Tabular View for Business Process Modeling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional business process modeling software requires users to switch between diagram and tabular views, leading to inefficiencies in designing complex processes due to the need for graphical icon management and layout optimization, which increases the learning curve and design time.
Innovation Solution
A business process software that allows exclusive or bi-directional use of a tabular view for designing processes, enabling users to define tasks, relationships, and details without needing to switch to a diagram view, with features like filtering, sorting, and automatic task management, while also supporting the generation of process diagrams directly from the tabular view.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional business process modeling software uses diagram view with graphical shapes, then the process can be visualized effectively, but the learning curve increases and design time increases due to need to learn graphical shape usage and layout optimization
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the business process model into hierarchical tasks and sub-tasks that can be independently defined and managed in a tabular view. This allows users to work with individual process elements without needing to understand complex graphical shape semantics, reducing the learning curve while maintaining effective process visualization through the table structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a tabular view that copies and represents the same business process model that would traditionally be created in diagram view. The table provides an alternative representation using rows and columns instead of graphical shapes, allowing users to define processes using familiar tabular interfaces rather than learning new graphical tools.
2Adaptability or versatility
If users switch between diagram view and tabular view, then both graphical visualization and detailed task management are available, but productivity decreases due to the need to switch views for different tasks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the tabular view universal by enabling it to perform all functions traditionally requiring view switching. The table can display hierarchical task structures, filter by task type, sort by various attributes, and generate diagrams on demand - all within a single view context. This eliminates the need to switch between diagram and tabular views while maintaining full functionality.
3Shape
If graphical shapes are used for process modeling, then the process flow can be visualized, but the complexity of managing graphical icons and layout optimization increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the essential information from graphical shape-based modeling and represents it in a tabular format. The table captures task hierarchy, relationships, and attributes without requiring users to manage graphical icons. This extraction eliminates the complexity of graphical layout optimization while preserving the core process modeling capabilities.
Data Source
AI summary
An interactive display interface having multiple, editable views displays a tabular view of a business process. A mixed mode designer enables users to design a process in either a diagram or the tabular view. The tabular view provides a more familiar environment of a project. Project documents may be directly imported into the designer for further development of the process model in either the tabular or the diagram view. The modification to the process model is possible in both views.