Name of the Share-PSI workshop

Title of the Best Practice: …Using business process paradigm for open data lifecycle management……………………………………

File:Best practice template - business process paradigm.docx

Outline of the best practice

In order to streamline and increase efficiency of procedures related to open data management it is beneficial to use business process paradigm. This paradigm comprises several concepts such as: business process modelling, business process simulation and business process execution. It is extensively standardized with most prominent standard being Business Process Modelling Notation. This standard is also important for development of new generation of software systems such as service oriented architectures because they rely on direct mapping of business processes to composition of orchestrated services which is significantly different from traditional software development/engineering approach. By using business process models and related tools, we can elaborate open data lifecycle within organizational context and coherently organize internal structure of business processes responsible for open data gathering and maintenance. These models go way beyond pure graphical presentation and enable formal verification of process paths, resource usage analysis and evaluation of various scenarios (what if analysis). We can perform extensive analysis of business processes by using simulations and achieve detailed resource usage and cost benefit analysis. Additional benefit is that we are able to reveal internal structure of business processes in form of models to interested stakeholders and give them opportunity to verify organizational mechanisms that gather and maintain the data. By such approach we achieve that open data are accompanied by open processes and their evolution can be influenced by interested community.

Management summary

Challenge

Consistency, efficiency and maintainability of business processes that gather and uphold quality of open data.

Solution

Using business process models to streamline procedures and evaluate efficiency of data delivery and maintenance.

Best Practice Identification

Why is this a Best Practice? What's the impact of the Best Practice?

Beside information system, opening of data requires additional changes in business processes responsible for their lifecycle. These processes are extremely important because they are facing market oriented re-users who expect timely and relevant information. By directing focus on business processes we can streamline inefficiencies and open their internal structure to interested community. The ultimate impact of such approach is efficient delivery of relevant open data.

Link to the PSI Directive

(Please use one or more of the categories listed on the last page of this document, as many as relevant)

This best practice is related to internal organizational mechanism and procedures responsible for gathering, long term preservation and quality of data. This can be decomposed to following components: (i) persistence and maintenance of information, (ii) organizational structures and skills and (iii) data quality issues and solutions.

Why is there a need for this Best Practice?

This best practice is relevant because it brings alignment of business processes and data in the entire open data lifecycle. It also gives insight to interested stakeholders and increases their confidence in reliably , quality and sustainability of open data.

What do you need for this Best Practice?

Knowledge about business process modelling/reengineering and relevant tools.

Applicability by other member states?

This best practice is not country specific and can be applied in any member state.

Contact info - record of the person to be contacted for additional information or advice.

Prof. dr. sc. Neven Vrček

University of Zagreb, Faculty of Organization and Informatics, Varaždin, Croatia

neven.vrcek@foi.hr