[Chapter 5] Process Discovery

Question 1

State the 4 main tasks for process discovery. Explain.

Answer 1

1) Define the setting.
2) Gather information.
3) Conduct the modeling.
4) Assure model quality.

Question 2

How many people are involved in a process discovery? Explain also if they must work together.

Answer 2

• Process analyst. Expert in process modeling and process analysis. A person that knows how to gather information and how to create models that are accurate. Not familiar with the very details of a specific process at the company.
• Domain expert. Works with or in the process that we are trying to analyze. Familiar to how the process operates, but not familiar with the process analysis and process modeling techniques.
  They must work together to create accurate models.

Question 3

Explain all the process discovery methods and its disadvantages.

Answer 3

• Document analysis. The process analyst should read the documents before interacting with the domain expert, to make the interaction more effective. Disadvantage
  the documents could be outdated or are not trustworthy.
• Observation. Active and passive role. Disadvantage in active role is not getting the big picture, disadvantage in passive role is change of behavior.
• Automated process discovery. With event stream and database. Disadvantage is problem with data abstraction and data quality.
• Interview-based discovery. Ask domain experts how and why things work as they do. Analysts and domains expert share terminology. Disadvantage is take time from the stakeholders.
• Workshop-based discovery. Gather all key stakeholders together. Participants interact to create shared understanding. Software can be used. Typically, one process analysts (facilitator), multiple domain experts, and the process owner may also attend. Usually, 3 to 5 half-day sessions. Disadvantage is to join all the stakeholders together.

Question 4

Explain the process modeling method.

Answer 4

1) Identify the process boundaries. (Process triggers, possible outcomes, perspective we assume, artifacts for input and output).
2) Identify activities and events.
3) Identify handoffs and who is responsible for what.
4) Add the control flow (with gateways).
5) Identify additional elements (data objects and stores).

Question 5

Explain the syntactic quality.

Answer 5

Divided into:
- Structural correctness. Elements should be all connected.
- Behavioral correctness. Each instance must come to an end. When that happens the process must be all done. Every activity must happen, at least in one instance.

Question 6

Explain the semantic quality.

Answer 6

Divided into:
- Validation. Comparing the process with its real-world business process.
- Completeness. All possible process instances are covered.

Question 7

Explain the pragmatic quality.

Answer 7

Relates to the usability of a process model.
- Understandability: how easy it is to read and comprehend the model.
- Maintainability: how easy it is to apply changes.
- Learning: how good a model reveals how its corresponding process works.