1 An Investigation of Model Quality from the Activity Modality Perspective Lars Taxén Linköping University

2 Who am I? Telecommunications, development methods, processes, ISs, project management Researching the coordination of complex development tasks, PhD (2003), Associate professor (2007) Consulting Layman in neurosciences!

33 Outline Introduction The Activity Modalities Modeling consequences Analysis of BPMN (Business Process Modeling Notation) Alternative models Some implications

4 Even though workflow and process modeling have been used extensively over the past 30 years, we know surprisingly little about the act of modeling and which factors contribute to a “good” process model in terms of human understandability Mendling et al. (2007) Motivation

55 Line of argumentation Models should be comprehensible and useful Requires attention to both mind and activity The Activity Modalities bridge mind and activity –The neural and social realms Aligning models with the modalities improves quality

6 Quality “The totality of features and characteristics of a product or service that bear on its ability to satisfy stated or implied needs’’ (ISO 9000)

7 The Activity Modalities

8 Enacting means Aligning individual meanings Attending an object Framing a context of relevance Executing relevant actions Orientation in space Ordering actions Changing focus - objectivation - contextualization - stabilization - spatialization - temporalization - transition Activity – the social realm

9 Mind - the neural realm Ventral and lateral areas of temporal lobes Temporal and inferior parietal areas Wernicke’s area (adapted after Dehaene, Kerszberg, & Changeux, 1998)

10 Mind - the neural realm contextualization (adapted after Dehaene, Kerszberg, & Changeux, 1998)

11 Mind - the neural realm Parietal lobe Thalamus Superior colliculus Anterior cingulate contextualization (adapted after Dehaene, Kerszberg, & Changeux, 1998)

12 Mind - the neural realm contextualization objectivation spatialization (adapted after Dehaene, Kerszberg, & Changeux, 1998)

13 Mind - the neural realm Hippocampal area Para-hippocampal area Orbitofrontal cortex Anterior cingulate Hypothalamus Amygdala Ventral striatum Prefrontal cortex contextualization objectivation spatialization (adapted after Dehaene, Kerszberg, & Changeux, 1998)

14 Mind - the neural realm contextualization objectivation spatialization contextualization (adapted after Dehaene, Kerszberg, & Changeux, 1998)

15 Mind - the neural realm Premotor cortex Posterior parietal cortex Supplementary motor area Basal ganglia Cerebellum Left inferior frontal lobe Broca’s area. contextualization objectivation spatialization contextualization (adapted after Dehaene, Kerszberg, & Changeux, 1998)

16 Mind - the neural realm stabilization temporalization contextualization objectivation spatialization contextualization transition Posterior parietal lobe Superior colliculus (adapted after Dehaene, Kerszberg, & Changeux, 1998)

17 Innate predispositions Manifested and molded in every activity Extended set of Kant’s pre-categories Activity Modalities bridge the realms of mind and activity Objectivation Contextualization Spatialization Temporalization Stabilization Transition

18 The structure of activity The Activity Domain

19 Implications for modeling

20 Humans unchanged, activity changed yrs ago Today

21 Activity today Product

22 Activity today Information Systems Enact means Align meanings Information models Process models Business rules Cooperation Product

23 Activity today Spatialization Temporalization Stabilization Transition Objectivation Information Systems Manifestations of Activity Modalities Contextualization

24 Modeling concerns Models need to capture all modalities –The object (objectivation) –The context (contextualization) –Relevant things (spatialization) –Order of actions (temporalization) –“Normative” actions (stabilization) –Transitions between activities (transition) Interdependencies between modalities Retain the distinctiveness of each modality –without loosing their interdependencies

25 BPMN analysis

26

27 Recker et al. (2010) BPMN example ‘payment process’

28 Recker et al. (2010) Activity domains

29 Recker et al. (2010) Transitions between activity domains

30 Recker et al. (2010) Temporalization

31 Recker et al. (2010) Spatialization

32 Activity modalities and BPMN Activity domains –Pools and Lanes Transition –Between Pools: Message Flow –Between Lanes: - Temporalization –Main focus of BPMN Spatialization –Data objects, artifacts: only “non-problematic” information structures Stabilization –Business rules not included in BPMN Objectivation –Implicit (“The payment process”) Interdependencies between modalities – Not salient

33 Activity modalities and BPMN Meaning alignment –Construct excess, small subset used in practice (Recker, 2010) Process (temporalization) proxy for other modalities –“human-centric BPM”, “data-centric BPM”, “knowledge-driven BPM”, “the process contains data”, …. –Modality “compression“ Theoretical underpinning? Main focus of BPMN is on the temporalization modality Other modalities are subdued or missing Not designed with ease of meaning alignment in focus Poor support for modeling all dimensions of activity

34 Some alternative models

35 System “anatomy” (objectivation)

36 System “anatomy” (objectivation)

37 Process model In Service Support Performance Need or Incident New standards & technologies Product Solution need Changes & expectations.- Gaps Solution Sales object Define Business Opportunity Define Product Content Prepare Deployment Exhibit Product in Service Specify Product Design Market Offer Design & Verify Product Create Business SalesImplement Solution Supply Solution SC8 PC6 SC7 SC5SC1SC2 SC3,4 SC6SC6.5 PC0PC1PC2 PC3,4,5 Delivery to Order states PC0: Offer requested PC1: Order / Contract PC2: Product arrived PC3: Ready for Acceptance PC4: Customer Acceptance PC5: Product in service PC6: Solution fulfillment New Product Development states SC1: Market offer intent SC2: Product release intent SC3: Product model approval SC4: Design Implementation Decision SC5: Market offer SC6: Product quality approved SC6.5: Product ready for deployment SC7: Market release decision SC8: Full deployment acknowledged

38 DEMO Design & Engineering Methodology for Organizations ( Jan Dietz ) Based on speech act theory Activity Domains Transition

39 Some implications

40 In which “world” is the model located? Representational view questionable Alternative: Integrational view (Roy Harris) “Real-world” represent Model “Bunge-Wand-Weber (BWW) [is a] representation model, which specifies a set of rigorously defined ontological constructs to describe all types of real-world phenomena” Recker (2010) Integrational vs. representational view of models

41 Conclusions A paradigm shift is needed to improve modeling quality –Sense making and aligning of meanings –Consider all dimensions of activity –Integrative approach towards signs and artifacts Aligning model to Activity Modalities one alternative –Acknowledges biological / neurological innate faculties –Activity Modalities the “preset” frame of mind in action –Some empirical evidences (alternative models) –Needs to be further validated! Work in progress! –Since the early 1990s….