Abstract
Empirical studies of business process modeling typically aim at understanding factors that can improve model quality. We identify two limitations of such studies. First, the quality dimensions usually addressed are mainly syntactic and pragmatic, not addressing semantic quality sufficiently. Second, while findings related to model understanding have been anchored in cognitive theories, findings related to model construction have remained mostly unexplained. This paper proposes to study the process of process modeling, based on problem solving theories. Specifically, the work takes the approach that problems are first conceptualized as mental models, to which solution methods are applied. The paper suggests that investigating these two phases can help understand and hence improve semantic and syntactic quality of process models. The paper reports on an empirical study addressing the mental model created during process model development, demonstrating the feasibility of such studies. It then suggests designs for other studies that follow this direction.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Breuker, D., Pfeiffer, D., Becker, J.: Reducing the Variations in Intra- and Interorganizational Business Process Modeling – An Empirical Evaluation. Wirtschaftsinformatik (1), 203–212 (2009)
Burton-Jones, A., Wand, Y., Weber, R.: Informational Equivalence, Computational Equivalence, and the Evaluation of Conceptual Modelling. Journal of the Association for Information Systems 10(6), 495–532 (2009)
Figl, K., Mendling, J., Strembeck, M., Recker, J.: On the Cognitive Effectiveness of Routing Symbols in Process Modeling Languages. In: Abramowicz, W., Tolksdorf, R. (eds.) BIS 2010. LNBIP, vol. 47, pp. 230–241. Springer, Heidelberg (2010)
Gemino, A.: Comparing Object Oriented with Structured Analysis Techniques in Conceptual Modeling (PhD Thesis), Sauder School of Business, University of British Columbia, Vancouver (1998)
Khatri, V., Vessey, I., Ram, S., Ramesh, V.: Cognitive Fit Between Conceptual Schemas and Internal Problem Representations: The Case of Geospatio–Temporal Conceptual Schema Comprehension. IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication 49(2), 109–127 (2006)
Krogstie, J., Sindre, G., Jorgensen, H.: Process Models Representing Knowledge for Action: A Revised Quality Framework. Eur. J. of IS 15, 91–102 (2006)
Lindland, O., Sindre, G., Solvberg, A.: Understanding Quality in Conceptual Modeling. IEEE Software 11, 42–49 (1994)
Mayer, R.E.: Models of Understanding. Review of Educational Research 59, 43–64 (1989)
Mendling, J., Moser, M., Neumann, G., Verbeek, H.M.W., Dongen van, B.F., Aalst van der, W.M.P.: Faulty EPCs in the SAP Reference Model. In: Dustdar, S., Fiadeiro, J.L., Sheth, A.P. (eds.) BPM 2006. LNCS, vol. 4102, pp. 451–457. Springer, Heidelberg (2006)
Mendling, J., Recker, J.: Towards Systematic Usage of Labels and Icons in Business Process Models. In: Halpin, T., Proper, H.A., Krogstie, J. (eds.) EMMSAD 2009, Montpellier, France, pp. 1–13 (2009)
Mendling, J., Reijers, H., van der Aalst, W.: Seven Process Modeling Guidelines (7PMG). In: Qut eprint (2008)
Mendling, J., Reijers, H.A., Recker, J.: Activity Labeling in Process Modeling: Empirical Insights and Recommendations. Information Systems 35, 467–482 (2010)
Mendling, J., Strembeck, M.: Influence Factors of Understanding Business Process Models. In: Abramowicz, W., Fensel, D. (eds.) Proc. Conference on Business Information Systems (BIS 2008). LNBIP, vol. 7, pp. 142–153 (2008)
