This is my review to research paper “Resource-based
Modeling and Simulation of Business Processes” written by Andrea
D’Ambrogio. It is an interesting research paper that explores the
simulation-based analysis of business processes that covers all the phases in
BP lifecycle, starting from design to execution and improvement to post
implementation enhancement phases.
The goal of the
paper is to introduce a reliability in analysis that considers unexpected
failures of resources to execute the process task due to unavailability of a
resource allocated to a task.
The paper
exploits both model-driven principles and Discrete Event System Specification,
also known as DEVS.
This process
requires first interpreting the BPMN model with the allocation of task
resources described in terms of performance and reliability properties of the
task resources and then transforming the annotated BPMN model into a DEVS-based
model that in turn analyzes and produces the better outcome. This DEVS-based
model can be used effectively by business analysts due to their unfamiliarity
with or lack deep knowledge of the formalism. In addition, the author of the
paper has proposed the automated model-driven approach, which would overcome
the issues related to the manual building DEVS model, which are effort and time
consuming, as well as error free. The mapping of BPMN elements to DEVS atomic
models are later linked to the process control flow logic to get the final DEVS-coupled
model. Work is currently in process to complete the specification of mapping
rules for basic BPMN elements.
If this
research is applied to advanced BPMN and becomes successful, it will have more
scope in writing business requirements, business rules, and designing the
systems.
