Tool for developing a map of relevant business processes and flows

• US 20030187676A1
• Filed: 07/01/2002
• Published: 10/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP SE
• Inventors: Hack, Stefan, Schulte, Liezl
• Application Number:
  US10/188,310
• Publication Number:
  US 20030187676A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/067 Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass

Abstract

Techniques for deriving a map of relevant business processes includes receiving a user'"'"'s selection of an industry or process category, providing a map of business processes relevant to the user'"'"'s selection, modifying nomenclature, processes, process categories, main processes, or pool elements associated with the map in response to a user'"'"'s selection, and providing a customized map of the relevant business processes.

Claims

1. A method for deriving a map of relevant business processes comprising:

receiving a user'"'"'s selection of an industry or process category;

providing a map of business processes relevant to the user'"'"'s selection;

modifying at least one of nomenclature, processes, process categories, main processes, or pool elements associated with the map in response to the user'"'"'s selection; and

providing a customized map of relevant business processes.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein modifying includes at least one of adding, deleting, or editing at least one of the nomenclature, processes, process categories, main processes, or pool elements associated with the map in response to the user'"'"'s selection.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein pool elements includes application programs associated with implementing a process.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein each process category includes a grouping of business processes most relevant to an industry, wherein the process category is associated with main processes representing the functionality required for each process category.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein main processes includes business processes required to implement the main processes.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising displaying the customized map.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the map of business processes includes a solution map.

8. A method for deriving a business process flow comprising:

receiving a user'"'"'s selection of one or more business process flows including market participants and activities;

modifying at least one of market participants, activities, or pool elements associated with the business process flow in response to a user'"'"'s selection;

associating activities with participants; and

providing a customized map of relevant process flows.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising associating pool elements to process flows.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein pool elements includes information related to at least one a role of a participant associated with an activity and key performance indicators.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein pool elements includes at least one of a business documents associated with at least one activity and key performance indicators.

12. The method of claim 8 wherein modifying includes at least one of adding, deleting, or editing at least one of the market participants, activities, or pool elements associated with the business process flow in response to a user'"'"'s selection.

13. The method of claim 8 further comprising displaying the customized map.

14. A method for linking relevant business processes and flows comprising:

providing a map of relevant business processes including a plurality of main processes;

providing one or more business process flows;

associating a plurality of main processes with one or more business process flows; and

generating maps and process flows having main processes associatively linked to one or more business process flows.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein business process flows includes collaborative business maps.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein the map of relevant business processes includes a solution map.

17. The method of claim 14 further comprising creating a link between or among process flow elements associated with business process flows.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein process flow elements includes at least one of activities, participants, and pool elements.

19. The method of claim 14 further comprising creating a link between or among business map elements associated with the map of relevant business processes.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein business map elements include at least one of a process categories, main processes, and processes.

21. A method for deriving maps of relevant business processes and process flows comprising:

providing a hierarchy of maps of relevant business processes and process flows each of which is unique to an industry or process category;

receiving a user'"'"'s selection of a map or process flow;

customizing the map or process flow in response to user input; and

providing a customized map or process flow.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the maps of relevant business processes includes a solution map.

23. The method of claim 21 wherein the process flow includes a collaboration business map.

24. The method of claim 21 wherein customizing includes modifying at least one of nomenclature, processes, process categories, main processes, or pool elements associated with the map in response to the user'"'"'s selection.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein modifying includes at least one of adding, deleting, or editing at least one of the nomenclature, processes, process categories, main processes, or pool elements associated with the map in response to the user'"'"'s selection.

26. The method of claim 21 wherein customizing includes modifying at least one of market participants, activities, or pool elements associated with the business process flow in response to a user'"'"'s selection.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein modifying includes at least one of adding, deleting, or editing at least one of the market participants, activities, or pool elements associated with the business process flow in response to a user'"'"'s selection.

