Method and system for business process management

• US 20080183744A1
• Filed: 05/01/2007
• Published: 07/31/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: Cognos Incorporated (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Inventors: Adendorff, Michael, Fazal, Tom
• Granted Patent: US 7,904,302 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/102
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

A process management system comprises a process model, a process engine and a process user interface. The process model stores predefined configurable process metadata components of one or more business management processes. The process engine configures the process metadata components. The process engine also generates user interface contents for a specific management process based on a set of the process metadata components relevant to the specific management process. The process user interface presents the user interface contents for configuration of the process metadata components, and for conducting the specific management process using the generated user interface contents.

Claims

1. A process management system comprising:

a process model for storing predefined process metadata components of one or more business management processes, the process metadata components having configurability;

a process engine for configuring the process metadata components, and for generating user interface contents for a specific management process based on a set of the process metadata components relevant to the specific management process; and

a process user interface for presenting the user interface contents for configuration of the process metadata components, and for conducting the specific management process using the generated user interface contents.

2. The process management system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the process model includes the process metadata components in declarative specification.

3. The process management system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the process metadata components are extensible mark up files.

4. The process management system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the process model includes the process metadata components describing an event management process for an event involving one or more exceptions.

5. The process management system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the process engine includes a process modeling unit comprising:

a process metadata interpreter for reading and interpreting the process metadata components stored in the process model;

a process metadata configuration unit for configuring the process metadata components; and

a process user interface contents generator for generating user interface contents based on the process metadata contents.

6. The process management system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the process engine includes a process managing unit comprising:

an event handler for detecting an event and reading a set of the process metadata components that processes the event from the process model to manage the event based on the set of the process metadata components.

7. The process management system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the process managing unit further comprising at least one of a notification handler for sending notifications, a user action handler for handling user actions, an approval handler for handling an approval process, and a reminder handler for handling reminders.

8. A method of automating a management process, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a process model storing predefined process metadata components of one or more business management processes;

configuring a set of the process metadata components for processing a specific management process;

detecting the specific management process;

reading the set of the process metadata components;

generating user interface contents for the specific management process based on the set of the process metadata components; and

presenting the user interface contents for a user action for conducting the specific management process.

9. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the process model providing step provides the process metadata components in declarative specification.

10. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the process metadata providing step provides the process metadata components as extensible mark up files.

11. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the process model providing step provides the process metadata components describing an event management process for processing an event involving one or more exceptions.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein

the detecting step detects the event;

the reading step reads the set of the process metadata components relevant to processing the event;

the generating step generates an event detect notification based on the set of the process metadata components; and

the presenting step sends the event detect notification to an owner of the event based on the set of the process metadata components.

13. The method as claimed in claim 12, further comprising the steps of:

processing a user action, processing an approval, sending one or more reminders, and/or escalating the event based on the set of the process metadata components.

14. A computer readable medium storing instructions or statements for use in the execution in a computer of a method of automating a management process, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a process model storing predefined process metadata components of one or more business management processes;

configuring a set of the process metadata components for processing a specific management process;

detecting the specific management process;

reading the set of the process metadata components;

generating user interface contents for the specific management process based on the set of the process metadata components; and

presenting the user interface contents for a user action for conducting the specific management process.