Knowledge dimension in business process modeling

Abstract

Various business process modeling notations give an opportunity to include elements that belong to different enterprise architecture models in the business process representation. Each model that relates to the business process via its elements can be viewed as a dimension of the business process. Thus the organizational structure model (performer model), goal model, data model, location model, and other models represent a particular dimension of the business process. One of the dimensions that have not yet evolved into a model, which could be easily related to the business process, is knowledge dimension. The paper presents knowledge state transition model rooted into the notion of knowledge code, analyses knowledge representation capabilities of existing business process modeling languages, and proposes a business process activity template, which includes internal and external representations of knowledge dimension. The template helps to clarify several issues with respect to knowledge dimension of business process models and to move forward towards the business process modeling language that can incorporate all modes of knowledge included in knowledge state transition model. © 2012 Springer-Verlag.