Defintion Design Specification Implementation Description
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Generic B u ild in g Blocks / / / Organisation View / Resource View Information View Function View Partial Particular Models ModelFigure 4.5. CIMOSA modelling framework [Zwe97]
The genericity dimension is concerned with the degree o f particularisation. It goes from generic building blocks (for functions, objectives, services, etc.) through partial models (applicable to a wide range of industrial sectors, companies, etc.) to their aggregation into a model of a specific enterprise domain. The particular model embodies all necessary knowledge of the enterprise in a form that can be used directly for the specification of an integrated set of manufacturing technology and information technology components.
The dimension o f enterprise modelling consists of three modelling levels:
• The requirements definition level uses a simple language to identify the business requirements of the enterprise, reflecting the objectives of that enterprise.
• The design specification level uses a computer processable language to identify
and quantify, in an implementation independent format, the technology required to perform the identified processes. It structures and optimises the processes according to the overall enterprise constraints and the selected technology.
• The implementation description level defines in a computer executable form the
means of process execution by selecting actual vendor products to provide the information technology and manufacturing technology components.
The dimension o f views is composed o f four views (function, information, resource and organisation) which are windows through which selective aspects o f an enterprise can be observed and manipulated. Depending on the view some details are emphasised
while others are suppressed for an easy identification o f the aspects subjected by the view.
Modelling with CIMOSA
CIMOSA models the relations to the internal and external environments. It provides a process-oriented modelling concept that captures both the process functionality and the process behaviour. It supports the modelling o f individual enterprise domains (DM) which may contain one or several individual processes (P-l, P-2...). Domains and processes are defined by the user according to his/her needs for controlling the business operations.
Large processes are broken down into smaller ones ending in network enterprise activities which are connected by behavioural rule sets (BRS). Processes are triggered by events and completed by producing their end-results. Producing the end-result may start another process or be used to synchronise other processes. Processes can start one another demanding sub-results be produced, which are used in the course of their own processing.
Steps that should be taken in a CIMOSA modelling process can be identified in figure 4.6. ORD1ÌRS > CUSTOMER 1 / 1 V £ PRODUCTS ____ PRODUCER 1 tv ORDERS > 1 / 1 ^ SUPPLIER £ PARTS
Having determined the business domain to be modelled and its relationships with its environment, the business processes and their activities are identified. The information items used in the model are identified as inputs and outputs of the enterprise activities. The inputs define the things to be processed (materials/parts, information) and the resources needed for processing and control the information for the processing by the particular activity. Outputs will be the results and the ending statuses of both the activity and the resources. The information attached to the ending status may be used in monitoring processes for administrative purposes. Inputs and outputs are aspects of enterprise objects that are represented in the information part o f the enterprise model.
The behavioural rule sets (BRS) identify the conditions under which the different activities will be started. Business processes are started by events and the actual start activity may be different for different events. Process results may also be produced by different activities and at different times.
4.4.1.2. Business Process Reengineering
Business process reengineering, process improvement, business transformation, process innovation find business process redesign [G&M97] are terms frequently used interchangeably. The essence of business process reengineering (BPR) is a radical change in the way in which organisations perform business activities and is defined as
“the fundamental rethinking and radical redesign o f business processes to achieve dramatic improvements in critical, contemporary measures o f performance, such as cost, quality, service and speed' [A&F02], [C&C97], [Mac97],
The four keywords in the definition of BPR are fundamental, radical, dramatic and
process [C&C97], [G&N97], That means the business process has to undergo
fundamental changes to improve productivity and quality. Reengineering determines what an organisation must do, how to do it. It is a radical approach and entails “business reinvention - not business improvement, business enhancement or business modification” [A&F02], The essence of BPR is not about incremental improvement but about major step level improvement [KhaOO] that focus on the business process - a collection of activities or tasks that create outputs of value to customers.
BPR Tools and Techniques
The radical improvement o f processes is the goal of BPR, as the definition suggests. There are different tools and techniques that can be used to achieve this goals including [ON&S99]:
• process visualisation
• process mapping/operational method study
• change management
• benchmarking
• process and customer focus.
Usually when discussing BPR a mixture o f these tools and techniques is considered. Therefore, as a strategic, cross-functional activity, BPR must be integrated with other aspects o f management if it is to succeed.
BPR Framework
Successful BPR initiatives recognise that the methods, tools and methodologies they choose must fit together into a cohesive framework to be productive. The components o f a BPR framework are [May98] - see figure 4.7:
• A set of guiding principles for BPR;
• The BPR process consisting of a set of phases and time-phased activities, clear
milestones and phase products;
• A set of methods, strategies and tools for BPR, and understanding of the role of these methods, strategies and tools supporting the BPR process.
Chapter 4. Decision Support Systems and Data Modelling