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Function‐based Process Analysis: A Method for Analyzing and Re‐engineering Processes
Author(s) -
Lee Jintae,
Stricker Claude
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
knowledge and process management
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.341
H-Index - 44
eISSN - 1099-1441
pISSN - 1092-4604
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1099-1441(199706)4:2<126::aid-kpm94>3.0.co;2-b
Subject(s) - computer science , process (computing) , function (biology) , set (abstract data type) , decomposition , key (lock) , software , functional decomposition , software engineering , data science , machine learning , programming language , computer security , evolutionary biology , biology , ecology
The emergence of major technologies such as the World Wide Web and groupware raise serious questions concerning how existing processes can benefit from them. This paper describes the Function‐based Process Analysis (FPA), a method that extends the Function Decomposition Method to help answer the following set of questions: Which aspects of the existing process need most improvement and can benefit from these tools? How can we compare the existing tools, say the World Wide Web vs. Lotus Notes, and assess their appropriateness for a process? What are the alternative structures for a given process? We present the key ideas of the Function‐based Process Analysis and show how they extend the power of the traditional function decomposition method. Then we describe how the method can answer each of the above questions with respect to process analysis, process comparison, and process redesign. We also describe briefly the software tools that have been developed to augment the method. Throughout the paper we make use of experience we have gained of a real‐life software quality improvement process. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons Ltd and Cornwallis Emmanuel Ltd.