28. An article comprising a computer-readable medium storing computer-executable instructions that when applied to one or more computers cause the computers to:

receive a user'"'"'s selection of an industry or process category;

provide a map of business processes relevant to the user'"'"'s selection;

modify at least one of nomenclature, processes, process categories, main processes, or pool elements associated with the map in response to the user'"'"'s selection; and

provide a customized map of relevant business processes.

29. The article of claim 28 wherein modify includes at least one of add, delete, or edit at least one of the nomenclature, processes, process categories, main processes, or pool elements associated with the map in response to the user'"'"'s selection.

30. The article of claim 28 wherein pool elements includes application programs associated with implementing a process.

31. The article of claim 28 wherein each process category includes a grouping of business processes most relevant to an industry, wherein the process category is associated with main processes representing the functionality required for each process category.

32. The article of claim 28 wherein main processes includes business processes required to implement the main processes.

33. The article of claim 28 further comprising computer-executable instructions to display the customized map.

34. The article of claim 28 wherein the map of business processes includes a solution map.

35. A system for deriving a relevant business process, the system comprising one or more computers configured to:

receive a user'"'"'s selection of an industry or process category;

provide a map of business processes relevant to the user'"'"'s selection;

modify at least one of nomenclature, processes, process categories, main processes, or pool elements associated with the map in response to the user'"'"'s selection; and

provide a customized map of relevant business processes.

36. The system of claim 35 wherein modify includes at least one of add, delete, or edit at least one of the nomenclature, processes, process categories, main processes, or pool elements associated with the map in response to the user'"'"'s selection.

37. The system of claim 35 wherein pool elements includes application programs associated with implementing a process.

38. The system of claim 35 wherein each process category includes a grouping of business processes most relevant to an industry, wherein the process category is associated with main processes representing the functionality required for each process category.

39. The system of claim 35 wherein main processes includes business processes required to implement the main processes.

40. The system of claim 35 further comprising computer-executable instructions to display the customized map.

41. The system of claim 35 wherein the map of business processes includes a solution map.

42. An article comprising a computer-readable medium storing computer-executable instructions that when applied to one or more computers cause the computers to:

receive a user'"'"'s selection of one or more business process flows including market participants and activities;

modify at least one of market participants, activities, or pool elements associated with the business process flow in response to a user'"'"'s selection;

associate activities with participants; and

provide a customized map of relevant process flows.

43. The article of claim 42 further comprising associating pool elements to process flows.

44. The article of claim 42 wherein pool elements includes at least one of information related to a role of a participant associated with an activity, key performance indicators, and products.

45. The article of claim 42 wherein pool elements includes at least one of business documents associated with at least one activity, key performance indicators, and products.

46. The article of claim 42 wherein modifying includes at least one of adding, deleting, or editing at least one of the market participants, activities, or pool elements associated with the business process flow in response to a user'"'"'s selection.

47. The article of claim 42 further comprising displaying the customized map.

48. A system for deriving a business process flow, the system comprising one or more computers configured to:

receive a user'"'"'s selection of one or more business process flows including market participants and activities;

modify at least one of market participants, activities, or pool elements associated with the business process flow in response to a user'"'"'s selection;

associate activities with participants; and

provide a customized map of relevant process flows.

49. The system of claim 48 further comprising associating pool elements to process flows.

50. The system of claim 48 wherein pool elements includes at least one of information related to a role of a participant associated with an activity, key performance indicators, and products.

51. The system of claim 48 wherein pool elements includes at least one of business documents associated with at least one activity, key performance indicators, and products.

52. The system of claim 48 wherein modify includes at least one of to add, delete, or edit at least one of the market participants, activities, or pool elements associated with the business process flow in response to a user'"'"'s selection.

