Ad Hok Flow Without Procedure

Sunday, May 29, 2011
"Ad hoc", a Latinic phrase. There is no specific word or phrase for us Japanese, so we use that as it is.
Then what does it mean? For example, we use them like "ad hoc Network" or "ad hoc working area" and it stands for "not permanent" and/or "temporary measure."

In the category of Workflow (Business Process), there're expressions like "ad hoc Task" or "ad hoc workflow." To say in plain words, they are series of tasks that not fixed who or how to proceed. "Circulation of document" and "Multiple approval" cases are introduced as example. How they should be treated, with [Workflow system]? or with [Group ware]? are discussed.

Theme of eighth installment in the BPMN lecture series is "Designing ad hoc Tasks"

-BPMN lecture series Before-

<Tasks>
1. Task, 2. Task


[BPMN Sample-Ad Hoc <Loop>: "2. Task" screen]



<Items>
  • Title
-Record-
  • Content (string)
  • Report on A (string: text box 3 lines)
  • Report on B (string: text box 3 lines)
  • Report on C (string: text box 3 lines)
  • Completion (select: Yes/ No)
  • Correspondence (discussion)

It may sounds nonsense "to build workflow that not built", but as one of the way to understand, we recommend you to think that build those part not fixed as a large Task, and loop it over and over. (Strictly to say, we should not call it a [Task], better to call [Sub-process] or [activity].)

But in this case, it's difficult to understand if those ad hoc Tasks have ended. So it's good to break each tasks as [concurrent processing].

By the way, "Team Swimlane" available at Questetra is not defined by BPMN.


<Tasks>

1. Task, 2. A Task, 2. B Task, 2. C Task