Descriptive Process Model Research Articles

Verification and validation of software process simulation models: A systematic mapping study

AbstractSoftware process simulation models (SPSMs) that are based on descriptive process models offer the executability that can demonstrate dynamic changes of software processes over time. Verification and validation (V&V) is critical in SPSMs for guaranteeing the quality and reliability of models. V&V of dynamic software process models is more complex and challenging than for static software process models. This work systematically summarizes and maps V&V studies in SPSM to provide guidelines for future research and practice. Specifically, this study aims at identifying the focus of research on V&V, the methods used for V&V, and how to implement V&V of SPSMs in software engineering research. We conducted a systematic mapping study on studies of SPSMs that report on their V&V activities. Under the guidance of a V&V meta‐model for SPSMs, we study four research questions about V&V process. We identified 107 primary studies from a pool of 313 papers on SPSMs until 2021. There are two main results of our study. The first one presents the relationship between quality aspects of SPSMs and the V&V methods to assure them. The second result reveals the relationships among the modeling process, three modeling steps, five quality aspects, and 10 V&V methods. Generally, researchers do not pay sufficient attention to V&V, as 65.8% ( ) failed to mention or elaborate on their V&V process. We systematically summarize and map the state‐of‐the‐art V&V research in software process modeling field to support modelers' practice and improve their V&V process.

Continuous discovery of Causal nets for non-stationary business processes using the Online Miner

Capturing business process specifics using a model is essential to effectively manage, control, and instruct the process participants with their roles and tasks. A normative process model is an invaluable source of information, not only for human inspection but also for software supporting and controlling the process. The actual process execution likely deviates from the normative model and the magnitude of deviation usually increases over time due to process evolution. A descriptive process model is far more informative when comes to the analysis of the actual execution of the process and spotting the deviations from the norm. However, handcrafting the descriptive model using process-related documents is prohibitively laborious. To automate the discovery of the descriptive process models, we propose Online Miner (OM), an algorithm that continuously builds process models using a stream of events raised by the process. OM first builds a sound process model using a historical event log and then incrementally adapts this model to new data chunks. OM represents the model using a Causal-net – a dependency graph of activities in which arcs are bound with each other to reflect parallel dependencies and exclusive alternatives. OM finds the maximal bindings being consistent with the event log. OM produces sound and perfect fit and generalizing well models. OM quickly reacts to the concept drift spot in the event log by seamlessly adapting the model. OM helps business analytics experts with their everyday tasks of monitoring, auditing, and enhancing business processes.

Screening Process Mining and Value Stream Techniques on Industrial Manufacturing Processes: Process Modelling and Bottleneck Analysis

One major result of the Industrial Digitalization is the access to a large set of digitalized data and information, i.e. Big Data. The market of analytic tools offers a huge variety of algorithms and software to exploit big datasets. Implementing their advantages into one approach brings better results and empower possibilities for process analysis. Its application in the manufacturing industry requires a high level of effort and remains to be challenging due to product complexity, human-centric processes, and data quality. In this manuscript, the authors combine process mining and value streams methods for analyzing the data from the information management system, applying the approach to the data delivered by one specific manufacturing system. The manufacturing process to be examined is the process of assembling gas meters in the manufacture. This specific and important part of the whole supply-chain process was taken as suitable for the study due to almost full-automated line with data about each process activity of the value-stream in the information system. The paper applies process mining algorithms in discovering a descriptive process model that plays the main role as a basis for further analysis. At the same time, modern techniques of the bottleneck analysis are described, and two new comprehensible methods of bottlenecks detection (TimeLag and Confidence intervals methods), as well as their advantages, will be discussed. Achieved results can be subsequently used for other sources of big data and industrial-compliant Information Management Systems.

The accidental caseworker – How digital self-service influences citizens' administrative burden

Following a large worldwide uptake of digital public services, several countries have turned to mandatory digitization, whereby citizens or companies must use digital self-service applications to apply for public services. However, previous research on the adoption of digital public services has predominantly focused on simple, or even hypothetical, services and situations. We identify a knowledge gap concerning citizens' experience of actual interactions with digital self-service for more complicated social services and benefits. Therefore, we explore digital self-service from the perspective of citizens using the concept of administrative burden as a theoretical lens. Specifically, we analyze data from in-depth empirical studies encompassing observations, interviews, and focus group discussions with single mothers who have applied for public benefits following divorce or family separation. We present a descriptive process model for citizens' application for public benefits. Next, we illustrate how digital self-service influences citizens' administrative burden throughout this process. An important contribution reveals that citizens' administrative burden increases—they must learn how to complete tasks that professional caseworkers previously conducted and comply with government demands concerning digital self-service applications and specific data formats. However, digital self-service can also reduce citizens' administrative burden through the online provision of information and automatic data transfers. Further, digital self-service offers an anonymous application process that may reduce the psychological costs and stigma associated with receiving public benefits. Finally, our research contributes new insights at the theoretical level, linking the concept of administrative burden to complex digital self-service use from a citizen perspective.

