Process

Set of scheduled activities

Introduction to the notion

We generally distinguish conceptual processes and organized processes. The former are stable and generic; the latter incorporate the organizational choices and thus adjust to a specific context. Praxeme assumes this distinction in terms of aspects, namely: the semantic aspect (independent of organization) and the pragmatic aspect (the place for human activity). But the enterprise methodology is reluctant when it comes to representing processes under the semantic aspect. Indeed, the mere breaking down of an activity always incurs the risk of articulating organizational choices or habits, more or less consciously. Instead, it encourages thinking in terms of lifecycles.

Comment

Discussion regarding design processes (possibly in the semantic aspect) versus organizational processes. The definition must be broad enough to cover both natural and artificial processes… Do processes have to necessarily be conscious and motivated? Case of natural processes (digestive process…). To paraphrase Poincaré, the process, just as the system, only exists in the human mind.

Do not confuse: the process and its representation.

Eliminate from the definition everything that could weigh it down unnecessarily and limit its reach. For example: no mention of the finality or objective of the process. There is no need to introduce resources.

The result targeted by a process is close to the finalities of the system. Two features clearly distinguish the process from the use case:

  • The process involves several actors.
  • The process is carried out over a time period greater than the actor’s basic interaction with the system (the use case).

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