Modeling Contexts for Business Process Oriented Knowledge Support

• Published in: Lecture notes in computer science pp. 431 - 442
• Main Authors: Zacarias, Marielba, Caetano, Artur, Pinto, H. Sofia, Tribolet, José
• Format: Book Chapter Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin, Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 2005; Springer
• Series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science
• Subjects: Action Context; Applied sciences; Artificial intelligence; Business Object; Business Process; Business Process Modeling; Computer science; control theory; systems; Exact sciences and technology; Information Item; Information systems. Data bases; Memory organisation. Data processing; Software; Knowledge engineering; Formal method; Customization; Context aware; Integrated management; Modeling; Business process; Business model; Organizational models; Proactive service; Firm management; Time interval; Dynamic model; Artificial intelligence; Operating system; User need
• ISBN: 9783540304654; 3540304657
• ISSN: 0302-9743; 1611-3349
• DOI: 10.1007/11590019_50

In this paper, we propose an organizational model to describe the execution of business activities. The model offers a dynamic, actor centered, context based and business process oriented perspective of the organization that explicitly addresses the information and collaboration requirements derived from human multi-tasking capabilities. Actors are approached as a network of contexts managed by an “operating system”. Three kinds of actors are defined; human, business process and organization actor. Two context types are introduced. An action context defines the specific behavior and information needs of a human actor performing a task under a given role, at particular time intervals. Interaction contexts support and regulate activity-related interactions among action contexts. This modeling approach seeks to facilitate a personalized, proactive and timely knowledge support to human business actors. We illustrate these ideas with working examples.