Creating innovative products with reference system elements - a case study on approaches in practice

As any other human being development engineers preferably act based on experience. Hence it is comprehensible that even for a product that initially appears revolutionary usually one or more references can be found. This enhances, for example, the comparability or the availability of a products subsystems so that they are more easily to deal with. Especially during the development of a new product, which means the start of a new product line, the use of reference system elements helps to reduce development efforts. Reference system elements are, for example, physical products whose functions or components are relevant for one’s own product. By scanning the system of objectives for smaller subsystems one may find those functions or components just mentioned. For this scientific work a development process of a technology rollout was examined. The objective pursued was to gain insights on possibilities and challenges of deriving knowledge from such reference system elements in this specific case. A suitable research environment was offered by a medium sized machine manufacturer. A new technology to process foam particles using radio frequency is being developed there. The established process using steam is already in the high-end range, which is why only a small development potential is left. From the findings in this case study in synthesis with the state of the art on innovation management and knowledge management a descriptive process model is derived. The focus of the process model is to support the search for relevant reference system elements. For the examined machine, for example, the common microwave was used as a reference element. The elements found can be evaluated for their suitability using previously elaborated validation criteria. This facilitates the adoption of existing solutions or the development of new solutions based on reference system elements.

Testing in the incremental design and development of complex products

Testing is an important aspect of design and development which consumes significant time and resource in many companies. However, it has received less research attention than many other activities in product development, and especially, very few publications report empirical studies of engineering testing. Such studies are needed to establish the importance of testing and inform the development of pragmatic support methods. This paper combines insights from literature study with findings from three empirical studies of testing. The case studies concern incrementally developed complex products in the automotive domain. A description of testing practice as observed in these studies is provided, confirming that testing activities are used for multiple purposes depending on the context, and are intertwined with design from start to finish of the development process, not done after it as many models depict. Descriptive process models are developed to indicate some of the key insights, and opportunities for further research are suggested.

Méthodes pour étudier les décisions économiques dans les familles

Research on joint decision-making processes in households is particularly relevant for marketing, especially for understanding who decides what to buy in purchasing decisions and how decision processes evolve. However, the investigation of such complex processes requires adequate research methods to account for the dynamics in close relationships. We provide a critical overview of past research in the arena of economic decision-making among couples, concentrating on methodological issues. After describing different types of decisions we proceed by describing findings on interaction dynamics, including the nature and occurrence of conflicts. In reviewing relationship structures we focus on the dimensions of harmony and power. The descriptive process model utilized includes the partners’ use of influence tactics, as well as the emergence of utility debts at the end of a decision-making process. Reviewing the adequacy of various research methods, observational and survey techniques are discussed as conventional psychological research methods. The Vienna Partner Diary is introduced as novel method and suggested as being useful for collecting data on the complex interaction processes in the everyday life of couples.

The translocation of organizational practices – knowledge creation in Greenfield Plants

Purpose– The literature on knowledge transfer is dominated by a one-way transmission model logic where knowledge is captured and transferred from one source to another, assuming the source and receiver resemble each other and have some common knowledge. The social learning processes, what is learned and the phases and sequences of the developmental processes by which learning take place are more or less black boxed in the literature. This paper investigates the social dynamics of the formation and shaping of organizational practice from scratch in a greenfield organizational setting where no prior organizational practice exist.Design/methodology/approach– The paper builds on a case study approach applied in two greenfield organizational settings. A descriptive process model is developed to analyze the translocation and sociogenesis of organizational practices.Findings– A transfer-approach provides a too simplistic and narrow understanding of the process of “moving” organizational practices. Establishing an organizational practice can be described as a community of knowing “in the making” following various modes of cultural learning characterised by mutual adjustments, joint interactions, and alignment of shared understandings, and as such is more learned than transferred.Practical implications– The process model developed in the paper provides a platform for better understanding, planning and execution of intra-firm knowledge transfer and regeneration.Originality/value– The paper provides an in-depth empirical analysis of organizational practice generation from scratch emphasizing the social dynamics and co-construction of meaning when a collective capability is being acquired and built up.

Regional Entrepreneurial Transformation: A Complex Systems Perspective

In this paper, I develop a descriptive process model of regional entrepreneurial transformation based on a conceptualization of regional economies as self‐organizing complex systems that consist of interdependent subsystems as represented by heterogeneous actor groups. It is proposed that a change in a region's entrepreneurial profile requires shifts in collectively shared subsystem‐level schemata that cause actors to behave in ways that prevent emergent entrepreneurship. The model highlights four factors that contribute to the initiation of a positive feedback loop through which simultaneous schemata changes and consequently a regional entrepreneurial shift occur. Theoretical and policy implications are discussed.

