influence modeled in transactions. The influence of context factors is unidirectional: context factors influence business objects and transactions but not vice versa. The influence should be formalized as application systems, which are parameterized by context factors, shall be specifiable. If formalization is not possible, because a context factor is too general or its influence is too fuzzy, we still recommend to precise enterprise architectures by adding those context factors to business process models. It is a major benefit if the enterprise knows which business processes are subject to secondary influences and on the other hand, which business objects of the business process are influenced by nothing else than transactions. The modeling of context factors in SOM is realized by employing the context cloud (see fig. 4). Fig. 4 Context cloud As described above the core elements of SOM business process models are business objects and transactions. Those two modeling elements can be subject to contextual influences modeled in context factors. We distinguish (1) context-sensitive business objects and (2) context-sensitive transactions. In case 1, the business object is annotated with the context cloud (see fig. 5). One or more tasks pooled in the business object are context-sensitive. In case 2, the transaction between two business objects A and B is context-sensitive, which means, that the sending task of A and the receiving task of B are context-sensitive (see fig. 6). Therefore the transaction is annotated with the context cloud. Small rectangles within the business objects symbolize tasks of the business object, which are either context-sensitive (solid fill) or not context-sensitive (no fill). Business Object A Transaction Business Object B Context factor Fig. 5 Context-sensitive business object
Enhancing EA by Modeling Context-Aware Business Processes Page 6 Fig. 6 Context-sensitive transaction We introduce two methods to handle context factors in business process models: (1) generation of variants and (2) parameterization of the task. The first method splits the business process into n branches each of them to be chosen depending on the value of the context factor. The pre- and postconditions of tasks are relevant for selecting the proper variant for the current situation. They are formulated as Boolean expressions, e. g.: insurance_status = regular''. Preconditions describe when a task is to be executed. If a task has more than one successor, postconditions determine which successors are to be executed. The second method parameterizes one or more tasks of a business process, because generation of variants is not possible. As the classic SOM approach does not consider context factors, the task-event schema does not provide modeling elements for context factors. Therefore an expansion of the task-event schema is proposed. Fig. 7 shows a single task of a task-event schema, fig. 8 shows a context-sensitive task with pre- and postcondition, triggered by a context-sensitive transaction. Fig. 7 Non context-sensitive task in TES
Enhancing EA by Modeling Context-Aware Business Processes Page 7 Fig. 8 Context-sensitive task and transaction in TES
Enhancing EA by Modeling Context-Aware Business Processes Page 8 5. A Context modeling framework Resulting from the two possible context-sensitive modeling elements (business objects and transactions) and the two possible methods of handling the influence of a context factor (generation of variants and parameterization), there are 2 4 possible modeling cases. Those four cases are presented in fig. 9 and afterwards discussed in detail. Context-sensitive modeling element Business object Transaction Context handling method Generation of variants Case 1: contextsensitive user support Case 3: contextsensitive distribution Parameterization Case 2: contextsensitive pricing Case 4: contextsensitive multichannel banking Fig. 9 Context modeling framework 5.1 Case 1: Context-sensitive user support Fig. 10 shows the interaction of a user and a support provider. The user places a request for support by sending a contracting transaction to the support provider. Depending on the service level agreement between the user and the support provider, the support provider will either provide junior support or senior support. As the context factor is binary (senior support; junior support) it is possible to use variants. This is realized in the interaction schema by creating two variants of the enforcing transaction, which will be selected according to the context factor value which is retrieved for a specific user. We label the context factor C and generate variants e1(c), e2(c) of the original enforcing transaction e. Variability only exists concerning the sending tasks e1(c): senior support > and e2(c): junior support >. Preconditions ensure that only one of the two tasks is executed. The receiving task is not context-sensitive. Fig. 11 shows the corresponding TES. Fig. 10 Context-sensitive user support: generation of variants
Enhancing EA by Modeling Context-Aware Business Processes Page 9 > request for support Support-Provider SLA = junior support junior support > C: service level agreement Support-Provider SLA = senior support senior support > C: service level agreement Support-Provider c: request for support e1(c): junior support e2(c): senior support request for support > > junior support > senior support User User User Fig. 11 Context-sensitive user support: TES 5.2 Case 2: Context-sensitive pricing The previous case showed how context-sensitivity of a business object can be realized by using variants. However if the range of context factor values is too large, parameterization has to be used to cope with context-sensitivity. The following case describes the context-sensitive pricing of an oil distribution company. The quotation is depending on the external price level of oil. The IAS (see fig. 12) and TES (see fig. 13) show that only the quotation is subject to the context factor. All other tasks are not context-sensitive. Pre- and postconditions are not necessary in this case. The actual parameterization will be done in the third layer of the enterprise architecture (see section 1). The task quotation > can be automated. A web service or any other mechanism which is able to communicate with external data sources will be used to retrieve the current price level. The class of the application system which calculates the quotation considers the retrieved value. With this approach the calculation of the quotation is parameterized as requested in the business process model. Fig. 12 Context-sensitive pricing: IAS
