Today's non-tayloristic work environments call for flexible work practices supported by dynamic IT systems. Changing and optimising business processes has become an important 'adaptation mechanism' in this context. However, process models cannot capture every conceivable real-life situation, and firms' software infrastructures often do not provide the flexibility required for supporting 'design-in-use' through effective tailoring processes. The involvement of business users in the continuous redesign of business processes is a beneficial solution for these problems, as it enhances decision processes by making specific information available more quickly. However, involving business users in these redesign processes requires specific design tools. This book presents the development of an environment that enables business users to independently model business processes and workflows. The environment reduces the technical skills required for modelling business processes and workflows to enable business users to tailor heterogeneous software infrastructures. It also provides improved documentation facilities. The facilities add usage-related information about Web services to the existing functional metadata, which is already included in current Web service standards and workflow modelling tools. The environment enables business users to create this usage-related information cooperatively, which leads to a domain-specific documentation of Web services. Based on this information, it provides an enhanced search system that identifies related services and service functions. The evaluation of the environment showed that users had a positive perception of modelling business processes and workflows. They considered this to be useful for the visualisation and automation of business processes as well as for the creation of calculations since it could enhance the efficiency and efficacy of their work.

A collection of theoretical and practical contributions to the modelling of business processes as the key to success for todays companies and organisations. The book thus serves to exchange new ideas in the field while, at the same time, identifying as yet unsolved problems and proffering possible solutions.

A process model is very often used for system analysis, design and management in various application areas. Using a process model has the advantage that it has only to be as precise as necessary within the parameters of the individual field of application, whereas the precision externally is less important. This makes process modeling easier and open for structuring. The contributions deal with different approaches to process modelling, especially in the areas of business process modelling, logistics and production processes and water systems.

Business processes are among today's hottest topics in the science and practice of information systems. Business processes and workflow management systems attract a lot of attention from R&D professionals in software engineering, information systems, business-oriented computer science, and management sciences. The carefully reviewed chapters contributed to this state-of-the-art survey by internationally leading scientists consolidate work presented at various workshops on the topic organized by the editors of the book in the past few years. The book spans the whole spectrum of business process management ranging from theoretical aspects, conceptual models, and application scenarios to implementation issues. It will become a valuable source of reference and information for R&D professionals active in the fascinating interdisciplinary area of business process management and for ambitious practitioners.

Business Process Management (BPM) has become one of the most widely used approaches for the design of modern organizational and information systems. The conscious treatment of business processes as significant corporate assets has facilitated substantial improvements in organizational performance but is also used to ensure the conformance of corporate activities. This Handbook presents in two volumes the contemporary body of knowledge as articulated by the world's leading BPM thought leaders. This second volume focuses on the managerial and organizational challenges of BPM such as strategic and cultural alignment, governance and the education of BPM stakeholders. As such, this book provides concepts and methodologies for the integration of BPM. Each chapter has been contributed by leading international experts. Selected case studies complement their views and lead to a summary of BPM expertise that is unique in its coverage of the most critical success factors of BPM. The second edition of this handbook has been significantly revised and extended. Each chapter has been updated to reflect the most current developments. This includes in particular new technologies such as in-memory data and process management, social media and networks. A further focus of this revised and extended edition is on the actual deployment of the proposed theoretical concepts. This volume includes a number of entire new chapters from some of the world's leading experts in the domain of BPM.