Calibration-Free Quantitative Application of in Situ Raman Spectroscopy to a Crystallization Process

In this work, in situ Raman spectroscopy is applied in a quantitative manner to crystal suspensions during crystallization in order to monitor a solvent-mediated polymorph transformation without the use of a calibration model. Assuming a linear dependency of the Raman signal intensity on the solute and on the solid concentrations of both solid-state forms, the measured time-resolved Raman spectra are fitted directly using a detailed model that describes the time evolution of the process. The applicability of this novel method is demonstrated thoroughly through the application to synthetic data of unseeded and seeded transformations as well as to various seeded polymorph transformation experiments. The resulting concentration profiles show a good agreement with the concentrations obtained by a multivariate calibration model. Additionally, the estimated kinetic parameters are compared to parameters obtained through fitting the solid-phase composition profiles that result from the calibration. The discrepancy between the estimated model parameters is small, and essentially the same descriptive process model is obtained. However, by fitting the time-resolved Raman spectra directly, a significant amount of calibration effort can be avoided.

Software process commonality analysis

AbstractTo remain viable and thrive, software organizations must rapidly adapt to frequent and, often, rather far‐ranging changes to their operational context. These changes typically concern many factors, including the nature of the organization's marketplace in general, its customers' demands, and its business needs. In today's most highly dynamic contexts, such as web services development, other changes create additional, severe challenges. Most critical are changes to the technology in which a software product is written or which the software product has to control or use to provide its functionality. These product‐support technology changes are frequently relatively ‘small’ and incremental. They are, therefore, often handled by relatively ‘small’, incremental changes to the organization's software processes. However, the frequency of these changes is high, and their impact is elevated by time‐to‐market and requirements change demands. The net result is an extremely challenging need to create and manage a large number of customized process variants, collectively having more commonalities than differences, and incorporating experience‐based, proven ‘best practices’. This paper describes a tool‐based approach to coping with product‐support technology changes. The approach utilizes established capabilities such as descriptive process modeling and the creation of reference models. It incorporates a new, innovative, tool‐based capability to analyze commonalities and differences among processes. The paper includes an example‐based evaluation of the approach in the domain of Wireless Internet Services as well as a discussion of its potentially broader application. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Descriptive Software Process Modeling—How to Deal with Sensitive Process Information

Descriptive software process models are important assets in software process improvement. The accuracy of the model, i.e., the degree to which it reflects the process as it is actually performed, is a key to the success of process improvement programs. To develop such a process model, a Process Engineer collects available process information, which is subsequently summarized in a process model. The information needed to develop an accurate description of the process is often sensitive, regarding, for instance, work practices that are not followed as described in the official process documentation. Revealing this sensitive information to other people within the software organization can be harmful for the information providers. Therefore, dealing with this type of information imposes ethical responsibilities to the Process Engineer and can put Process Engineers into an awkward situation. This paper lists experience from descriptive process modeling cases in industry where sensitive information was provided and provides guidelines on how to deal with such information.

Measurement processes are software, too

Software process improvement and measurement are closely linked: measures are the only way to prove improvements in a process. Despite this link, and the interest in process improvement, measurement is not widely applied in industrial software production. This paper describes a method designed to guide the definition, implementation and operation of measurement processes. The method, which builds upon Fenton's measurement framework and GQM, starts from the point that measuring a software process is in its turn a process in the software process. The three basic ideas of the method are derived from this assumption: the measurement process should reuse and suitably adapt the same phases of the software process: requirements definition, design, implementation, etc. A descriptive process model should be the essential starting point of a measurement process. Many concepts and tools which derive from the object oriented approach should be effectively used in the measurement process. An experimental application in an industrial process has shown that building the process model was the hardest part of the measurement process, and that it has improved the quality of measurement by reducing misunderstandings. Object oriented concepts and tools make it possible to automate certain tasks (for instance the definition of the schema of the measurement database) and to improve robustness against changes in the measurement process.

Utilisation of process modeling in improving the hypermedia development process

If we are to improve our ability to reliably and consistently create high quality hypermedia applications then we need to improve our understanding of the development process and its relationship to the quality of the end applications. In this paper we consider the role of descriptive process modeling in understanding and subsequently improving the hypermedia development process. We will look at problems with existing hypermedia development processes and the role which design tools, methods and models can play. We then go on to consider how descriptive process modeling can be used to model hypermedia development processes and subsequently identify potential flaws within these processes. We propose a hypermedia development process reference model, and an associated modeling and process assessment method that provides the mechanisms necessary for measuring and improving hypermedia development. We provide some examples that demonstrate the validity of the approach. The result is a technique which is capable of providing significant improvements in the manageability, consistency and cost-effectiveness of the development process and hence the quality of the applications which result from this process.

Instructional Processes in Team Training

The present research effort involved the development of a descriptive instructional process model of an operational Navy team training system. The model focuses on the team oriented instructional assessments, decisions, strategies, approaches, feedback processes, etc. used by instructors during team training. It served to clarify and enhance the understanding of team training instructional processes, and permitted evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses of the instructional system. Based on these, several potential interventions are discussed.