Mendling, J., Verbeek, H.M.W., van Dongen, B.F., van der Aalst, W.M.P., Neumann, G.: Detection and Prediction of Errors in EPCs of the SAP Reference Model. Data and Knowledge Engineering 64, 312–329 (2008)
Mendling, J.: Empirical Studies in Process Model Verification. In: Jensen, K., van der Aalst, W.M.P. (eds.) ToPNOC II. LNCS, vol. 5460, pp. 208–224. Springer, Heidelberg (2009)
Newell, A., Simon, H.A.: Human Problem Solving. Prentice Hall, Englewood Cliffs (1972)
Recker, J., Dreiling, A.: Does It Matter Which Process Modelling Language We Teach or Use? An Experimental Study on Understanding Process Modelling Languages without Formal Education. In: 18th Australasian Conference on Information Systems, Toowoomba, Australia, pp. 356–366 (2007)
Recker, J., Safrudin, N., Rosemann, M.: How Novices Model Business Processes. In: Hull, R., Mendling, J., Tai, S. (eds.) BPM 2010. LNCS, vol. 6336, pp. 29–44. Springer, Heidelberg (2010)
Rolón, E., Cardoso, J., GarcÃa, F., Ruiz, F., Piattini, M.: Analysis and Validation of Control-Flow Complexity Measures with BPMN Process Models. In: Halpin, T.A., Krogstie, J., Nurcan, S., Proper, E., Schmidt, R., Soffer, P., Ukor, R. (eds.) Enterprise, Business-Process and Information Systems Modeling. LNBIP, vol. 29, pp. 58–70. Springer, Heidelberg (2009)
Russell, N.C., Hofstede, A.H.M., van der Aalst, W.M.P., Mulyar, N.: Workflow Control-Flow Patterns: A Revised View, BPM Center Report BPM-06-22, BPMcenter.org (2006)
Sarshar, K., Loos, P.: Comparing the Control-Flow of EPC and Petri Net from the End-User Perspective. In: van der Aalst, W.M.P., Benatallah, B., Casati, F., Curbera, F. (eds.) BPM 2005. LNCS, vol. 3649, pp. 434–439. Springer, Heidelberg (2005)
Schrepfer, M., Wolf, J., Mendling, J., Reijers, H.A.: The Impact of Secondary Notation on Process Model Understanding. In: Persson, A., Stirna, J. (eds.) PoEM 2009. LNBIP, vol. 39, pp. 161–175. Springer, Heidelberg (2009)
Soffer, P., Hadar, I.: Applying Ontology-Based Rules to Conceptual Modeling: A Reflection on Modeling Decision Making. European Journal of Information Systems 16(4), 599–611 (2007)
Soffer, P., Wand, Y., Kaner, M.: Semantic Analysis of Flow Patterns in Business Process Modeling. In: Alonso, G., Dadam, P., Rosemann, M. (eds.) BPM 2007. LNCS, vol. 4714, pp. 400–407. Springer, Heidelberg (2007)
Soffer, P., Wand, Y., Kaner, M.: Conceptualizing Control Flows in Business Processes Using a Catalog of Branching Possibilities, Working paper (2011)
Vanderfeesten, I.T.P., Reijers, H.A., Mendling, J., van der Aalst, W.M.P., Cardoso, J.: On a Quest for Good Process Models: The Cross-Connectivity Metric. In: Bellahsène, Z., Léonard, M. (eds.) CAiSE 2008. LNCS, vol. 5074, pp. 480–494. Springer, Heidelberg (2008)
Vessey, I.: Cognitive fit: A theory-based analysis of graphs vs. tables literature. Decision Science 22(2), 219–240 (1991)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2012 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
About this paper
Cite this paper
Soffer, P., Kaner, M., Wand, Y. (2012). Towards Understanding the Process of Process Modeling: Theoretical and Empirical Considerations. In: Daniel, F., Barkaoui, K., Dustdar, S. (eds) Business Process Management Workshops. BPM 2011. Lecture Notes in Business Information Processing, vol 99. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-28108-2_35
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-28108-2_35
Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
Print ISBN: 978-3-642-28107-5
Online ISBN: 978-3-642-28108-2
eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)