Workflow Modeling: Tools for Process Improvement and Application Development

FROM THE PUBLISHER

If you're looking to create new workflow systems or redesign existing business processes for your enterprise, look no further than this concise, new hands-on book. Providing proven techniques for identifying, modeling, and redesigning business processes, and explaining how to implement workflow improvement, this book helps you define requirements for systems development or systems acquisition. By showing you how to build visual models for illustrating workflow, the authors help you to assess your current business processes and see where process improvement and systems development can take place. This book brings the two distinct disciplines of management and information technology together especially for high-tech professionals who need to improve the way work gets done to maintain a competitive edge. Addressing such hot topics as enterprise resource planning (ERP) applications and enterprise application integration (EAI), you learn how to manage these complex, new schemes not as technology-based changes, but as the process redesign projects they truly are. Plus, understanding process workflow modeling allows you to get a better handle on implementing a complete business process for successful e-commerce initiatives. Filled with real-world examples and practical techniques, you get a seamless methodology for process redesign and information systems development that integrates use-case analysis and process workflow modeling to easily span the gap between management and IT. What's more, the visual modeling you learn from this book shows you not only how to improve your enterprise, but where trouble spots might occur and how to avoid common pitfalls. What'smore, because the book is structured as an on-the-job guide, you don't have to read it all before getting started. It features clear summaries, project checklists, and other aids that make it a logical guide to keep on your reference shelf and put to use every day.

FROM THE CRITICS

Booknews

"Start with the endthe resultin mind." That is the message driving this visual models approach to improving the work flow process for organizational success. Experts in management and information technology provide use case scenarios for defining system requirements, real-world examples, project checklists, and other aids for sharpening the competitive edge. Sharp is the founder of a consulting firm in West Vancouver, BC, Canada, and past president of the Brith Columbia Data Management Association chapter. McDermott is the president of McDermott Computer Decisions Inc. in Oakland, CA, and has served as director of the Data Management Association. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

AUTHOR DESCRIPTION

Alec Sharp is the founder and senior consultant of The Damex Consulting Group Ltd., in West Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. He is a founding member and a past president of the British Columbia Data Management Association (DAMA) chapter, and has served as a director of the Vancouver Information Systems Training Association (VISTA).

Patrick McDermott is president of McDermott Computer Decisions, Inc., in Oakland, California. He received his B.A. in economics from California State University at Sacramento. He has served as director of the Data Management Association (DAMA).

ACCREDITATION