Method and apparatus for creating workflow maps of business processes
DCFirst Claim
1. A computer based system for creating a representation of a business process and its associated workflows, said system comprising a computer which executes a program, said program including means for generating when said program is executed by said computer i) a component representation of at least a predetermined subset of said business process in terms of its workflows, ii) at least a predetermined subset of links between said workflows based upon a predetermined set of workflow rules, and iii) conditional links between said workflows, each of said conditional links including a conditional junction, an origin link between a source workflow and said conditional junction and at least one target link between said conditional junction and a corresponding number of target workflows.
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Abstract
The invention is a method and system which provides consultants, business process analysts, and application developers with a unified tool with which to conduct business process analysis, design, and documentation. The invention may be implemented using a software system which has two functional sets. One is a set of graphical tools that can be used by a developer or business analyst to map out business processes. The second is a set of tools that can be used to document and specify in detail the attributes of each workflow definition, including roles, timing, conditions of satisfaction, forms, and links required to complete a business process definition. The invention utilizes fundamental concept of workflow analysis that any business process can be interpreted as a sequence of basic transactions called workflows.
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Citations
26 Claims
- 1. A computer based system for creating a representation of a business process and its associated workflows, said system comprising a computer which executes a program, said program including means for generating when said program is executed by said computer i) a component representation of at least a predetermined subset of said business process in terms of its workflows, ii) at least a predetermined subset of links between said workflows based upon a predetermined set of workflow rules, and iii) conditional links between said workflows, each of said conditional links including a conditional junction, an origin link between a source workflow and said conditional junction and at least one target link between said conditional junction and a corresponding number of target workflows.
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26. A computer based method for creating a representation of a business process and its associated workflows, said method comprising the steps of:
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a) executing a computer program by a computer; b) said program generating when said program is executed by said computer i) a component representation of at least a predetermined subset of said business process in terms of its workflows, ii) at least a predetermined subset of links between said workflows based upon a predetermined set of workflow rules, and iii) conditional links between said workflows, each of said conditional links including a conditional junction, an origin link between a source workflow and said conditional junction and at least one target link between said conditional junction and a corresponding number of target workflows.
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Specification