Workflow Management Systems for Process Organisations

This book introduces the perspective of customer–driven and teamwork–oriented process organisation. Its aim is to design and test concepts of Computer Supported Cooperative Work, especially concepts for workflow management systems, in order to fundamentally improve business processes in enterprises. Its methodological approach to analysis and design of cooperative networks is a response to shortcomings of current support systems and misunderstandings about cooperative work and team–based organisations.
Several different commercial workflow management systems are presented and distinguished in terms of their main characteristics. Novel kinds of business process analysis are proposed, leading to interesting new combinations of information and cooperation technologies.
The book not only presents ways to get around the pitfalls resulting from a naive use of these technologies, but also identifies design guidelines and critical success factors.