Micro workflow gestural analysis: Representation in social business processes

Abstract

Enterprises are finding limitations with current modelling and hierarchical methodologies which have human agents as a key component. By requiring a priori knowledge of both workflow and human agents, when an unanticipated deviation occurs, the rigidity of such models and hierarchies reveals itself. This paper puts forward the position of an inversion of current approaches, in a real time context, by analysing the specific lightweight ad hoc processes, or flexible micro workflows, which occur in expert driven domains. Using gestural analysis of human agents within such flexible micro workflows in combination with social analysis techniques, new flexibility in business processes can be found. These techniques can be applied in differing expert driven problem domains and the resultant data from such analysis of gestural meta data can help to build a reputational representation of human agents within specific business processes, which will assist in finding the most appropriate human agent for a given task. © 2010 Springer-Verlag.