BPMN Research:BPMN Research:What we Know and What we Don’t

KnowProfessor Dr Jan ReckerProfessor Dr Jan Recker

Information Systems SchoolScience and Engineering Faculty

Queensland University of TechnologyQ y gyBrisbane, Australia

Main MessagesBPMN scholarship has matured, which is why we need to identify truly novel research problems.

Research should shift from explaining Knowns to exploring Unknowns.

We need to be Boundary Spanners to bridge the different BPMN communities.BPMN communities.

Community Understanding, Leverage and Engagement are some of the pathways that can aid the further development ofsome of the pathways that can aid the further development of this research field.

2

AgendaLooking backward: Reviewing BPMN ResearchLooking forward: Exploring Unknown Unknownsg p g U ULooking inwards: Researching the “Right Things”Q&AQ&A

3

AgendaLooking backward: Reviewing BPMN ResearchLooking forward: Exploring Unknown Unknownsg p g U ULooking inwards: Researching the “Right Things”Q&AQ&A

4

BPMN Research Publications (1000+)

Peak Maturity or

140160180

160018002000

ons

ns

of hypeMaturity or

Retirement?

100120140

1000120014001600

publ

icat

i

f cita

tion

406080

400600800

1000

mbe

r of p

umbe

r of

Early movers

02040

0200400

NumN

u

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

Citations Number of publications

5

Popular themes in BPMN researchPopular themes in BPMN researchHow C

Form

al How

does it work? How

do we

How do we extend

it?

Can we

scale it?

Mat

urity

Fri

cal

How should

do emake

it better? Can

we Can we

ne o

f M

Em

pir

How isit

should it be

used?

under-stand

it?

we lever-age it?

Lin

aly

tica

l

How good

used?

…

An

a is it?

6The early years Current efforts

2005-2007 2011-...2008-2010We’re up and running!

Which papers have impact?

332350

400

100%

120%

rs

250

300

80%

Pape

rs

utio

n of

Pap

er

Zone of Zone of Zone of Zone of Zone of indifferenceZone of indifference181

150

200

40%

60%

Num

ber o

f

ulat

ive

Dis

trib

uignorance(57%)

ignorance(57%)

impact(2%)

impact(2%)

Zone of indifference(41%)

Zone of indifference(41%)

105

77

43

15 8

50

100

20%

Cum

u

15 800 1-3 4-10 11-19 20-49 50-99 100+

0%

Cumulative Distribution Number of Papers Regular power distribution

7

Which papers have impact?Which papers have impact?Authors Title Year Citations

P Wohed, W Van der Aalst, M Dumas…

On the suitability of BPMN for business process modelling 2006 181

RM Dijkman, M Dumas, C Ouyang

Semantics and analysis of business process models in BPMN 2008 171Dumas, C Ouyang BPMN 2008 171

B List, B KorherrAn evaluation of conceptual business process modelling languages 2006 141

C Ouyang, M Dumas, AHM Ter Hofstede… From BPMN process models to BPEL web services 2006 127AHM Ter Hofstede… From BPMN process models to BPEL web services 2006 127M zur Muehlen,J Recker

How much language is enough? Theoretical and practical use of the business process modeling notation 2008 121

C Ouyang, WMP Van Der Aalst M Dumas Translating BPMN to BPEL 2006 109Der Aalst, M Dumas… Translating BPMN to BPEL 2006 109

A Ghose, G Koliadis Auditing business process compliance 2007 107On the translation between BPMN and BPEL: Conceptual mismatch between process modeling

J Recker, J Mendlingp p g

languages 2006 106A Awad, G Decker, M Weske

Efficient compliance checking using BPMN-Q and temporal logic 2008 96

J Recker, M Indulska, How good is BPMN really? Insights from theory and

8

J ec e , du s a,M Rosemann, P Green

o good s ea y s g ts o t eo y a dpractice 2006 92

Work that defined the BPMNWork that defined the BPMN research communityy

Analysis of BPMN’s modeling capabilities

Formalization of BPMN Semantics

BPMN use in practice All well-researched andwell-solved by now

BPMN-to-BPEL

BPMN and Compliance

9

Some tentative conclusionsSome tentative conclusions

Several key problems are “solved” (at least academically)Several key problems are solved (at least academically)Capabilities in-theory and in-useTranslationTranslationSemantics

Increased maturity of the field increases demand for new research to avoid retirement as a research topic

Novel contributionsAd d th d l i l d th ti l iAdvanced methodological and theoretical rigorBlue ocean problems and topics?

