Electronic meeting systems tools and methods to increase group participation and productivity during business process modeling.

Abstract

Business models aid analysis and become the blueprints for improved business practices and information systems. The IDEF0 definition method is one method commonly used to develop business activity models. IDEF0 models are developed to reflect business processes. An IDEF0 model consists of an activity hierarchy and the attending inputs, controls, outputs, and mechanisms that border and link activities. Model production is costly, and model accuracy is important. It is critical to involve knowledgeable participants and stakeholders during model development and analysis. This results in valid models and increases the likelihood that changes based on the models will be accepted. Traditional IDEF0 modeling approaches, however, are supported by a single-user IDEF0 tool. The fact that all model information must be channeled through a scribe significantly limits model development speed and restricts productive, direct involvement to a few individuals. This dissertation explores electronic meeting systems (EMS) as a means of increasing the number of people who can productively participate during model development. General EMS includes networked computer workstations for all participants, a video projection system, and group support software that enables participants to contribute ideas, analyze options, vote on alternatives, and so forth. This research chronicles the evolutionary development and evaluation of a group-enabled IDEF0 modeling tool for use with general EMS for support of group modeling efforts. EMS-supported modeling efforts are compared with traditionally-supported modeling efforts. EMS support overcomes some bottlenecks inherent in the traditional approach, allowing significantly more individuals to productively participate during model development. Although previous research had demonstrated that EMS-IDEF0 tools can be used by large groups to rapidly develop some model content, the corresponding facilitation methods had produced incomplete and ambiguous models. Part of this research involved the development and evaluation of three modeling approaches for use with EMS. These produced varying levels of productivity and model quality. The most successful approach, the top-down integrated (TDI) approach, overcomes significant problems inherent in the other approaches. This approach allows analysts to work with business personnel to produce complete models approximately twice as fast as the traditional modeling approach.