Usage of Labels and Icons in Business Process Modeling

This article discusses the usage of labels and icons in business process modeling and how they enhance the understanding of process models. It explores the theories behind the use of labels and icons and provides guidelines for their effective implementation.

Individual assesment
An Investigation On The Usage Of Labels And Icons In Business Process Modeling
Jan Mendling
Jan Recker
Hajo A. Reijers
Student’s name
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Introduction
The article aims at discussing the usage of labels and icons in business process modeling.
It starts with a brief introduction to the relevance of business process management. After that, the
article incorporates how labels and icons are used to enhance business process modeling. The
report discusses an article which researched today’s systematic usage of icons and labels as far as
business process modeling is concerned. Also, it discusses how icons and labels are used for
classification the graphical concepts in a process model.
Business process management
In many organizations, managing the business process possess to be the greatest
challenge. Due to lack of awareness, many businesses is not investing enough efforts to ensure a
streamlined business is present. Business process management is the capability of a company to
create, edit and analyze the predictable processes that make up the fundamentals of its
operations. It is a way of observing at the processes then monitoring them according to how they
are present in an organization. In a time of crisis, it is one of the effective methods which can be
incorporated to make effective and efficient processes [1]. The result will be an improved and
more cost effective organization.
Generally, business process management entails how people study, change, identify and
observe business processes to confirm they run smoothly and over time, they can be enhanced. It
involves ongoing activities therefore not a one-time activity. Within a given business process, the
BPM involves systematizing tasks [10]. This is available even though BPM is not technology
but processes being improved can happen outside of computerization and without involving
innovation.
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In every company, each department is responsible for taking data and raw materials and
transform them into other things. From each department, they might handle a dozen or more of
the key processes. During the business process management, an organization takes a step back
and looks at all these processes individually and when summed up together [2]. Here, it analyses
the areas of improvement by checking at the current state of the process. This creates an effective
and more efficient organization. Also, within the collective workflows, business process
management is meant to moderate chaos and eliminate ad hoc workflow controlling.
Mainly, organizations practicing business process management have a goal to take
control of their numerous processes [7]. Consistently, they strive to improve them to establish
efficient organizations which have a better capability of delivering their products and services
[2]. As such, business process management is essential as it supports organizational leaders who
seek to attain operational competences as well as work to comprehend their predominant goals
for the organization in general.
On the usage of labels and icons in business process modeling
It is surprising that there is minimal research attributing to a successful business process
which facilitates human understanding. Primarily, process management has emerged as one of
the critical reasons for engaging in conceptual modeling [8]. As such, it ought to deliver benefits
of transparencies in the organization, process documentation, and others. Especially in the IS
projects, the process management is supposed to be understood and intuitive just like other
conceptual modeling forms [4]. However, in nearly 30 years when the business process has been
involved, little is known about the modeling process and how it can be valuable to a company.
Through research, graphical constructs and these meaning in process model has been
investigated.
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There are various theories which have been put in place to understand the phenomena
which business process uses to convey information on organizational workflows and procedures.
First, the dual coding theory suggests two channels, auditory and visual which e person uses
when handling information [5]. The two channels counterpart to each other in a way that getting
information from both channels increases understanding as compared to only receiving
information from one. As such, human perceive information adequately when it is presented by
both visual, that is through images and auditory through words. The second theory, the cognitive
theory of multimedia learning suggest that materials for learning need to be acknowledged,
understood and engaged by its recipients [9]. According to this phenomena, the choice of
appropriate labels and graphical content are essential.
There is an inadequate number of graphical paradigms which are sued in process
management. Most of the dire domain information is enclosed in the textual labels of paradigms
[4]. Based on this, business process modeling can be well understood if additional graphical
images including icons are incorporated to the labeling of process management constructs.
Labels and icons in business process management
Labeling of graphical process model constructs has been defined to be an art rather than a
science. There are several guidelines which exist and are useful in labeling activities such as
approving the order or verifying invoices which suggest verb-object convection. Likewise,
through research, a perceived superiority of the verb-object conventions was established to other
modeling convections [5]. Per se, presumptions that more information on the labels would
enhance the reader to understand what is being portrayed clearly. Thus, this would bring about
elaborated and long textual labels. Hover, from recent research, short activity labels improve
understanding of labels. Together with the prevalent verb-object convention, this argument
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supports that the process should be specified in a concise and precise manner which will enable
easy understanding and intuitiveness. Through additional graphical information, these terms
should be supported even more. By using an icon which contests the semantics of an activity.
Already there are some tools which have incorporated the embedding of additional
graphics including Protos. This is a tool which allows selecting specific types of activities such
as communication, basics, authorize, check and logistics representing them in different images
[6]. For instance, if an individual sets an activity in Protos in the form of communication, then
the image changes to a “talk button.”
Using icons during representation can also make a process model understandable. Users
would intuitively identify the most common classes of activities by visual inspection. For
instance, a model reader would identify how they are supposed to communicate with other
shareholders instantly in any given model. Using iconic representations is favorable to
enlightening the process model [2]. This is because graphical icons have integrated as part of
human life in daily activities. Also, similar to labeling, icon development has become more of an
art than a science. However, there are certain guidelines based on research which control the
undertaking of icon development. First, icon developments should highlight the ease of
interpretation by users [6]. Secondly, icon selection should be established on preferences by the
user. Thirdly, the composition rules from icons should be easy to learn and understand and
should be natural. Lastly, rules formulated by icon selection should be able to be transferred to
the audiences and models.
The conclusion of the paper is relevant as it shows that there is still more ground on
research to cover. As such, the researchers state on what more to expect as much as improving
business process modeling involves icons and labels. As such, they call on other researchers to
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help improve the business process in companies through research. This is essential as it helps a
student know there is still room for research.
Conclusion
The paper discusses the essential aspects involved in business process management. It
starts by defining business process management and its purpose in the organization. The articles
mentions the usage of labels and icon in process models. In line with that, a major assumption is
that business process management can be improved when a systematic labeling construct is
found. The paper goes on to discuss the essential elements involved in icon selection. Finally, the
paper discusses the relevance of the conclusion from the paper provided.
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References
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