SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR BUSINESS PROCESS MODELLING

• US 20100174583A1
• Filed: 12/07/2009
• Published: 07/08/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Stereologic Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Sterelogic Incorporated
• Inventors: Passova, Sofia, Passov, Stanislav, Ladizginsky, Alexander
• Granted Patent: US 10,438,166 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/10
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063 Operations research, analysis or management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0633 Workflow analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/067 Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

A system and method for automatically or semi-automatically analyzing business processes including elements for or processes for: monitoring business activities as conducted by a user of a target software application by monitoring the computer screens viewed by the user and user-system interaction; using pattern matching to determine the semantic elements of each computer screen and action; using screen element identity relationships to compare screens and develop process flows based on a sequence of the computer screens and the user-system interaction; using process flow end-point comparisons to synthesize business process fragments from the process flows; and combining business process fragments to create a business process model.

Claims

1. A system for modeling business processes comprising:

a discovery module for receiving and automatically analyzing information about a business process;

a modeler module for automatically modeling the business process based on the information received and analyzed by the discovery module; and

a transformation module for transforming the business model to a business modeling notation for storage and modification purposes.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the business process is embodied by an existing target software application and the discovery module comprises:

a user monitoring component for monitoring a sequence of activities as conducted by a user of the target software application by monitoring the computer screens viewed by the user and user interactions at each computer screen; and

a communications component for automatic communication with the user to confirm information about the computer screens viewed by the user and user interactions.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the modeler module comprises:

an automatic pattern matching module that uses pattern matching to determine key semantic (logical) elements of each computer screen;

an automatic flow analysis system that uses logical screen identity and flow identity rules to automatically analyze, define and classify business process flows into a set of business process flows; and

a generation module that creates a preliminary business process model based on the set of business process flows.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the discovery module further comprises:

a recording component for recording the computer screens viewed and user-system interaction for subsequent review.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the recording component records the computer screens viewed and user-system interaction in association with the business process flows.

6. A method for modeling business processes comprising:

monitoring a sequence of activities as conducted by a user of a target software application by monitoring the computer screens viewed by the user and user-system interactions;

using automatic pattern matching to determine key semantic (logical) elements of each computer screen;

using logical screen identity and flow identity rules to automatically analyze, define and classify business process flows;

using intersection points of process flows to define business process fragments from the process flows, and

combining business process fragments to create a business process model.

7. A computer aided system for modeling business processes comprising:

a monitoring module for monitoring a sequence of activities as conducted by a user of a target software application by monitoring the computer screens viewed by the user and user-system interactions;

a recording module for recording the computer screens viewed and user-system interaction;

a generator module for automatically creating a preliminary business process model based on the computer screens viewed and user-system interaction and for displaying the business process model as a flow chart on a display; and

an editor module for allowing a business process analyst to view the user screens and recorded screens and user inputs, and system data and pull information from screens and user inputs, and system data and place it into the business process model and modify the business process model.