BP TRIZ : Feasibility of using the TRIZ concept in process model for workflow implementation

EPSRC Funding: £79,860

Abstract:

This project aims to establish the potential of using TRIZ (Theory of Invention) in the modelling and re-design of business process for information systems implementation. Workflow is a major element in eBusiness systems and acts as the integration glue for many business systems applications. It exists on its own or as an embedded element of document management, Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and Product Data Management (PDM) systems. Process modelling is an essential task in defining the business activities for workflow implementation. The current methods of process modelling lead to the definition of a definitive process to be implemented. Implementation experience has shown that this is limiting the benefits of systems and could lead to dissatisfied staff, degraded performance and failure of the system project.

The study aims to explore the nature of the user behaviour of workflow process automation through an experiment in comparing the current process design approach and an approach based on the concept of TRIZ. With an origin in Russia, TRIZ is being established as a revolutionary tool to achieve systematic innovation in product engineering applications.

The concept of TRIZ and how it could be used to represent diversity in workflow process models will be studied. The human and organisation factors for workflow design are to be captured from the domain experts and correlated with anecdotal experience from the IT collaborators. These are then represented into a 'TRIZ-like' framework. A number of workflow systems scenarios would be nominated. A comparison of performing process modelling using current methods and the 'new' method supported with TRIZ shall then be done.

If the exploration results of this proposal are promising, a full scale research programme will be proposed to develop a new way to engineer the 'to-be' business processes in business process re-engineering, ERP, PDM and other enterprise systems implementation.

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