Word or Phrase

Definition

Context within Innov8

Activity

Mentioned by Sam during the Drag & Drop tutorial and by Stella as she describes how the process really works.

Alert

In the context of BPM, an automatic notification from the process server that a significant event has happened or a key threshold has been reached.

The panel in the upper right of the Level 3 Nerve Center monitor screen shows “real-time” process alerts.

Architect

In the context of IT, 1) to map available hardware, software, message protocols, etc, against application or process requirements, in an effort to meet key metrics around performance, security, budget, etc. 2) a specialized role within the software development community that concerns itself with the above.

Architecting processes is mentioned in the BPM video that plays on the screen in the Level 1 entry area.

In the Level 2 Collaboration exercise, Logan meets Tomas, Lead IT Architect

“As-Is” Process Model

 A model of a business process as it exists currently, prior to process improvement efforts.

Mentioned by Sam when Logan first meets her, and again by Mike at the beginning of the Level 2 Collaboration meeting.

Business Agility

The ability of a business to respond rapidly to marketplace dynamics, without delay due to required IT infrastructure changes

At beginning of the Level 2 Collaboration meeting, Mike indicates he is seeking greater Business Agility.

Business Analyst

A specialist who analyzes business needs and problems, consults with users and stakeholders to identify opportunities for improving business return through information technology, and transforms requirements into a technical form.

At the beginning of game play, Stavros introduces himself as “Business Analyst Extraordinaire”.

Business Architecture

“The grouping of business functions and related business objects into clusters (“business domains”) over which meaningful accountability can be taken” (Wikipedia)

Mike provides Logan with a “Business Architecture Heat Map” during the opening cinematic.

Once game play begins, the player can view AFTER Inc.’s Business Architecture by clicking Laptop>Files>Heat Map

Business Process

Any activity or set of activities performed within a company or organization.  In the context of modeling software, a process is a progressively continuing pro­cedure consisting of a series of activities that are systematically directed toward a particular result or end.

Mike introduces the term in the Opening Cinematic as he gives Logan her mission.

A definition and illustration are provided within the BPM movie shown on the screen in the entry area of Level 1.

Business Process Execution Language (BPEL)

A business process modeling language used by IT for the formal specification of business processes and business interaction protocols. BPEL is an executable language that orchestrates actions; for example, when to send or wait for messages. BPEL extends the basic Web services interaction model to support Business-to-Business exchanges.

A BPEL diagram appears on a whiteboard on the rear left wall in the main IT room.

Business Process Management (BPM)

A structured, often cross-functional approach - combining management methods with information technology - to improving business processes over time or adapting them to meet new customer or market needs.

Mike introduces the term in the Opening Cinematic as he gives Logan her mission.

A definition and illustration are provided within the BPM movie shown on the screen in the entry area of Level 1.

Business Process Management Lifecycle

The lifecycle of management-initiated activities that lead to continuous process improvement over time. You architect and build a base process, implement the process, observe and analyze process performance, and then make changes to improve the process. And then you repeat the cycle, over and over, until the process is eventually retired.

Referred to and illustrated within the BPM movie shown on the screen in the entry area of Level 1.

Business Process Model

An abstract or conceptual representation of a business process usually developed for understanding, analyzing, improving, or replacing the process being repre­sented. A model can include representations of activities, rela­tionships, information flows, and constraints.

First mentioned by Sam when meeting Logan.

Business Rules

In the context of BPM, a programming device by which business strategies are implemented and automatically enforced by the application or Process Server. Modern BPM systems often allow the Line of Business to modify business rules “on the fly” without having to modify the underlying IT infrastructure.

Business Rules are mentioned first by Sam during the Level 2 Collaboration, as a means to route calls to Partners under certain conditions.

CIO (Chief Information Officer)

A commonly used job title for the highest-ranking executive who oversees the information technology group within an enterprise.

When Logan first meets Sam, Sam indicates that the CIO has mandated the use of the modeling software Logan will use.

Collaboration

“A structured, recursive process where two or more people work together by building consensus and sharing knowledge in an intellectual endeavor toward a common goal which is typically creative in nature. Collaboration does not require leadership and can even bring better results through decentralization and egalitarianism.” (Wikipedia)

Collaboration is first mentioned by Sharon if/when Logan meets her in the Level 1 entry area.

She and Mike co-host the “Global Collaboration” meeting that is the basis for Level 2.

Connection

A link between two elements in a process map or diagram. Connections are typically used to specify the chrono­logical sequence of activities in a process.

Mentioned by Sam in the Drag and Drop tutorial.  Then, as Logan builds the As-Is model, we see the model elements auto-connect.

Connections also appear in various model diagrams in the BPM video and throughout Levels 1, 2, and 3.

Core Activities (a.k.a. core competencies)

Strategic business capabilities that must be performed well, in order for the business to thrive. Businesses often seek synergy with one another, by outsourcing their own non-core activities to external partners who view the very same activities as their core activities.

During the Collaboration, Mike asks his team to identify non-core activities that can be minimized.

Dashboard

In the context of IT, a business management tool used to visually ascertain the status (or "health") of a business process or enterprise via key performance indicators.

The monitor screen that Logan sees in the Level 3 Nerve Center (with its KPI panel) is representative of a business dashboard.

Decision Symbol

A process element that routes an input to one of several alternative outgoing paths, depending on its condition. A decision is like a question that deter­mines the exact set of activities to perform during a process run. Questions might include "What type of order?" and "How will the order be shipped?"

The “decision” symbol is defined and first used during the Drag and Drop challenge in Level1.

It also appears in model diagrams in the BPM video and throughout Levels 2 and 3.

