A Model-Driven Approach to Align Business Processes with User Interfaces

A Model-Driven Approach to Align Business Processes with User Interfaces

Kênia Sousa

Université catholique de Louvain (UCL)Louvain School of Management (LSM)

Information Systems Unit (ISYS)Belgian Laboratory of Computer-Human Interaction (BCHI)

Issues

• Weak correlation between business process and UI design;

• Difficulties in understanding business process documents;

• Difficulties to understand, find, and keep updated information spread in different artifacts;

“…receiving only screen shots not linked with the process makes our work very difficult.”

Business Analyst System Analyst

“…docs are too detailed… no prior training… they use a tool we do not have… we wait for updated docs…”

Issues

• Product knowledge owned mostly by business analysts;

• Design is done mainly by example, not based on processes;

• Difficulties in doing impact analysis after changes.

UI Designer

“we are overloaded to stop and read these documents…”

All: “changes impact hundreds of screens…we spend lots of times on meetings to decide what to do…”

Main Goals

• Provide a communication means between these two domains

• Maintain consistency between business processes and user interfaces

• Predict the impact of changes on business

processes and user interfaces

(Smith, 2007)

5

Task Model

UI –Business AlignmentBusiness Process

6

Task Model User Interface

UI –Business Alignment

Why task models?

• Its hierarchical structure provides an overview of the user interaction;

• Decomposition and temporal operators deliver the flexibility that users need.

• It is closer to business process structure;• Using task models to bridge business processes and

UI design addresses the user perspective;• User interaction has increased its importance in

making IT add value for organizations.

Roles, Artifacts, Tools

Traceability

BusinessProcess

Data Model

Task Model

Domain Model

Abstract UI

Business User Interface

Screen group

Screen

Screen fragment

Screen element

Decompose the task model in containers

sync

Traceability

Screen group

Screen

Screen fragment

Screen element

Abstract UI

Title of page

Task Model Task Model Task Model

Task Model Task Model

Label of field

Label of field

Label of field

Name of fragment

Name of fragment

Concrete UI

Final UI

A concrete UI can be inspired in an abstract UI Java Swing

HTML

Style Guide

Business ProcessProcess = 10 sub-processesSub-process = 17 activitiesActivity = 30 tasksTask = 99 business rules

Associate tasks and screens

Grouping tasks in screens

One subprocess can present one screen.

Screen 1 Screen 2

Screen 1

But the same subprocess can also be decomposed into several screens.

Forward Example

• Different activities had tasks related to personal data of the applicant.

• Some tasks from the activity ‘present insurance’ were moved to the activity ‘inform applicant’

• Screen fragment ‘personal data’ (for activity ‘inform applicant’) had to add the screen elements ‘marital status’ and ‘birth date’ and deleted from the screen fragment ‘insurance data’ (for activity ‘present insurance’).

• Easier for bank agents to interact with customers because related information were better organized.

Backward Example

Examples of rules

• Change the business process;• Update the task model;• Find out what kind of change is necessary in

screens based on comparing BP and task model:– Add screen/SF - new activity in the BP not in TM– Delete screen/SF – task in TM, but deleted from BP– Add screen element – new task in BP, not in TM– Delete screen element – task in TM, but deleted from BP– Change order of SF – order act. in BP <> order in TM– Change order of SF – order tasks in BP <> order in TM– Simple review - new description, rule, but same structure in

BP and TM

BP to TM - Relationships

Business Model Task ModelSequence Flow Enabling Sequence Flow + Data Object Enabling + Information

Passing Rule Intermediate Event + Link Intermediate Event

Suspend/resume

Exclusive decision Deterministic choiceInclusive decision + Exclusive merge Non-Deterministic

choiceCancel Intermediate Event Disabling Ad-Hoc marker in sub-process IndependenceParallel gateway ConcurrencyParallel gateway + Data Object Concurrency + info

passing

BP to TM

Activity Attribute Task PropertyConditional Flow Optional Standard Loop Iteration Multi-Instance Loop + MI Condition

Finite Iteration

Process Task Type Task TypeUser Interaction Service Application Manual Single User None Abstract User + Attribute Performers Multiple Users

Tool Support

Intended Results

• Continuity – Models are derived one from each other with aligned and consistent result.

• Traceability – Models are synchronized to propagate changes when needed.

• User centered – The user experience is considered in alignment with business needs.

• Efficient communication – designers use specific models for each goal.

This is an on going work

• Since we recognize UI models are not widely known in the business environment, study the cognition aspects of the models applied on the business context.

• Improvement of: transformation rules from business

process into task model through another concrete example from a prospective case study.

• Specify metrics to quantitatively demonstrate the

impact of mapping models and keeping track of changes.

Thank you for your attention

http://www.isys.ucl.ac.be/bchi BCHI Labhttp://www.isys.ucl.ac.be/bchi/members/kso/

http://www.programalban.orgProgram Alban

http://www.usixml.orgUI extensible Markup Language

References

• SOUSA, Kenia Soares; MENDONÇA, Hildeberto; VANDERDONCKT, Jean. User Interface Development Lifecycle for Business-Driven Enterprise Applications. 7th International Conference on Computer-Aided Design of User Interfaces CADUI’08, 2008.

• SOUSA, Kenia Soares; MENDONÇA, Hildeberto; VANDERDONCKT, Jean. Addressing the Impact of Business Process Changes on Software User Interfaces. Proc. of 3rd IEEE/IFIP International Workshop on Business-Driven IT Management (BDIM 2008), 2008, pp. 11-20.

• SOUSA, Kenia Soares; MENDONÇA, Hildeberto; VANDERDONCKT, Jean; ROGIER, Els; VANDERMEULEN, Joannes. User Interface Derivation from Business Processes: A Model-Driven Approach for Organizational Engineering. Proc. of 23rd  Annual ACM Symposium on Applied Computing SAC’2008, ACM Press, New York, 2008, pp. 553-560.