Enhancing EA by Modeling Context-Aware Business Processes Page 10 > quotation Customer order > Customer > delivery Customer i: quotation c: order e: delivery quotation > price level Oil distributor > order Oil distributor delivery > Oil distributor Fig. 13 Context-sensitive pricing: TES 5.3 Case 3: Context-sensitive distribution Case 1 and case 2 presented modeling approaches based on context-sensitive business objects. The following two cases discuss context-sensitive transactions which can also be modeled by using variants or parameterization. Case 3 discusses context-sensitive distribution. A DVD-rental company offers a web-based and a intra-shop electronic order system. Customers can place their order directly in the shop using electronic terminals or they can order from home via the Internet. It is not necessary for them to inform the system where the DVD shall be delivered to, because the system decides, based on the current location of the client, which destination has to be chosen. Information on the current location of the customer could e.g. be provided by the cell phone company of the customer, which knows exactly where the cell phone (and the customer) is located. Fig. 14 shows the interaction between the DVD-rental company and the customer. As it is unknown if the customer is currently in the shop or at home it is necessary to consider the context factor location of customer in the enforcing transaction e:delivery. As in this case not only the sending task e: delivery > of the company is subject to variance, but also the receiving task, the business object DVD-rental company has to split into DVD-rental desk and Logistic company (see fig. 15). Fig. 14 Context-sensitive distribution: IAS The logistic company will only be contracted if the customer is not in the shop. The optional transactions are represented as dashed-dotted lines. According to the actual value of the
Enhancing EA by Modeling Context-Aware Business Processes Page 11 context factor location of the customer e1(c) or e2(c) is chosen. The generation of variants helps to handle a context factor which influences transactions between business objects. Fig. 15 Context-sensitive distribution: IAS' > order DVD-rental desk locat. of the cust. = in shop handover > location of the customer DVD-rental desk locat. of the cust. = at home transportation order > location of the customer DVD-rental desk > delivery message DVD-rental desk c: order e1: handover order > Customer locat. of the cust. = in shop > handover location of the customer Customer S: transportation order > postal delivery Customer K: delivery message D1: postal delivery > transportation order postal delivery > delivery message > Logistic company Logistic company Logistic company Fig. 16 Context-sensitive distribution: TES As modeled in fig. 16, the formerly context-sensitive transaction is replaced by two new transactions and one new business object. Preconditions in both sending tasks and one receiving task ensure that only one of the two branches will be executed. The receiving task
Enhancing EA by Modeling Context-Aware Business Processes Page 12 >transportation order does not need to be context-sensitive because the logistic company accepts transportation orders independently of the location of the customer. 5.4 Case 4: Context-sensitive multi channel banking The most challenging case concerning context-sensitive business processes is parameterization of transactions. As cases 1 to 3 are quite easy to understand, to model and to implement in IT-Systems, case 4 is more difficult to cope with. Since many years banks allow their customers to interact on many different channels with the bank (von Ammon et al. 2005). Our example describes a customer who orders a tax assessment. The transaction c: order of tax assessment is subject to the context factor transmission channel. According to the transmission medium the sending task and receiving task involved in the transaction need to adjusted. If the customer orders the tax assessment by telephone the tasks involved are completely different compared to the tasks needed for processing an order which has been submitted in the online banking environment. The corresponding IAS and TES are shown in fig. 17 and fig. 18. Fig. 17 Context-sensitive multi channel banking: IAS Fig. 18 Context-sensitive multi channel banking: TES
Enhancing EA by Modeling Context-Aware Business Processes Page 13 Even if the generation of variants is not possible due to a large range of possible context factor values, case 4 still offers a significant advantage for enterprise architectures. For an organization it is transparent that the context-sensitive transaction must be highly dynamic and can always be subject to changes resulting e. g. from new developments. An IT-architect specified the transaction as context-sensitive which motivates the implementers of the underlying IT-System to design the context-sensitive parts of the system as flexible as possible. This can be achieved by using software design methods which support flexibility. 6. Conclusion and Future Work Context-aware business processes are an important contribution to flexible and precise enterprise architectures. This research report presents an approach based on the SOM methodology, which covers the three layers enterprise business plan, business processes and specification of IT-Systems. In comparison to classical business process models, contextaware business process models help to develop a better understanding of the surrounding conditions of the enterprise. As soon as organizations are aware of the context factors influencing their day-to-day business and their tactical and strategic planning, they are able to design IT-Systems accordingly. And even if it is not possible to implement the impact of context factors in IT-Systems it is still a valuable benefit to the enterprise architecture. If a company is aware of the context factors influencing the organization and which business objects and transactions are subject to those context factors, they will have a major advantage, compared to organizations running non-context-aware enterprise architectures (Pütz et al. 2009). In our future work we will discuss the transformation of context-aware business process models to context-aware software specification based on the SOM methodology. Tight cooperation with practitioners ensures the appropriateness of the proposed framework. Our goal is to design context-aware IT-Systems, which are based on precise and contextaware business process models. The resulting enterprise architecture is stable and adaptable to changing situations. It will help modern organizations to keep pace with competitors and fast market cycles.
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Prof. Dr. Dieter Bartmann Universität Regensburg Universitätstraße 31 93053 Regensburg Tel.: +49 941/943-1881 Fax: +49 941/943-1871 E-Mail: dieter.bartmann@forflex.de Prof. Dr. Freimut Bodendorf Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg Lange Gasse 20 90403 Nürnberg Tel.: +49 911/5302-450 Fax: +49 911/5302-379 E-Mail: freimut.bodendorf@forflex.de Prof. Dr. Otto K. Ferstl Universität Bamberg Feldkirchenstraße 21 96045 Bamberg Tel.: +49 951/863-2679 Fax: +49 951/863-2710 E-Mail: otto.ferstl@forflex.de Prof. Dr. Elmar J. Sinz Universität Bamberg Feldkirchenstraße 21 96045 Bamberg Tel.: +49 951/863-2512 Fax: +49 951/863-2513 E-Mail: elmar.sinz@forflex.de Geschäftsführung forflex Dipl.-Wirtsch.Inf. Corinna Pütz Universität Bamberg Feldkirchenstraße 21 96045 Bamberg Tel.: +49 951/863-2777 Fax: +49 951/863-5777 E-Mail: corinna.puetz@forflex.de Internet: http://www.forflex.de