Process Integration Through Hierarchical Decomposition

Abstract

A mechanism is presented to construct an enterprise process by integrating component processes. This approach supports the formation of value-added chains based on process models. Process representations in logical as well as physical levels are offered in a hierarchy as a graphical tool to support process integration. An enterprise represents a complex process that needs to be constructed within an engineering approach. Such construction is a matter of integration if component processes are made available by smaller enterprises. Process integration is supported by task-system formalism that may especially prove useful in the analysis of the preservation of process attributes during integration. Approaches using the decomposition of the problem definition have matured for various engineering disciplines in an effort to match definition pieces with previously built sub solutions. Among these disciplines, the techniques used in software engineering are exploited as this domain is closer to business process construction than the others.