53. The system of claim 48 further comprising displaying the customized map.

54. An article comprising a computer-readable medium storing computer-executable instructions that when applied to one or more computers cause the computers to:

provide a map of relevant business processes including a plurality of main processes;

provide one or more business process flows;

associate a plurality of main processes with one or more business process flows; and

generate maps and process flows having main processes associatively linked to one or more business process flows.

55. The article of claim 54 wherein business process flows includes collaborative business maps.

56. The article of claim 54 wherein the map of relevant business processes includes a solution map.

57. The article of claim 54 further comprising computer-executable instructions to create a link between or among process flow elements associated with business process flows.

58. The article of claim 57 wherein process flow elements includes at least one of activities, participants, and pool elements.

59. The article of claim 54 further comprising computer-executable instructions to create a link between or among business map elements associated with the map of relevant business processes.

60. The article of claim 59 wherein business map elements include at least one of a process categories, main processes, and processes.

61. A system for linking relevant business processes and flows, the system comprising one or more computers configured to:

provide a map of relevant business processes including a plurality of main processes;

provide one or more business process flows;

associate a plurality of main processes with one or more business process flows; and

generate maps and process flows having main processes associatively linked to one or more business process flows.

62. The system of claim 61 wherein business process flows includes collaborative business maps.

63. The system of claim 61 wherein the map of relevant business processes includes a solution map.

64. The system of claim 61 further comprising computers configured to create a link between or among process flow elements associated with business process flows.

65. The system of claim 64 wherein process flow elements includes at least one of activities, participants, and pool elements.

66. The system of claim 61 further comprising computers configured to create a link between or among business map elements associated with the map of relevant business processes.

67. The system of claim 66 wherein business map elements include at least one of a process categories, main processes, and processes.

68. An article comprising a computer-readable medium storing computer-executable instructions that when applied to one or more computers cause the computers to:

provide a hierarchy of maps of relevant business processes and process flows each of which is unique to an industry or process category;

receive a user'"'"'s selection of a map or process flow;

customize the map or process flow in response to user input; and

provide a customized map or process flow.

69. The article of claim 68 wherein the maps of relevant business processes includes a solution map.

70. The article of claim 68 wherein the process flow includes a collaboration business map.

71. The article of claim 68 wherein customize includes a modification of at least one of nomenclature, processes, process categories, main processes, or pool elements associated with the map in response to the user'"'"'s selection.

72. The article of claim 71 wherein modify includes at least one of to add, delete, or edit at least one of the nomenclature, processes, process categories, main processes, or pool elements associated with the map in response to the user'"'"'s selection.

73. The article of claim 68 wherein customize includes a modification of at least one of market participants, activities, or pool elements associated with the business process flow in response to a user'"'"'s selection.

74. The article of claim 73 wherein modify includes at least one of to add, delete, or edit at least one of the market participants, activities, or pool elements associated with the business process flow in response to a user'"'"'s selection.

79. The system of claim 71 wherein modify includes at least one of to add, delete, or edit at least one of the nomenclature, processes, process categories, main processes, or pool elements associated with the map in response to the user'"'"'s selection.

81. The system of claim 73 wherein modify includes at least one of to add, delete, or edit at least one of the market participants, activities, or pool elements associated with the business process flow in response to a user'"'"'s selection.

75. A system for deriving maps of relevant business processes and process flows, the system comprising one or more computers configured to:

provide a hierarchy of maps of relevant business processes and process flows each of which is unique to an industry or process category;

receive a user'"'"'s selection of a map or process flow;

customize the map or process flow in response to user input; and

provide a customized map or process flow.

76. The system of claim 75 wherein the maps of relevant business processes includes a solution map.

77. The system of claim 75 wherein the process flow includes a collaboration business map.

78. The system of claim 75 wherein customize includes a modification of at least one of nomenclature, processes, process categories, main processes, or pool elements associated with the map in response to the user'"'"'s selection.

80. The system of claim 75 wherein customize includes a modification of at least one of market participants, activities, or pool elements associated with the business process flow in response to a user'"'"'s selection.