BPMN is becoming a commodity – not only as a standard but alsoBPMN is becoming a commodity not only as a standard but also in research

Is there time to do something new? And if so, how do we get there?

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AgendaLooking backward: Reviewing BPMN ResearchLooking forward: Exploring Unknown Unknownsg p g U ULooking inwards: Researching the “Right Things”Q&AQ&A

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Th A U k U kThere Are Unknown Unknowns

http://www youtube com/watch?v=jtkUO8NpI8412

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v jtkUO8NpI84

I li ti f BPMN hImplications for BPMN research

Unknown Unknown

m to

Knowns Unknowns

Moving beyond the from

ion

tat

ion

K K

Moving beyond the research comfort zoneti

ng

anat

ipl

ora

KnownKnowns

KnownUnknownsSh

iftex

pla

exp

S e

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BPMN Research ExamplesBPMN Research Examples- Known Knowns

BPMN is used selectively in organizations, and not to its full extent.

BPMN can be mapped to executable semantics.

There are advantages and disadvantages of BPMN in comparison toThere are advantages and disadvantages of BPMN in comparison to other modeling approaches.

BPMN is implemented in different ways by process engines.

M d l t t l it i l t i fl h llModel structure, complexity, size, colour etc influence how well participants understand a BPMN model.

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BPMN Research ExamplesBPMN Research Examples- Unknown Knowns

Organizations use BPMN differently for different projects (redesign, implementation compliance)implementation, compliance).

The individual and organizational benefits that flow from BPMN use.g

Defining and implementing workflow systems starting with BPMN models.

The BPMN usage differences between experts and novices.

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BPMN Research ExamplesBPMN Research Examples- Known Unknowns

The level of errors in BPMN modeling is still high. How do we change that and what is the true impact?

What is the best way to apply BPMN for process modeling?

The use of BPMN in cultures with different aptitudes for forms, shapes and symbolic expressions.

The process of BPMN development.

The impact of new technologies for BPMN modeling.

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BPMN Research ExamplesBPMN Research Examples- Unknown Unknowns

How do we use BPMN for different, future emerging purposes?

What extensions to the standard will be required in the future?

Will BPMN have a place in post-process paradigms?

How will the BPMN community and its impact evolve?

The influence of post-GFC, post-Greece on XXX…

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How do we shift our thinking?

Analysis and selective expansion of three key research resources

Choice of method:Diversify: expand portfolio of research approachesDiversify: expand portfolio of research approaches

Consolidate: analyse the analyses

Integrate: connect empirical findings to design, design as theory, theory as design

Choice of theory:Create: Build theories germane to the BPMN context

Expand: extend reference theories through new constructs, relationships or boundary conditions

Critique: assist paradigm shifts through conclusive falsification

Choice of expertise:pSelect: identify and differentiate different bases of BPMN expertise

Enable: include and integrate community members

Transfer: allow expertise and knowledge to permeate boundaries of organizations orTransfer: allow expertise and knowledge to permeate boundaries of organizations or communities 18

AgendaLooking backward: Reviewing BPMN ResearchLooking forward: Exploring Unknown Unknownsg p g U ULooking inwards: Researching the “Right Things”ThingsQ&A

19

What is the “right thing” to g gresearch?

“A central mission of scholars is to conduct research that both advances a scientific discipline and enlightens practice in a professional domain.”

Herbert Simon, The Sciences of the Artificial

Often argued to be a knowledge transfer problem:Academic journals not read and not understood

Practitioner magazines too lightweight and ‘fluffy’, lacking credibility

My view is that the knowledge transfer lens is misleading; and a boundaryMy view is that the knowledge transfer lens is misleading; and a boundary spanning perspective potentially more fruitful.

Th h it h bli ti t b d iThus, our research community has an obligation to occupy a boundary spanning role.

What does boundary spanning y p gmean?

