Business Process Modelling using Social Networks

I am currently involved in a research how web 2.0 techniques in general and Social Networks in particular can be used for Business Process Modelling. What are the key drivers and which success factors are expected?

Organisations have different degrees of collaboration in respect to BPM:

- Non-collaborative BPM: Describes uncoordinated efforts by individuals to document and alter business processes
- Endocollaborative BPM: Term for collaborative BPM that involves only participants from within a defined entity – a company for example
- Omnicollaborative BPM: Internal and external players come together

A change may come from the non-collaborative BPM or the endcollaborative BPM to the omnicollaborative BPM. A recent Forrester research has figured out that “social and Web 2.0 technologies are breathing new life into BPMS to tackle the remaining process whitespace that still needs to be conquered in the enterprise.”

Recently some tool vendors have released solutions with Social Network components.

Lombardi Software developed Lombardi Blueprint which claims to be simple and collaborative process documentation. Stakeholders (eg. employees, partners or suppliers) can participate in communicating and improving organization’s business processes, ideas and initiatives. According to the software producer, Lombardi Blueprint combines the following web 2.0 benefits for business process modelling in organisations:

- Centralized and collaborative
Blueprint is a cloud-based application accessible from any browser. Because the application is centralized and networked, individuals are able to collaborate on a process from wherever they can access the internet. Chat is also integrated for realtime collaboration.

- Easy to use
Blueprint is designed to be simple enough so that people who have direct knowledge of a process, but may not be familiar with process mapping, can work on the same process simultaneously or at different times. Because Blueprint is a cloud-based application, it is accessible from any browser anywhere, no software to install or maintain.

- Up to date
After the log in changes or comments on a processes you’re working on are immediately available.

- Access control: Authors and Participants
As an author you are able to create and modify a process. Participants can view and comment on processes but aren’t able to modify or create them.

- Bring data in, take data out
Data output is possible as an automatically generated PowerPoint presentation as well as a Word document. Visio charts can be imported.

The slogan of the Align Space Beta is Business without Boundaries.
The idea of AlignSpace is that business process improvements requires collaboration and collective decision making from stakeholders across the organisation. By combining social networking tools with intuitive tools for process design and modeling, collaboration can be done effectively to create and improve processes.

The elements of AlignSpace are:

- Social Networking
Logon, Register and create a profile. Create a Social Network, identify new connections (within the organisation or beyond), invite them to collaborate on projects. Large groups can collaborate simulaneously and view group changes.

- Collaborative process design
Easily interact and collaborate to discover, document and create process models that can be exportet and run with BPM engines.

- Import and export all popular BPM formats

- Knowledge sharing
Exchange expertise with individual process experts

- No Technical barriers
Nothing to install, only internet access required

Further software solutions are provided by IBM Lotus software and IBM’s second life. Our current research explores how Second Life can be used within organisations for Business Process Modelling. Updates on our research will be posted here.