Towards a semantic framework for business activity monitoring and management

Process performance management and continuous improvement initiatives can be significantly enhanced by real-time performance, quality and traceability information. For example, the focus of a Six Sigma quality programme is to reduce variability using statistical methods to highlight variance. Current process modelling languages such as XPDL and BPEL provide little or no support for the inclusion of detailed process performance metrics. This paper describes a generic framework using event-based process modelling to support the definition and inclusion of performance metrics and targets within process models. The iWISE implementation of this framework is an XML and Web services-based infrastructure that uses this event-based model for integrating distributed processes and enhancing process visibility using real-time process metrics. Users can adjust alert thresholds on key process metrics in real-time. It uses an integrated rules engine, leveraging semantic technologies such as OWL and SWRL to write rules which are tested as process-related events occur in real-time.