=Paper=
{{Paper
|id=Vol-2673/paperDR13
|storemode=property
|title=Pertuniti: Subprocess Modeling and Hierarchic Case Management
|pdfUrl=https://ceur-ws.org/Vol-2673/paperDR13.pdf
|volume=Vol-2673
|authors=Johannes Tenschert,Sophia Marmaridis
|dblpUrl=https://dblp.org/rec/conf/bpm/TenschertM20
}}
==Pertuniti: Subprocess Modeling and Hierarchic Case Management==
https://ceur-ws.org/Vol-2673/paperDR13.pdf
Pertuniti: Subprocess Modeling and
Hierarchic Case Management
Johannes Tenschert and Sophia Marmaridis
Pertuniti GmbH,
Martin-Behaim-Str. 10, 90489 Nuremberg, Germany
{johannes,sophia}@pertuniti.de
Abstract. Knowledge-intensive processes are typically scattered across
many systems with no clear system of record. Support systems have to
consider informational relations of process instances on different granu-
larities, and different aspects of the work require different characteristics
in regard to flexibility. Today, adaptive case management is typically ei-
ther tailored towards flexible process models or ad-hoc activities for a
lot size of 1. Pertuniti connects both approaches by implementing cases
as a set primarily of groupware artifacts for complete flexibility, subpro-
cess modeling to automate aspects of the work, and flexible case data
management considering hierarchies of cases. This way, we can reduce
routine work or guide through regulated activities, while deviations and
ad-hoc activities remain traceable.
Keywords: adaptive case management · subprocess modeling · data
modeling · knowledge-intensive business process · process flexibility
1 Background and Significance to BPM
Adaptive case management systems (ACMSs) support knowledge workers in
performing emergent, unstructured work. Keith Swenson introduced the term
in Mastering the Unpredictable [4]. There is no clear definition, which led to
many different types of ACMS from modeling in BPMN or CMMN [3] to sys-
tems similar to social software [6], e. g. Pertuniti. However, these differences are
not driven by a lacking definition, but by different requirements even within
knowledge work [7]. We focus on complex, communication-oriented work, i. e.
on the collaboration model in Davenport’s classification of knowledge-intensive
processes [2].
Pertuniti is a commercial ACMS that targets knowledge-intensive processes,
and initially had a clear emphasis on ad-hoc processes which we currently ex-
tend to modeled, flexible processes. It resulted from a PhD thesis [5] on how
to transparently combine structured and ad-hoc processes with a focus on com-
munication. Pertuniti shows characteristics of groupware and social software to
capture the expectations of supporting ad-hoc activities, and provides subprocess
modeling for routine activities to be performed within the same environment.
Copyright © 2020 for this paper by its authors. Use permitted under Creative Commons
License Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0).
2 Tenschert et al.
Activity streams show all activities performed within a case regardless of whether
they were manual or automated.
While capturing the whole process in a model is often desirable for trace-
ability, automation, and continuous improvement, it is typically not sensible
for a knowledge-intensive process. However, knowledge work rarely contains
no frequent or repeatable characteristics. Our approach allows to import well-
known best practices of the BPM community, and to combine different modeling
paradigms and ad-hoc activities within the same overall process1 . The focus on
ad-hoc activities combined with activity streams allows to transparently extend
and deviate from modeled routines. This is especially useful for processes with
regulated process aspects around a set of flexible project management core activ-
ities, e. g. medical quality management. This nature is also present for example
in automotive, aviation, insurance, or finance.
2 Subprocess modeling and hierarchic case management
We introduce subprocess modeling and hierarchic case management based on the
running example of a research coordinator. These activities are highly knowledge-
intensive and typically not known in advance. The focus is more on knowledge
than on process management. A screencast of the features outlined in this paper
is available at https://www.pertuniti.com/events/bpm-2020.
2.1 Adaptive case management
Pertuniti provides artifact types and features similar to popular groupware, e. g.
integration with external calendar and contacts clients. Cases can capture all
master data, contacts, tasks, events, documents, interactions, and relations be-
tween all case artifacts. Cases can be hierarchical, and may contain an arbitrary
amount of subprocess instances. This way, we want to facilitate that all case
artifacts can be captured or referenced within one system of record.
We emphasize on collaboration by adopting activity streams that are preva-
lent in social software. These are available on different levels: all visible cases,
all case activities, all subprocess activities, and all artifact activities. Knowledge
workers can track their own and team member actions for coordination, but
activity streams can also pose as an audit trail.
All artifacts provide an EAV schema for adding attributes on demand. To
facilitate discussions and capture additional information, notes can be added on
artifact and case level.
For automation, we provide integration via web standards like CalDAV and
CardDAV, user-defined document templates, and subprocess models. Document
templates can be created by end users in a low-code designer. They can be
multilingual and apply case and contact data either from the case context or
user-defined inputs. Subprocess models allow modeling small routine aspects or
full processes within the context of a case.
1
Subprocess instances happen within the context of a case, but their execution is
isolated. BPMN models and DCR graphs may capture different aspects of the case.
Subprocess Modeling and Hierarchic Case Management 3
Fig. 1: Running subprocess of a case with different types of tasks
2.2 Subprocess modeling
All modeled processes in Pertuniti are subprocesses. These have a state and their
execution is loosely isolated, i. e. they could use case data to communicate, but
each subprocess instance also has its local context. In the screencast, you see a
subset of BPMN. Currently, we also finalize support for accepting petri nets and
DCR graphs, on the client side based on diagram-js2 .
