Method, system, and storage medium for implementing business process modules

• US 20060112122A1
• Filed: 11/23/2004
• Published: 05/25/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/23/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Joseph, Joshy, Walker, Lance, Goldszmidt, German S., Massie, James G.
• Application Number:
  US10/995,670
• Publication Number:
  US 20060112122A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling

Abstract

Exemplary embodiments include a method for implementing business process modules for performing business process modeling. The method includes identifying tasks required in order to achieve a capability and designing a process module for enabling the capability. The designing includes interconnecting logic flow among the tasks resulting in an optimized, repeatable pattern of logically transformed inputs to outputs required for achieving the capability. The method also includes selecting and associating attributes to the tasks. The attributes are selected from categories including: information technology component services, data, operational business rules, roles, and measurements. The method further includes defining and associating metadata with the process module. The metadata describes functional capabilities provided by the process module and business and technical contexts into which the process module is used.

Claims

1. A method for implementing business process modules for performing business process modeling, comprising:

identifying tasks required in order to achieve a capability;

designing a process module for enabling the capability, the designing including interconnecting logic flow among the tasks, the interconnecting logic flow resulting in an optimized, repeatable pattern of logically transformed inputs to outputs required for achieving the capability;

selecting and associating attributes to the tasks, the attributes selected from categories including;

information technology component services;

data;

operational business rules;

roles; and

measurements; and

defining and associating metadata with the process module, the metadata operable for describing functional capabilities provided by the process module and business and technical contexts into which the process module is used.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the information technology component services include at least one of:

generic applications;

database access; and

a means for invoking or accessing information technology functionality for satisfying a task defined by the process module.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the data attributes input and output data definitions include at least one of:

associated transformation definitions required for data translation between the tasks, and information technology component services interactions.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the operational business rules attributes include rules required for executing an operational instance of the process module and associate the rules with appropriate tasks.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the roles attributes include execution roles required for producing optimized outputs and outcomes.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one process module includes pre-designed, reusable sub-processes.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the measurements attributes include metrics required for monitoring an instance of a process module'"'"'s operations.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the metadata further includes key words associated with the process module, the key words operable for facilitating search, selection, and governance of the process model for subsequent reuse.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising deploying process software for implementing business process modules for performing business process modeling, said deploying comprising:

installing said process software on at least one server;

identifying server addresses for users accessing said process software on said at least one server;

installing a proxy server if needed;

sending said process software to said at least one server and copying said process software to a file system of said at least one server;

sending the process software to at least a first client computer; and

executing said process software on said first client computer.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising integrating process software for implementing business process modules for performing business process modeling, said integrating comprising:

determining if said process software will execute on at least one server;

identifying an address of said at least one server;

checking said at least one server for operating systems, applications, and version numbers for validation with said process software, and identifying any missing software applications for said at least one server that are required for integration;

updating said at least one server with respect to any operating system and application that is not validated for said process software, and providing any of said missing software applications for said at least one server required for said integration;

identifying client addresses and checking client computers for operating systems, applications, and version numbers for validation with said process software, and identifying any software applications missing from said client computers that are required for integration;

updating said client computers with respect to any operating system and application that is not validated for said process software, and providing any missing software application for said client computers required for said integration; and

installing said process software on said client computers and said at least one server.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising on-demand sharing of process software for implementing business process modules for performing business process modeling, said on demand sharing comprising:

creating a transaction containing unique customer identification, requested service type, and service parameters;

sending said transaction to at least one main server;

querying said at least one main server about processing capacity associated with said at least one main server to help ensure availability of adequate resources for processing of said transaction; and

allocating additional processing capacity when additional capacity appears needed to process said transaction, said additional processing capacity being selected from the group of additional capacities consisting of central processing unit capacity, processor memory capacity, network bandwidth capacity, and storage capacity.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising deploying, accessing, and executing process software for implementing business process modules for performing business process modeling, said deploying, accessing, and executing process software implemented through a virtual private network, the method further comprising:

determining if a virtual private network is required;

checking for remote access to said virtual private network when it is required;

if said remote access does not exist, identifying a third party provider to provide secure, encrypted connections between a private network and remote users;

identifying said remote users; and

setting up a network access server operable for downloading and installing client software on desktop computers for remote access of said virtual private network;

accessing said process software;

transporting said process software to at least one remote user'"'"'s desktop computer; and

executing said process software on said at least one remote user'"'"'s desktop computer.

13. A storage medium encoded with machine-readable program code for performing business process modeling, the program code including instructions for causing a processor to implement a method, comprising:

identifying tasks required in order to achieve a capability;

designing a process module for enabling the capability, the designing including interconnecting logic flow among the tasks, the interconnecting logic flow resulting in an optimized, repeatable pattern of logically transformed inputs to outputs required for achieving the capability;

selecting and associating attributes to the tasks, the attributes selected from categories including;

information technology component services;

data;

operational business rules;

roles; and

measurements; and

defining and associating metadata with the process module, the metadata operable for describing functional capabilities provided by the process module and business and technical contexts into which the process module is used.

14. The storage medium of claim 13, wherein the information technology component services include at least one of:

generic applications;

database access; and

a means for invoking or accessing information technology functionality for satisfying a task defined by the process module.

15. The storage medium of claim 13, wherein the data attributes input and output data definitions include at least one of associated transformation definitions required for data translation between the tasks, and information technology component services interactions.

16. The storage medium of claim 13, wherein the operational business rules attributes include rules required for executing an operational instance of the process module and associating the rules with appropriate tasks.

17. The storage medium of claim 13, wherein the roles attributes include execution roles required for producing optimized outputs and outcomes.

18. The storage medium of claim 13, wherein the metadata further includes key words associated with the process module, the key words operable for facilitating search, selection, and governance of the process model for subsequent reuse.

19. A system for performing business process modeling, comprising:

a user system including a processor, the user system in communication with a storage device;

a process module configurator application executing on the user system, the process model configurator application performing;

identifying tasks required in order to achieve a capability;

designing a process module for enabling the capability, the designing including interconnecting logic flow among the tasks, the interconnecting logic flow resulting in an optimized, repeatable pattern of logically transformed inputs to outputs required for achieving the capability;

selecting and associating attributes to the tasks, the attributes selected from categories including;

information technology component services;

data;

operational business rules;

roles; and

measurements; and

defining and associating metadata with the process module, the metadata operable for describing functional capabilities provided by the process module and business and technical contexts into which the process module is used.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the information technology component services include at least one of:

generic applications;

database access; and

a means for invoking or accessing information technology functionality for satisfying a task defined by the process module.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein the data attributes input and output data definitions including at least one of associated transformation definitions required for data translation between the tasks, and information technology component services interactions.

22. The system of claim 19, wherein the operational business rules attributes include rules required for executing an operational instance of the process module and associating the rules to appropriate tasks.

23. The system of claim 19, wherein the roles attributes include execution roles required for producing optimized outputs and outcomes.

24. The system of claim 19, wherein the measurements attributes include metrics required for monitoring an instance of a process module'"'"'s operations.