Asynchronous collaborative business process modelling through a web forum

This paper describes an approach that we have successfully developed and implemented for Business Process Modelling that combines the use of the Internet, web technologies in a collaborative environment. With the rapidly changing business environment of today, business processes, within and transcending typical business functional units, assume greater significance. Being able to visualise an organisation's operation is often the beginning of identifying problems or new opportunities. Tools and techniques that allow business process modelling have been around for many years now. These techniques allow the accurate modelling of various aspects of a business. However the existing methods of drawing and storing of the Business Process Models (BPM) can be slow and difficult to maintain. We have developed a new approach to the capturing on Business Process Models, synthesising the Internet, Web discussion forums and VISIO drawing tool. We are able to provide an Asynchronous Collaborative Exchange for Business Process Modelling (ACE for BPM). This paper discusses work conducted with one of our industry partners, interviews with BPM experts, which drove the development of the ACE for BPM prototype. The prototype is currently deployed and in use.