This approach allows small low-code automation of routine aspects of an
overall flexible process. As ad-hoc activities are always possible and subprocess
models are performed within the context and activity stream of a case, it also
allows to transparently deviate from and to extend more elaborate processes.
Moreover, it allows to combine structured or regulated processes with flexible
project management. Process models may merely, and for auditors transparently,
guide through automation, while unique, knowledge-intensive work is performed
in a traceable way within the same context.
Figure 1 shows a running subprocess instance consisting of plain activities,
where performance is intended primarily for guidance and implicit documenta-
tion, form activities to gather user input, and case task activities that are man-
aged outside of the process instance. Case task activities are displayed in the
same views as plain case tasks, and finalizing them advances the corresponding
process instance as well.
2
https://github.com/bpmn-io/diagram-js
4 Tenschert et al.
2.3 Hierarchic case data management
Hierarchic case structures are prevalent in BPM, e. g. subprocess activities in
BPMN, and in project management [1]. In project management, these are typi-
cally task-level hierarchies or hierarchically managed tasks.
In process instance hierarchies, instances typically share information via mes-
sage passing, e. g. on initiating and finalizing an instance. In Pertuniti, we allow
a shared context, e. g. via inheriting attributes from parent cases, and gathering
information like tasks from subcases in a consolidated view. Inheritance is dif-
ferent to modeled cases or processes: it is defined in an ad-hoc fashion via a flag
on individual attributes.
Currently, the implementation allows inheriting parent case data to subcases
via flags on attributes, and aggregating subcase data in the parent case (tasks).
Moreover, child subprocesses can export information to the parent case, and
import information from the parent scope. Hence, we capture all directions and
sources of definition of data exchange in case hierarchies.
2.4 Technical details
Pertuniti is a single-page web application written in Angular and Typescript on
the client side, and primarily Java on the server side. We store information in a
database, and larger blobs in more scalable storage, e. g. an S3 back end3 . On
the server side, it has an internal message passing system to route changes im-
mediately to client side subscribers that are notified via web sockets. While this
approach allows that all clients typically see the same and up-to-date informa-
tion, this also lead to additional implementations of BPM engines, e. g. a subset
of BPMN and petri nets. In the future, we intend to provide an interface for
external BPM engines to exchange context information, activity streams, and
update notifications.
3 Maturity
The basic approach of Pertuniti stems from a PhD thesis [5], and has been eval-
uated in regard to traceability [5] and features for different types of knowledge
workers [7]. It is used professionally by a set of users that guide further develop-
ment. The new aspects of notation-agnostic subprocess modeling and hierarchic
case data management are still prototypical. However, all features are imple-
mented multi-lingual and in an event-driven environment, i. e. all changes are
pushed immediately to web clients and connected devices. Already, all activities
of the BPM engines are completely traceable.
The aspects of subprocess modeling and hierarchic data management are
primarily intended to support regulated processes. As a first domain, we focus on
medical quality management of SMEs. Here, companies already need a large set
of documented processes that typically are not yet automated or supported, and
3
Blobs are decoupled from individual storage providers.
Subprocess Modeling and Hierarchic Case Management 5
the most value-adding activities are creative product and service development,
i. e. knowledge-intensive work with regulated aspects. We will further evolve
usability and implementation details with representative customers.
4 Conclusion
The goal of Pertuniti is to introduce methods and best practices of BPM into
knowledge-intensive processes without restricting them to predefined models.
We want to support processes that contain aspects with varying flexibility re-
quirements in a single system of record.
For that, we support completely ad-hoc activities and managing groupware
artifacts next to subprocess modeling. Subprocess modeling is not restricted to
a single notation or modeling paradigm. Subprocess instances can be used for
automation or to guide through processes. Hierarchic case data management
facilitates sharing and synchronizing context for different aspects of an overall
process. Exchanging context information between different levels in the case
hierarchy does not require predefined models. All generated and ad-hoc artifacts
are displayed within the same views. Hence, documents may be generated, and
manually edited, while all changes remain traceable on the same artifact. We
provide traceability via activity streams on different granularities.
References
1. Guidance on project management. ISO Standard 21500:2012 (Sep 2012)
2. Davenport, T.H.: Thinking for a Living: How to Get Better Performances and Re-
sults from Knowledge Workers, chap. How Knowledge Workers Differ, and the Dif-
ference It Makes, pp. 25–38. Harvard Business Press (2005)
3. Object Management Group: Case Management Model and Notation (CMMN).
Tech. rep. (2016), https://www.omg.org/spec/CMMN/1.1/PDF
4. Swenson, K.D. (ed.): Mastering the Unpredictable: How Adaptive Case Management
Will Revolutionize the Way That Knowledge Workers Get Things Done. Meghan-
Kiffer Press (2010)
5. Tenschert, J.: Speech-Act-Based Adaptive Case Management. Ph.D. thesis,
Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen (2019)
6. Tenschert, J., Lenz, R.: Agora - Speech-Act-Based Adaptive Case Management. In:
BPM Demo track, CEUR Workshop Proceedings (2016)
7. Tenschert, J.C., Lenz, R.: Evaluation of WfMC Awards for Case Management: Fea-
tures, Knowledge Workers, Systems. In: Daniel, F., Sheng, Q.Z., Motahari, H. (eds.)
Business Process Management Workshops. pp. 107–120. Springer International Pub-
lishing, Cham (2019)