摘要 |
To achieve an integrated and robust system of business process tools that can, through feedback, continually improve its level of efficiency, a novel arrangement has been created with a commonly shared data repository which maintains a formal model of a process under consideration, and a plurality of tools that, through appropriate cooperation between the tools, offer the ability to model an EP process (that is, an existing process or a proposed process), analyze the process, control the process, modify the process, improve the model, and generally result in a more efficient EP process. The set of tools included in the arrangement is not limited although, as a minimum, it is considered necessary to include a modeling tool, a workflow tool, and a code generation tool. More specifically, the workflow tool allows interaction with an EP process to develop information that can be used to enhance the EP process model (in the sense of proposing an improved EP process); the modeling tool allows for modifying the model data; and the code generation tool allows for the provision and delivery of an enhanced code to the EP process which, in turn, allows the workflow tool to effect an improved EP process. The common repository forms a nexus for the two-way communication that exists between the various tools employed in connection with the EP process.
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