Flexible Infrastructure

An IT infrastructure that has been architected specifically to provide business agility - capable of responding dynamically to both planned and unplanned business events.

Mike suggests in the Level 2 Collaboration that proposed changes are resulting in a more Flexible Infrastructure.

“Heat Map”

In the context of Component Business Modeling, a graphical representation of data wherein the concentration of multiple factors under investigation is illustrated by a corresponding concentration of colors in the model. A heat map can be used to identify the greatest opportunities for reducing costs, delivering competitive advantage, or other factors.

Mike provides Logan with a “Business Architecture Heat Map” during the opening cinematic.

Once game play begins, the player can view AFTER Inc.’s Business Architecture by clicking Laptop>Files>Heat Map

“Import”

To bring a model design – created within one tool – into a second tool, thereby saving time and reducing human errors due to re-keying.  For example, a model developed by a Business Analyst may be imported into development or integration tooling used by IT. 

Near the end of the Level 2 Collaboration, Sam indicates she will import Logan’s To-Be model into tooling used by IT. 

Key Performance Indicators (KPI’s)

A significant measurement used to track performance against a business objective. A key performance indicator has a target or ranges, or both, to measure the improvement or deterioration in the performance of an activity that is critical to the business.

First mentioned by Sharon if/when Logan meets her in the Level 1 entry area.

Later, Logan finds AFTER Inc Call Center KPI’s posted on a wall in Operations.

Knowledge Base (a.k.a. Repository)

“A special kind of database for knowledge management. It provides the means for the computerized collection, organization, and retrieval of knowledge.” (Wikipedia)

Mentioned by Sam during the Level 2 Collaboration as a means to collect and store call information for later retrieval.

Merge Symbol

A process element that recombines multiple processing paths, typically after a decision. A merge brings several alternative paths together.

A “merge” symbol is defined and first used during the Drag and Drop challenge in Level1.

Portal

“A Web framework for integrating information, applications, and processes across organizational boundaries.” (Wikipedia)

The monitor screen that Logan sees in the Level 3 Nerve Center is representative of a business portal.

Process Automation

A process that businesses use to contain costs, by deploying and integrating software applicationss and cutting labor wherever possible.

In Level 1 play, Logan may discover a proposal for Virtual Agent technology that automates call-handling.

During the Level 2 Collaboration, Mike asks if it is not possible to automate the handling of certain calls.

Process Deployment

The actions that IT takes, to move a process from the development and test environment into production.

Deployment is mentioned in the BPM video that plays on the screen in the Level 1 entry area.

In the main IT room, Logan may examine product boxes for software that AFTER Inc apparently uses to “deploy and run business processes.

Process Implementation

The actions that IT takes, to convert the business process model into working application code that runs on specific computer hardware and software.

During the Level 2 Collaboration, Sam mentions implementing Virtual Agent and Knowledge Base technologies.

Process Improvement

1. A proactive set of management activities aimed at identifying, analyzing, adapting and improving existing business processes to meet specific goals and objectives. 2. An incremental result of such activity.

During the BPM video shown on the screen in the Level 1 entry area, process improvement is mentioned as a basic objective of BPM.

Process Innovation

A change in a process which results in a radical shift in process metrics and/or structure, typically in response to evolutionary changes in the marketplace.

During the BPM video shown on the screen in the Level 1 entry area, innovation is mentioned as a means to dramatically reduce the cost and time of business adaptation.

Process Map (a.k.a. Process Diagram)

A diagram that depicts the activities and decisions that are performed within a business process and the order (chronological time sequence) in which they are performed.  Process maps are augmented with various element attributes, such as costs and durations, to yield more comprehensive process models to support simulations and other process analysis tasks.

When Sam first meets Logan Sam advises to look for someone in Operations who may have a Process Map to use as a starting point.

Logan retrieves one of several process maps from the computer on Stavros’ desk.

Process Model

A typically visual representation of a real business process that is composed of the individual steps or activities that make up the process, contains the condi­tions that dictate when they occur, and identifies the resources required for its performance or run.

First mentioned in the BPM video that plays on the screen in the Level 1 entry way, and again by Sam when Logan first meets her.

Process Model Elements

Distinct, self-contained units of a business process map or model. Examples of ele­ments are tasks, decisions, merges, and connections.

Sam discusses the various model elements during the tutorial for the Drag and Drop exercise.

Process Server

Specialized software platform for executing and “choreographing” business processes during run-time (i.e. in production).

During the Level 2 Collaboration, Tomas mentions the Process Server as the group discusses dynamic selection of services.

“Publishing”

In the context of process modeling, the notion of posting a copy of a modeling project or some of its elements to a server for review and reference by process stakeholders.

First mentioned by Sam when Logan first meets her.

Then, Logan has to publish her intermediate results during the Collaboration meeting.

Service

A capability – typically external to an organization - that can be utilized repeatedly within the pro­cesses of that organization, using a prescribed interface.  Services typically implement functionalities most humans would recognize as services, such as checking an individual’s credit history, or placing an airline ticket order.  Services that can be invoked over the World Wide Web are referred to as Web services.

Logan mentions services in the context of SOA if/when she finds the book in the Level 1 entry area.

She mentions services again if/when she finds the Service Lifecycle or the BPEL diagram in the main IT room.

Then, Sam and Tomas mention services several times in the Level 2 Collaboration.

Services Lifecycle

The basic lifecycle of service assets - from service planning and definition, analysis and modeling, development, deployment, and versioning, through service retirement.

A Services Lifecycle diagram is displayed as a “screen saver” on the monitor screens in the main IT room.