Classification of process models Process modeling

1 classification of process models

1.1 coverage
1.2 alignment
1.3 granularity
1.4 flexibility

classification of process models
by coverage

there 5 types of coverage term process model has been defined differently:

activity-oriented: related set of activities conducted specific purpose of product definition; set of partially ordered steps intended reach goal.
product-oriented: series of activities cause sensitive product transformations reach desired product.
decision-oriented: set of related decisions conducted specific purpose of product definition.
context-oriented: sequence of contexts causing successive product transformations under influence of decision taken in context.
strategy-oriented: allow building models representing multi-approach processes , plan different possible ways elaborate product based on notion of intention , strategy.

by alignment

processes can of different kinds. these definitions correspond various ways in process can modelled .

strategic processes

investigate alternative ways of doing thing , produce plan doing it
are creative , require human co-operation; thus, alternative generation , selection alternative critical activities


tactical processes

help in achievement of plan
are more concerned tactics adopted actual plan achievement development of plan of achievement


implementation processes

are lowest level processes
are directly concerned details of , how of plan implementation



by granularity

granularity refers level of detail of process model , affects kind of guidance, explanation , trace can provided. coarse granularity restricts these rather limited level of detail whereas fine granularity provides more detailed capability. nature of granularity needed dependent on situation @ hand.

project manager, customer representatives, general, top-level, or middle management require rather coarse-grained process description want gain overview of time, budget, , resource planning decisions. in contrast, software engineers, users, testers, analysts, or software system architects prefer fine-grained process model details of model can provide them instructions , important execution dependencies such dependencies between people.

while notations fine-grained models exist, traditional process models coarse-grained descriptions. process models should, ideally, provide wide range of granularity (e.g. process weaver).

by flexibility

flexibility of method construction approaches

it found while process models prescriptive, in actual practice departures prescription can occur. thus, frameworks adopting methods evolved systems development methods match specific organizational situations , thereby improve usefulness. development of such frameworks called situational method engineering.

method construction approaches can organized in flexibility spectrum ranging low high .

lying @ low end of spectrum rigid methods, whereas @ high end there modular method construction. rigid methods pre-defined , leave little scope adapting them situation @ hand. on other hand, modular methods can modified , augmented fit given situation. selecting rigid methods allows each project choose method panel of rigid, pre-defined methods, whereas selecting path within method consists of choosing appropriate path situation @ hand. finally, selecting , tuning method allows each project select methods different approaches , tune them project s needs.