Running a Business Process as an Interactive Multiplayers Game

1DSV SU + IbisSoft

Running a Business Process as an Interactive Multiplayers Game

Ilia Bider, Amin Jalali, David Söderström

BPMDS’15 Working ConferenceBusiness process modeling, development and support

A BPS system as an interactive game – “crazy” idea

Creating Self-Managed Cross-Professional Teams with Metaphoric Business Process Support (BPS) Systems

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Plan of presentation

1. Why we need a new type of BPMS?

2. How to build it?

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BPM & BPS systems PromiseRemove silos mentality

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BPM & BPS systems ResultConveyor belt mentality = individual silos

Where is initiative, creativity, innovation?

These values have been lost

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Why Result PromiseWorkflow thinking + focus on optimizing the

activity/operation flow and usage of resources

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Solution BPMS with shared spaces/construction site?

“Shared space” in construction industry

From our presentation at BPMDS’13

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Would it work?

Probably, yes

Each member of the team is involved in all activities/ processes in the enterprise company

Organizationalboundary

OrganizationalAssets

Developmentprocess

Salesprocess

Supportprocess

Start-up team

Case 1: Startup

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Would it work?

Probably, yes but with silos and their negative consequences

Functional structure and specialization. Each department “owns” their processes

Case 2: a traditional mature organization



Engineeringdepartment

Supportdepartment

SalesDepartment

Developmentprocess

Salesprocess

Supportprocess

What about bridges between

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Would it work?

Probably, not, the shared space will fall apart into isolated islands

Specialization and structure is preserved but the ownership of the processes becomes shared through creating cross-professional teams.

Case 3: cross-manning of business processes

Different professions use different

slangs



Engineeringdepartment

Supportdepartment

SalesDepartment

Developmentprocess

Salesprocess

Supportprocess

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Communication difficulties

• Different professional slangs• Different cultures• Poor understanding of others goals and

problems• Different methods and tools to do the job

• In other words difficult to be understood and appreciated outside own professional group

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Is there a solution?

From text-based shared space to the visual one

What to visualize?


Plan of presentation

1. Why we need a new type of BPMS?

2. How to build it using interactive game technology?

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What is common between a tale-based game and a business process instance?

• Both are about finding the best path to a goal a while moving in a (state) space

• Hinders active and passive that comes and goes when moving to the goal

• Cooperation between different players• Presence of counter-partners that can actively

influence the “game”• Getting knowledge and experience to “play” better

next time• … 13

Bewitch princess, Treasure hunting, …


Main idea• Instead of visualizing what is happening in the real

business process instance/case• Visualize happenings in a ferry tail that is mapped into

the business process• Use interactive game technology to implement

visualization

Is mapping possible?

Will it work in practice?


Example: mapping consultative sale to a treasure hunting tale

Mapping main phases between the process & tale


Example: mapping ...

Mapping sub-goals in the process & tale

# Consultative sales Treasure hunting1 Info about the customer A mystical map of the island, 2 Department/unit/person in the

company who owns the problem

A cross on the map

3 A document describing the needs

A shaft going down to the treasure

4 A proposed solution A treasure lifted from underground

5 A signed deal A treasure safely at home

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Mapping roles between the process & tale

Professions in

Consultative Sales

Activities in Consultative

Sales

Professions in Treasure Hunting

Activities in Hunting

Sales person Charting a map of the organization and locating business needs

Surveyor, Prospector

Detailing the map and locating the treasure

Business analyst

Understanding business needs discovering requirements

Digger, Driller Digging/drilling a shaft to the treasure

Solution Engineer

Drafting a solution to offer

Lifter Lifting the treasure

Negotiator (lawyer)

Negotiating a deal Captain of the ship

Navigating the ship home



Mapping tools in the process & tale

Customer Actors

Inhabitant of the treasure island

CEO ⇔ King of the island

Middle Manager

⇔ Local tribe chief

Field employees

⇔ Inhabitants

Spade – a facilitating workshop

Excavator - Interviews with various stakeholders

Shaft drilling machines – measurement taking

Mapping counter-agents in the

process & tale


Main idea (repeated)• Instead of visualizing what is happening in the real

business process instance/case• Visualize happenings in a ferry tail that is mapped into

the business process• Use interactive game technology to implement

visualization

Is mapping possible? It looks like it is possible

Will it work in practice? Still an open question

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If we succeed …

We will get a new type of collaborative platform

• With metaphoric visualization of goals and problems to remove obstacles in mutual understanding

• Evoking a feeling of involvement in “foreign” affairs

• Giving new perspective for one's own work• Supporting team spirit• Appealing to the new generation of digital

natives

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Lastly - positioning

Deterding, S., Dixon, D., Khaled, R., Nacke, L.: From Game Design Elements to Gamefulness: Defining “Gamification”. In : MindTrek, Tampere, Finland (2011)

The nearest analogy from the world of games – ARG (Alternative Reality Games)


Q & A

Thank you for your patience

Questions and comments

Please

Contact: ilia@{dsv.su|ibissoft}.se