This section provides definitions of words, terms, phases and acronyms, frequently used or referenced in the business process change community. As the business process change market evolves, these terms evolve and change, as well. Formal business process languages like BPML have semantic definitions that are enforced by the language standard. Other groups, such as the Workflow Management Coalition (WfMC), publish formal glossaries. Still other groups define terms in ways specific to their particular community. Most of these communities use or define these terms in slightly different ways. Old terms take on new and varied meanings, new terms emerge, and it is often confusing to business managers trying to communicate across the various business process change communities. This glossary recognizes these differences, seeks to provide generic definitions and suggests a common language. In cases where we know that communities use these terms in ways significantly different from those we provide, we note the fact. We hope our members and visitors find this glossary helpful and we pledge to work hard to keep it current.

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M

Measure

A specific test to determine if a goal is being met or not. High level measures tend to focus on profits, revenues, product output figures and growth. As measures are subdivided they tend to focus on whether specific sub-processes are achieving their output goals. Very specific measures may check to determine if the steps within an activity are being performed correctly or if decisions are being made according to rules and policies.

Measurement Scheduling Worksheet

A worksheet that looks like a process diagram. Functional units or managers are listed on the vertical axis. Years, Quarters, Months, Weeks and Days are listed along the horizontal axis. Rectangles are drawn to show which managers take part in which meetings at what points in time. Sometimes a bit of a process map is pictured on the right side of the worksheet to emphasize the process being measured by those involved in this plan. We don't expect most companies to use a worksheet like this, but it's important that measures be evaluated frequently and that managers responsible for different functions meet to assure that the handoffs between processes are satisfactory.

Measures Hierarchy

A hierarchical tree that shows how organizational measures, pictured at the top or on the left are subdivided into more specific measures for value chains, processes, sub-processes and ultimately to activity goals. For every goal there are measures - specific tests of whether the goal is achieved or not. Thus, there is also a goal hierarchy that mirrors the goal hierarchy.

Middleware

Software that allows two modules or applications to exchange data. See EAI.

Model

A formal set of relationships that can be manipulated to test assumptions. A simulation that tests the number of units that can be processed each hour under a set of conditions is an example of a model. Models do not need to be graphical; although that is the way we have used the term throughout this book. Contrast with diagram.

Model Driven Architecture (MDA)

A new approach to application development being promoted by the Object Management Group. In essence, the idea is that organizations out to create abstract class models of their applications and then use those models to generate specific models and software code. The idea behind MDA is that the same abstract model could be used to generate different types of code. Thus, rather than creating new applications when new technologies come along, a company could have a high-level architecture and reusable components that it could use over and over again for many years. This approach is in the early stages of development but it has attracted quite a bit of attention. (Compare with CASE.)

Modeling

In a loose sense, modeling simply refers to creating a simplified representation of something else. A model can be a picture, a diagram or a mathematical formula. In this book, we have used modeling in the sense of business process modeling - to create a diagrammatic representation of how work is done. In a rigorous sense, a model must specify formal relationships and assumptions that can be tested.