The Structured Process Modeling Method (SPMM) - What is the best way for me to construct a process model?

Jan Claes, Irene Vanderfeesten, Frederik Gailly, Paul Grefen, Geert Poels
Decision Support Systems, Vol 100, p. 57-76, 2017 (WoS IF '17: 3,565 (Q1)) (Scopus CS '17: 4,65 (Q1, top 1%)) pdf
The final publication is available via https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.dss.2017.02.004

firstpage

Abstract. More and more organizations turn to the construction of process models to support strategical and operational tasks in the management of their business processes. At the same time, reports indicate quality issues for a considerable part of these models. Therefore, the research described in this article investigates the development of a practical method to determine and train an optimal process modeling strategy that aims to decrease the amount of cognitive errors made during modeling. Such cognitive errors originate in inadequate cognitive processing caused by the inherent complexity of constructing process models. The method helps modelers to derive their personal cognitive profile and the related optimal cognitive strategy that minimizes these cognitive failures. The contribution of the research consists of a conceptual method, an automated cognitive profiling instrument and an automated modeling strategy training instrument. These three artefacts are positively evaluated by a lab experiment spread out over multiple sessions and involving a total of 149 master students at Ghent University.

Additional material.

Figure 1. Theoretical model of the SPMT
Figure 2 a. PPMChart representing flow-oriented process modeling
Figure 2 b. PPMChart representing aspect-oriented process modeling
Figure 2 c. PPMChart representing combined process modeling
Figure 3. Summary of the prescriptive structured process modeling guidelines
Figure 4a. Example screens from the training instrument (information screen)
Figure 4b. Example screens from the training instrument (comprehension question)
Figure 4c. Example screens from the training instrument (comprehension exercise)
Figure 4d. Example screens from the training instrument (multiple-choice question showing all feedback)
Figure 5. Overview of the experiment tasks
Figure 6. Overview of the measurements and their relations
Figure 7. Results for treatment adoption
Figure B.1. Example of a Hidden Figures Test assignment
  • The documents:
Appendix F. seqstylecoding.pdf
Assignment description used by the raters that performed the sequencing style categorisation.
Appendix G. synqualcoding.pdf
Assignment description used by the raters that performed the syntactic error coding.
Appendix H. semqualcoding.pdf
Assignment description used by the raters that performed the semantic error coding.
  • The training instrument: the SPMM tutorial (dutch version):
Introduction
intro
Learning style
ls
1/8. General info
ls-general
2/8. Sequential learner
ls-sequential
2/8. Learner in between
ls-between
2/8. Global learner
ls-global
3/8. Modeling styles
modstyles
4/8. Exercise
(flow-oriented)
ls-exercise
4/8. Exercise
(combined)
ls-exercise
4/8. Exercise
(aspect-oriented)
ls-exercise
5/8. Overview
overzicht
6/8. Your style
(flow-oriented)
lsmodfo
6/8. Your style
(combined)
lsmodcomb
6/8. Your style
(aspect-orientd)
lsmodao.png
7/8. Introduction movie
(flow-oriented)
lsfilmfo
7/8. Introduction movie
(combined)
lsfilmcomb
7/8. Introduction movie
(aspect-oriented)
lsfilmao
8/8. Reflection
lsreflect
Quiz Time!
lsquiz
Quiz (1/3). About style fit
lsquizalg
Quiz. Message at fourth error
lsquizfout
Quiz (2/3). About your learning style
(sequential)
lsquizseq
Quiz (2/3). About your learning style
(in between)
lsquizbetw
Quiz (2/3). About your learning style
(global)
lsquizglob
Quiz (3/3). About your modeling style
(flow-oriented)
lsquizfo
Quiz (3/3). About your modeling style
(combined)
lsquizcomb
Quiz (3/3). About your modeling style
(aspect-oriented)
lsquizao
Field dependency
fielddependency
1/4. General info
fdinfo
2/4. Field-dependent learner
fdfd
2/4. Field-independent learner
fdfid
3/4. Your guidelines
(field-dependent &
flow-oriented)
fdfdfo
3/4. Your guidelines
(field-dependent &
combined)
fdfdcomb
3/4. Your guidelines
(field-dependent &
aspect-oriented)
fdfdao
3/4. Your guidelines
(field-independent &
flow-oriented)
fdfidfo
3/4. Your guidelines
(field-independent &
combined)
fdfidcomb
3/4. Your guidelines
(field-independent &
aspect-oriented)
fdfidao
4/4. Reflection
fdreflect
Desire for structure
desireforstructure
1/4. General info
dfsinfo
2/4. High desire for structure
dfshigh
2/4. Low desire for structure
dfslow
3/4. Your guidelines
(high desire)
dfshightips
3/4. Your guidelines
(low desire)
dfslowtips
4/4. Reflection
dfsreflect
Quiz Time!
lsquiz
Quiz (1/1). About your guidelines
(field-dependent &
flow-oriented)
fdquizfdfo
Quiz (1/1). About your guidelines
(field-dependent &
combined)
fdquizfdcomb
Quiz (1/1). About your guidelines
(field-dependent &
aspect-oriented)
fdquizfdao
Quiz (1/1). About your guidelines
(field-independent &
flow-oriented)
fdquizfidfo
Quiz (1/1). About your guidelines
(field-independent &
combined)
fdquizfidcomb
Quiz (1/1). About your guidelines
(field-independent &
aspect-oriented)
fdquizfidao
Wrap up
wrapup
1/2. Sequential &
field-dependent &
high desire
seqfdhigh
1/2. Between &
field-dependent &
high desire
betwfdhigh
1/2. Global &
field-dependent &
high desire
globfdhigh
1/2. Sequential &
field-independent &
high desire
seqfidhigh
1/2. Between &
field-independent &
high desire
betwfidhigh
1/2. Global &
field-independent &
high desire
globfidhigh
1/2. Sequential &
field-dependent &
low desire
seqfdlow
1/2. Between &
field-dependent &
low desire

betwfdlow
1/2. Global &
field-dependent &
low desire

globfdlow
1/2. Sequential &
field-independent &
low desire

seqfidlow
1/2. Between &
field-independent &
low desire

betwfidlow
1/2. Global &
field-independent &
low desire

globfidlow
2/2. Overview of your reflections
reflections
Message about data location
data