Boundary spanners are roles in and across communities that perform a variety of important roles such as

Sharer of expertiseSharer of expertise

Representor instead of Gatekeeper

Advice and trust broker

Scout, ambassador, sentry and guardian

Illustration by contrast:Illustration by contrast:Academics continuously engage in practices that produce knowledge and new practices of relevance and interest to academia

Develops a knowledge-based advantage (the raison d’etre for academics)

These traditional practices also continuously reproduce and strengthen the boundaries to other fields

Boundary spanning emerges through the identification of a new join t field

Towards Boundary SpanningTowards Boundary Spanning- Three Pathways with Examples

1. Understand the communitiesDevelop an understanding of the topics and phenomena of interest and importance to different stakeholder groups

22. Leverage knowledge from the communitiesUtilize research and insights from other communities in own researchresearch

3 Engage the communities in collaborative work3. Engage the communities in collaborative workInclude communities in participatory research

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Understand the communities- Delphi study on current Issues (2008)

Academics IT/BPM Vendors BPM PractitionersStandardisation Standardisation Training

Model-drivenprocess execution

Model-driven process execution

Standardisation

Modelling views Process discovery Value ofg yprocess modelling

Flexibility Value ofprocess modelling

Governanceprocess modelling

Compliance Model management Modelling level of detailMethodology Modelling level of detail Model management

Indulska, M., Recker, J., Rosemann, M., Green, P. (2009): Business Process Modeling: Current Issues and Future Challenges. In P. van Eck, J. Gordijn, and R. Wieringa (eds.):

24

g j g ( )Advanced Information Systems Engineering – CAiSE 2009. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, Volume 5565. Springer, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, pp. 501-514.

Understand the communities - Delphi study on future Challenges (by 2013)

Academics Vendors PractitionersModel-driven

process executionStandardisation Value of

process modellingprocess execution process modellingMethodology Value of

process modellingTraining

Compliance Model-drivenprocess execution

Buy-in

Service integration Training GovernanceService integration Training GovernanceModel integration Model management AdoptionStandardisation Service orientation Business-IT-Alignment

Indulska, M., Recker, J., Rosemann, M., Green, P. (2009): Business Process Modeling: Current Issues and Future Challenges. In P. van Eck, J. Gordijn, and R. Wieringa (eds.):

25

g j g ( )Advanced Information Systems Engineering – CAiSE 2009. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, Volume 5565. Springer, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, pp. 501-514.

Current boundary spanning isCurrent boundary spanning is limited at best

Issues ChallengesIssues Challenges

P A V20 (2) 45 (4)

P A V16 (1) 62 (5)

P A V P A V

37 (4) 41 (3)

Indulska, M., Recker, J., Rosemann, M., Green, P. (2009): Business Process Modeling: Current Issues and Future Challenges. In P. van Eck, J. Gordijn, and R. Wieringa (eds.):

26

g j g ( )Advanced Information Systems Engineering – CAiSE 2009. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, Volume 5565. Springer, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, pp. 501-514.

Leverage communitiesBuild research collaborations that include representatives from different communities

Example: Apromore Initiative (www.apromore.org)p p ( p g)

Combines researchers from 7 universities,from computer science, information systems,management science, and software engineeringg g g

Sponsored by fed. government AND industry

QUT Team:4 d i f lt4 academic faculty

1 Post-doc

2 PhD students

2 solution architects

2 senior developers

1 business analyst

In-kindprovision by

industry partner

In-kindprovision by

industry partnery

Various research assistants and graduate students 27

an open‐source highly scalable SaaS platform to

Apromorean open source, highly scalable SaaS platform tomanage large (BPMN) process model collections

variants management / organization

merging

80%refactoringre-use similarity

search

0100010110100101 mining Process model

repository querying

28La Rosa, M., Reijers, H.A., van der Aalst, W.M.P., Dijkman, R.M., Mendling, J., Dumas, M., and Garcia-Banuelos, L. "APROMORE: An Advanced Process Model Repository," Expert Systems with Applications (38:6) 2011, pp 7029-7040.

C St d S ICase Study: Suncorp Insurance

Product Dev Sales Service Claims 500

stepsp

30Home

Motor

variationsCommercial

Liability

CTP / WC

• Estimated total number of process steps: 15,000p p ,• Total number of models: 3,000+

Engage communitiesInclude different communities directly in the research processpat one or several stages of the research lifecyclelifecycle

ExamplesIntegrate: Research on use AND development of the BPMN standardCommunicate: Research on the use of BPMN in practice

Engage Communitiesg g- through integration

Traditional ExtendedTraditional research

model

Extendedresearch

model

Recker, J., Indulska, M., Green, P. (2007): Extending Representational Analysis: BPMN User and Developer Perspectives. In G. Alonso, P. Dadam and M. Rosemann (eds.): Business Process Management – BPM 2007. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, Volume 4714. Springer, Brisbane, Australia, pp. 384-399.

