Do Process-based Systems Support Emergent, Collaborative and Flexible Processes? Comparative Analysis of Current Systems

Advanced process-based applications such as crisis and risk management require Emergent, Collaborative and Flexible (ECF) processes. These three features correspond to specific real-world requirements. Firstly, to face unpredictable situations, emergent processes are needed, i.e. processes whose model/schema is (partially) unknown at design-time and gradually defined/refined at run-time. Secondly, the complexity of the application domain being addressed requires collaborative processes, i.e. processes whose definition and enactment require interactions between groups of actors using their skills and experiences to make the process convergence towards their common goal. Thirdly, to adapt to the frequent changes that occur in their operating environment, flexible processes are needed, i.e. processes whose model/schema can be modified in real time. The objective of this paper is to present a literature review to study the state of the art of process-based systems with a focus on the three above mentioned properties. Our approach is to specify real world requirements, then to discuss the adequacy of current systems to these requirements and finally to provide advices for their improvement. Examined systems fall within the following areas: Business Process Management (BPM), Adaptive Case Management (ACM), Computer Supported Collaborative Work (CSCW) and Knowledge Management (KM). The paper concludes on the insufficiency of existing systems and the need for designing and implementing a specific process-based system that integrates these three properties in a coherent framework.