Adding Dynamic Simulation to Business Process Modeling via System Dynamics

Authors Henderik A. Proper, Quan Zhu, Pascal Ravesteijn, Wim Gielingh
Published in BPM 2023 Workshops LNBIP 492,
Publication date 2024
Research groups Process Innovation and Information Systems
Type Lecture

Summary

Business process modeling and system dynamics are different approaches that are used in the design and management of organizations. Both approaches are concerned with the processes in, and around, organizations with the aim to identify, design and understand their behavior as well as potential improvements. At the same time, these approaches differ considerably in their methodological focus. While business process modeling specifically takes the (control flow of) business processes as its primary focus, system dynamics takes the analysis of complex and multi-faceted systems as its core focus. More explicitly combining both approaches has the potential to better model and analyze (by way of simulation) complex business processes, while specifically also including more relevant facets from the environment of these business processes. Furthermore, the inherent ability for simulation of system dynamics models, can be used to simulate the behavior of processes over time, while also putting business processes in a broader multi-faceted context. In this paper, we report on initial results on making such a more explicit combination of business process modeling and system dynamics. In doing so, we also provide a step-by-step guide on how to use BPMN based models and system dynamics models together to model and analyze complex business processes, while illustrating this in terms of a case study on the maintenance of building facades.

On this publication contributed

  • Quan Zhu
    • Researcher
    • Research group: Process Innovation and Information Systems
  • Pascal Ravesteijn | Professor | Process innovation and information systems
    Pascal Ravesteijn
    • Professor
    • Research group: Process Innovation and Information Systems

Language English
Published in BPM 2023 Workshops LNBIP 492,
ISBN/ISSN URN:ISBN:9783031509742
Key words System Dynamics, BPMN, Facade Maintenance
Digital Object Identifier 10.1007/978-3-031-50974-2_42
Page range 565-576

Process Innovation and Information Systems