Current advances in group-supported business process reengineering

Studies at the University of Arizona and elsewhere have suggested that an electronic meeting system (EMS) designed to support construction of IDEFO models can effectively support groups during development of semantic models. Group electronic modeling tools enable large groups of subject matter experts (SMEs) from the business areas to actively participate in the model building process and to build models significantly faster than traditional modeling methods. This paper details ongoing research at the University of Arizona concerned with computer supported collaborative model development. Specifically it describes improvements to the Enterprise Analysis/Activity IDEFO based modeling software. It has taken advantage of object-oriented technology advances and modeling process refinements to improve five areas of model construction: graphics creation, ICOM creation, bundle formation, semantic analysis, and group coordination.