Table Of ContentLecture Notes in Computer Science 1096
Edited by G. Goos, J. Hartmanis and 1. van Leeuwen
Advisory Board: W. Brauer D. Gries J. Stoer
Springer-Verlag
Berlin Heidelberg GmbH
Thomas Schal
Workflow Management
Systems for
Process Organisations
Springer
Series Editors
Gerhard Goos, Karlsruhe University, Germany
Juris Hartmanis, Cornell University, NY, USA
Jan van Leeuwen, Utrecht University, The Netherlands
Author
Thomas Schill
Stallhaus 22, D-58579 Schalksmiihle, Germany
and
Casetta Postale 71, 1-88075 Cutro (KR)
Cataloging-in-Publication data applied for
Die Deutsche Bibliothek - CIP-Einheitsaufnahme
Schal, Thomas:
Workflow management systems for process organisations /
Thomas ScMI.
(Lecture notes in computer science; 1096)
ISBN 3-540-6140l-X
NE:GT
D82 (Diss. RWTH Aachen)
CR Subject Classification (1991): D.2, H.5.3, J.l, J.4
ISSN 0302-9743
ISBN 978-3-540-61401-2 ISBN 978-3-662-21574-6 (eBook)
DOI 10.1007/978-3-662-21574-6
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© Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 1996
Originally published by Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg New York in 1996
Typesetting: Camera-ready by author
SPIN 10513225 06/3142 - 5 4 3210 Printed on acid-free paper
Alia Calabria
terra aspra,
che mi ha ospitato,
mi ha affascinato;
con 10 sguardo sulla Sila,
con i rumori della campagna incantata,
vivo il contrasto del mio pensiero che vola
via dalla realta che mi circonda;
fuggo con la mente, penso al futuro:
non mi rimane altro che lasciarti,
forse per sempre,
il mio pensiero
per il tuo futuro
Foreword
As the business environment has become more and more turbulent over the past
decade, information technology has begun to run into the danger of becoming an
impediment rather than a motor of progress.
In order to deal with the need for rapid, continuous change, computer science is
challenged to develop novel interrelated information and communication
technologies, and to align them with the social needs of co-operating user groups, as
well as the management requirements of formal organisations.
Workflow systems are among the most advertised technologies addressing this
trend, but they mean different things to different people.
Computer scientists understand workflows as a way to extract control from
application programs, thus making them more flexible. Bureaucratic organisations
(and most commercial products) perceive them as supporting a linear or branching
flow of documents from one workplace to another - the next try after the failure cf
office automation.
This book takes another perspective, that of the modem customer-driven and
groupwork-oriented process organisation. Extending the language-action perspective
from the CSCW field, its customer-oriented view of workflows enables novel kinds of
business process analysis, and leads to interesting new combinations of information
and co-operation technologies. Schal's empirical studies show some of the pitfalls
resulting from a naive use of these technologies, and exemplify ways to get around
these pitfalls.
The development and evolution of such co-operative iriformation systems requires
not just technological innovations but also interdisciplinary co-operation and - most
importantly - empirical validation in practice. The genesis of this book is an
excellent example. While its empirical results stem from practical experience in the
service industries, its scientific roots (represented by the undersigned as co
supervisors of the underlying doctoral thesis at Aachen University of Technology)
comprise information systems in computer science, social and formal aspects of
computer-supported co-operative work, and human-computer interfaces in engineering
applications of informatics. Moreover, this research is a good new example of a truly
European co-operation. The practical experience has been developed in Italy, while
the doctoral thesis has been prepared for a German University.
All of us have learned a lot during this exercise, and we hope that the reader -
scientist or practitioner - will likewise profit from it.
VIII
Weare grateful to Springer-Verlag and the series editors for accepting this
somewhat non-traditional volume in the LNCS series.
Aachen and Milano, March 1996
Giorgio De Michelis, Klaus Henning, Matthias Jarke
Preface
This research report is not only a scientific contribution, but reflects the last 6 years
of my professional and personal life. I had the opportunity to live in different cultural
settings, to work in many companies, to meet people all over the world, helping me
to reflect on what I have been doing and to focus on the content of this book. While
credit is due to many people, a few stand out.
First I wish to thank Dietrich Brandt, who supported from the very beginning my
academic career and contributed continuously with helpful, sometimes unanticipated
and also critical ideas. The close working relationship we envisaged over long
distances and years was a co-operative effort in itself.
lowe a special dept to Giorgio de Michelis, who coached me in difficult private
and professional situations. Giorgio forced me to write my PhD and continuously
reminded myself to stay committed in finishing it. His academic and professional
activities, partially done together, have significantly influenced my work.
I would like to thank for all their support and supervision of the scientific work
Professor Klaus Henning (IMA - Lehrstuhl Informatik im Maschinenbau, R WTH
Aachen), Professor Matthias larke (Lehrstuhl Informatik V, RWTH Aachen), and
Professor Giorgio De Michelis (DSI - Dipartimento Science dell'Informazione,
Universita degli Studi di Milano).
Working with colleagues in RSO helped me to practice my ideas in organisations.
I developed most work with Buni Zeller who discussed theoretical and practical
issues with me over the last years. I want to thank all professionals in RSO, and
especially its CEO Federico Butera. I also owe a dept of gratitude to all customers
and friends who shared with me consulting and research projects, gathering case
material and helping me to bring their experiences into this publication.
I discussed many ideas with several friends and colleagues in the CSCW
community and the European COST Action 14 on Co-operation Technologies. The
participation in conferences and in research projects, partially funded by the
University of Aachen and by the Commission of the European Communities, opened
my horizon and helped me to develop my research.
I would not have fmished this report without the medical care received from my
family doctors Heinrich Lehmkiihler and Filippo Mazzotta, in addition to nursing
and treatment by specialists.
Aachen, Cutro, Roma, March 1996 Thomas ScMI
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. From Functional to Process Organisation 7
2.1 Complex organisations in a changing environment ................................. 7
2.2 Processes between procedures and workflows ......................................... 10
2.3 Models for business process re-engineering ............................................ 24
3. Analysis and Design of Co-operative Networks 51
3. 1. The social organisation of work ...................................... .................... 51
3.2 Computer Supported Cooperative Work ............................................... 54
3.3 Co-operative networks ....................................................................... 59
3.4 Dynamics of co-operative work ........................................................... 71
3.5 Computer support for co-operative work ............................................... 77
4. Workflow Management Technology 83
4.1 Plans and procedures in process automation .......................................... 83
4.2 Workflow management technology ...................................................... 86
4.3 Workflow specification languages ........................................................ 91
4.4 Technological architecture for co-operative computing systems ................. 96
4.5, Workflow management technology products and markets ......................... 98
4.6 The Coordinator .............................................................................. 101
4.7 X_Workflow on Olivetti IBIsys .......................................................... 109
5. Field Study I: The Coordinator Supporting Distributed
Management Processes 113
5.1 Company profile .............................................................................. 114
5.2 Analysis of co-operative networks in business processes .......................... 115
5.3 Analysis of communication flows ........................................................ 116
5.4 Introduction of The Coordinator .......................................................... 119
5.5 Evaluation of The Coordinator ............................................................ 121
