Integrated Business Process Modeling, Simulation and Workflow Management within an Enterprise Integration Methodology

Abstract

The Business Process Modeling is nowadays core activity within many business concepts and applications. Its use has achieved importance within the Computer Integrated Manufacturing Concept, because of the development of CIM Components as well as a method to provide the integration on a logical level. With the concept of Business Process Reengineering, the modeling has got its broad dissemination and mature. Nowadays, other concepts use the modeling of business processes as starting point, as for instance quality certification programs, activity based cost and management, continuous improvement and so on. A Methodology for Enterprise Integration has been proposed and validated by different industrial applications using the Business Process Modeling as a core activity. The current paper describes this methodology and the recent and integrated use of modeling with simulation and workflow management. Specifically, this paper describes aspects that need to be.considered if an existing integration methodology exists and what happens if the business process model is used for simulation and workflow management. This description is based on a practical experience within a research project with a manufacturing enterprise.