Factsheet: Process management support tools
Definition
Scientific and technical guidance specifying managed process steps on how to carry out various tasks to achieve reliable and reproducible results."Managed" means that tasks within a managed process are described unambiguously, are scheduled and monitored. An effective process management and support system distinguishes different types of users, identifies their interests and information needs.
Application objectives
The objectives of the process management and support tool within AquaStress are:
- To describe the process flow;
- To describe tasks to be done and any relevant information that can be of use in executing the tasks defined in the process. See also “Storage of knowledge – options, etc; Knowledge bases”;
- Leave audit trail of process instances;
- Provide effective reporting facility for finished process instances and process instances in progress.
The Process management system should allow multiple actors to work on a project. Such a system will be more effective when the system is integrated with the tools that are used to execute the actual tasks.
Pertinent participation process phase(s)
1- Starting organization
2- Actors analysis, context
3- Diagnostic of the current situation
4- Search of solutions
5- Implementation, evaluation
Application method
A process to support solving multidisciplinary problems is defined. The process execution engine translates the process description into a process instance. Within a process instance different users are identified and their roles defined. Users of the system are able to get support on how to do their tasks, register what they have done, follow the progress of the process instance, and share relevant information.
Application example(s)
Model based studies from HarmoniQuA project. http://www.harmoniqua.org
Example tools
- MoST http://www.harmoniqua.org. Freely available for download.
There are a number of general purpose open source Workflow management systems that may be suitable as process management and support tool: http://jbpm.org/article.html - ProST http://www.harmoniqua.org/prost. Adapted version of MoST for the AquaStress project.
- Proteg2000: Ontology Editor and Knowledge Acquisition System http://protege.stanford.edu/ (open source).
AquaStress contact(s)
Contact: Huub Scholten, Wageningen University (Huub.Scholten@wur.nl) and Ayalew Kassahun, Wageningen University (Ayalew.Kassahun@wur.nl)
Reference
- Workflow management system: http://www.wfmc.org/ Scholten, H., A. Kassahun, J. C. Refsgaard, T. Kargas, C. Gavardinas, and A. J. M. Beulens, 2006, A methodology to support multidisciplinary model-based water management. Environmental Modelling & Software In Press, Corrected Proof, Available online 29 March 2006.



