The data model of systems

•Case Data
–best modeled as a dossier that is filled during the process
•Non-Case Data
–Support data:
•Used in the case, addresses, rates, instructions
–Management Information:
•Concernes the quality and the efficiency of case handling

Interaction between process steps and

data-processing applications

•It`s the starting point in the process-model, establishes what data every process
needs and what data it produces
•The relationship between processes is established using a matrix of process steps
and the functions they use
• Data processing functions for such matters as application
management and data exchange
• Performance requirements for the system: speed, processing
capacity, flexibility…
• the project-plan: the development strategy and the schedule
• Risks identifying and risk management strategy

• The Project Plan will incorporate all the topics raised in the points
above, including a detailed schedule

For this phase are needed some activities and deliverables:

• Preparation and staging of requirements workshops
• Development of risk-management measures, project schedule and budget
And the ouput of this phase will be:
• Rough data model and functional model
• Matrix of functions for each process
• Detailed project plan
Architecture

• In order to begin the actual development process a large number of technical

choices should be made; a good architecture is needed in order for the
components to work with one another

• Matters that may be addressed in architecture description:

– Technical infrastructure: hardware, networks, OS, communication protocols
– Workflow management software
– Development tools
– Interface descriptions
– Standard graphical user interfaces

• The best results are achieved when the architecture is based upon industry
standards
• During this phase it's recommended that several components are being
developed as prototypes in order to test the architecture in practice
• During th the architecture, this activities are done:
– Description of functional architecture
– Description of technical architecture
– Establishing and description of standards and guidelines
– Development and testing of prototypes
• And the output:
– Description of architecture
– Prototype of application
– Standards and requirements for components
Component Design

• During this phase the processes specified in the redesign phase are
implemented in the workflow management system; (are done iteratively using
prototyping)
• Based on the models defined in the requirement phase; with the aid of software
generators, prototypes are being build by the developers
• The processes are refined in cycles, until they fulfill user`s needs

• The advantages of prototyping method of development are the correctness of

data-processing component and process-definition specifications that are tested,
but most importantly feasibility of the process

Activities:
• harmonization of the data model and the user interfaces
• Design/ generation / harmonization of the functionality of the data-processing
component and workflow definitions using prototyping and simulations of use
cases
• Establishment of specification for specific links with office system and/or other
components
Deliverables

• Standard for the user interface

• Specification of the workflow
• Specification of the data-processing components in the CASE tool
• Final system prototype`s list of components to be completed

Construction

• During the construction phase the already constructed system(during the design
phase), is completed with other (specific) functionalities
• Several parts are optimized, for example:
– Integration of the workflow management system with the data-processing and other applications
– Optimization for the large use scale
– Performance optimization
– Technical-management and management-information functions
– Conversion software (if need)
• The outputs from this phase are:
– The components are ready for the integration testing
– System documentation
– Integration and acceptance –test plan
– Conversion software (if need)

Integration

• During this phase, the components that were implemented, need to be

integrated with one another
• The separate components, communicate via interfaces, interfaces which were
defined during the architecture phase
• The integration test is the moment when the components are checked for their
full compatibility
• This is the main step in testing in acceptance testing, with the main focus being
towards compatibility and robustness

• After this phase the software and environment is ready for the acceptance test,
test scripts and an integration test report are finished
Delivery

• The system now, is advanced enough to be given to the users

• Now the acceptance test is ran, his purpose following:
– Functionality
– Everyday use of system
– Day to day management
– The system documentation is supplied

• The best approach for this phase is a step by step approach, using the use
cases already predefined in the earlier phases
• Also a technical acceptance should be given by the future system managers
• The deliverables from this phase should be:
– Environment and software ready for use management
– Former acceptance by user organization
– Formal acceptance by management organization
– Acceptance-test report
Enactment

• The enactment of a workflow system in an organization, is as important as it's

design and construction, due to the changes that occurred in the system that
place demands upon the system and the people that work with it
• The enactment requires thorough preparation and explicit interest in the project;
this implies that a large budget part must be allocated to enactment activities
• The enactment team should consist of staff who know the organization and that
are able to perform the following functions:
– Communications expert
– Technical copywriter
– Organizational expert
– Infrastructure expert
– Trainer
– Process supervisor
• And the deliverables are:
– Enactment plan
– Communications plan
– Conversion plan
– Organizational model
– Case description
 – manuals
– Information and training materials
– Infrastructure

Monitor and Improve

• After the workflow system has been implemented, attention moves towards
improving the system; this requires permanent monitoring of the so called Key
Performance Indicators established during diagnose phase
• From this monitoring may result that small improvements are needed; we call
this approach continuous process improvement (CPI)
• Using workflow management software has clear advantages, because process
definitions are established in terms of parameters, this makes adjusting the
process require relatively little effort.

Integrating WFMS with legacy systems

• In general the IPSD method is well suited for situations in which the new and the
old systems must be build along-side and integrated with the new system
• The development in which the old components are involved and the
environments for those systems are not usually prepared for developing with
prototyping is not a solution
• Another part of the process is the elimination of old workflow aspects from the
legacy applications
• The most serious problem is the “mismatch” between the process steps and the
system architecture of existing applications; and the solution is rethinking how
the old code could be rewrapped.
• Enterprise application integration (EAI) tools have emerged as the solution for
this problems, their role is to identify , capture, integrate and deliver data and
system functionality to users under a series of cross-functional, multi-platform
interfaces