Interviewing the BPMN team

Proforma

Popkin / Telelogic

IBM

MegaMega

Recker, J., Indulska, M., Green, P. (2007): Extending Representational Analysis: BPMN User and Developer Perspectives. In G. Alonso, P. Dadam and M. Rosemann (eds.): Business Process Management – BPM 2007. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, Volume 4714. Springer, Brisbane, Australia, pp. 384-399.

Global 360

Research & Findings

33Recker, J., Indulska, M., Green, P. (2007): Extending Representational Analysis: BPMN User and Developer Perspectives. In G. Alonso, P. Dadam and M. Rosemann (eds.): Business Process Management – BPM 2007. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, Volume 4714. Springer, Brisbane, Australia, pp. 384-399.

Example FeedbackProblems in capturing Business Rules

Transfer

Developer feedback:

Voiced strong support that in the future there will be a better

TransferpossibleCustomer logged on to

Conduct transfer

conducted

Business Rule Editor (excerpt)Business Rule 1

integration between process modelling and business rule specification.

[…] and currently within the OMG, there’s quite a lot of work on

Customer specifiestransfer

Check feasibility

possibleCustomer logged on to InternetBanking

If transferAmount < threshold(country) Then accept Else reject

Business Rule Library (excerpt)

Business Rule 1business rules being done. […] the idea is that certainly, rules will be kind of built better or at least more, made to fit into BPMN at least in terms of the underlying models, the meta models. Exactly where we fit it in on the notational side, that’s something they need

Transferimpossible Display

Country Currency Threshold

Business Rule 1transferAmount

Germany EUR (€) 12,000U.S.A.United Kingdom

USD ($)GBP (£)

15,00010,000

to work on in the future, so, we’re open to this and it seemed a little beyond our scope at the time we were doing it to include too much on business rule side of things.

errormessage

Error messagedisplayed

Recker, J., Indulska, M., Green, P. (2007): Extending Representational Analysis: BPMN User and Developer Perspectives. In G. Alonso, P. Dadam and M. Rosemann (eds.): Business Process Management – BPM 2007. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, Volume 4714. Springer, Brisbane, Australia, pp. 384-399.

Engage Communitiesg g- through result debates

Re-frame research in different articulations, reports and formats and invite discussions, critiques and involvement from “the others”.

Easily and conveniently achievable: Twitter, Blogs, community magazines

Frame for discussion, not for education!

Impact effects cannot be neglected:Community interest paper downloads problem definition academic interest citations

Example: “How much language is enough?”

BPMN use is not as extensive as we thought it is

zur Muehlen, M., and Recker, J. "How Much Language is Enough? Theoretical and Practical Use of the Business Process Modeling Notation," in: Advanced Information Systems Engineering - CAiSE 2008, M. Léonard and Z. Bellahsène (eds.), Springer, Montpellier, France, 2008, pp. 465-479.

Users are making deliberate gtrade-offs

Number ofmodels that shared the

framed constructs

zur Muehlen, M., and Recker, J. "How Much Language is Enough? Theoretical and Practical Use of the Business Process Modeling Notation," in: Advanced Information Systems Engineering - CAiSE 2008, M. Léonard and Z. Bellahsène (eds.), Springer, Montpellier, France, 2008, pp. 465-479.

Engage Communitiesg g- through results

Recap: Main MessagesWe need to identify truly novel research questions to maintain BPMN research momentum and avoid being a fashion wave.

Increased maturity also means stronger demands for research rigor and methodological quality.

We can achieve this by shifting our research focus from explanation to exploration. This will require a shift in theory,explanation to exploration. This will require a shift in theory, method and expertise utilization.

We will maintain relevance and impact by more stronglyWe will maintain relevance and impact by more strongly assuming a role of boundary spanners.

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Prof. Jan Recker, PhD

Woolworths Chair of Retail InnovationInformation Systems SchoolScience and Engineering FacultyQ l d U i it f T h lQueensland University of Technology

e j.recker@qut.edu.auw www janrecker comw www.janrecker.comt janrecker