Essentials of Business Process Automation

Business Process Example - Airline Boarding

Understanding Business Processes

A business process is essentially a series of steps that an organization undertakes to produce a certain result. These steps often include inputs and outputs, which define the start and end points of the process. Once a business process is modeled, it can be replicated through instances or cases, each triggered by specific events.

What is a Workflow?

A workflow represents the automated or automatable part of a business process, focusing primarily on information processing. For instance, consider the business process of getting passengers on a plane:

  • The process begins with booking a ticket.
  • The passenger arrives at the airport and proceeds through baggage drop-off, passport control, security checks, and boarding.
  • Finally, the passenger takes their seat on the plane.

In this scenario, the workflow encompasses only the information processing steps, such as booking the ticket and check-in. Non-information-centric steps like parking or suitcase handling are excluded.

Modeling Workflows and Granularity

Aligning workflows with business processes is crucial for efficiency and avoiding chaos. For example, a workflow might simplify a complex process with three core steps: booking, check-in, and boarding. The granularity, or level of detail, varies depending on the modeling objective, from a high-level overview to detailed task sequences.

Key Perspectives in Workflow Automation

Effective workflow automation requires three main perspectives:

  1. Control Flow: The sequence of tasks.
  2. Data: The type of information processed at each step.
  3. Resources: The individuals or systems performing specific tasks.

These perspectives are essential for process-aware information systems, which often utilize workflow management systems like YAWL (Yet Another Workflow Language).

Business Processes in Enterprise Architecture

In the broader context of enterprise architecture, business processes bridge high-level organizational capabilities and the IT infrastructure. Here’s the hierarchy:

  • Capabilities: High-level organizational functions.
  • Business Processes: Enable the delivery of products or services.
  • IT Services: Support business processes.
  • Applications: Include workflow management systems.
  • IT Infrastructure: Comprises hardware, networks, and more.

Understanding this alignment ensures that workflow management systems integrate seamlessly within the organizational framework.