From contemporary workflow process automation to adaptive and dynamic work activity coordination and collaboration

Thea article outlines a research agenda for researchers in the area of workflow. We believe that today's workflow systems should evolve to what is termed as work coordination and collaboration systems (WCCSs). A WCCS will: (a) adapt to various changes in the organization (including its interactions with external organizations) and the organizational processes by being able to change the process definitions as well as change the processes and component activities while they are being enacted or executed; and (b) support a unified framework for managing coordination, collaboration, and information based decision making activities that naturally occur as part of organizational processes. A WCCS can then not only support automation of the routine and well defined processes, but also support better human involvement and manage more complex, dynamic, and higher value mission critical processes. This can lead to significantly improved productivity and quality of results. It is further suggested that a multidisciplinary approach is an essential element in developing WCCSs.