Ad-Hoc Subprocesses - The Missing Link Between Scheduling and Business Process Modelling

This paper aims at bridging the gap between scheduling and business process modeling, two fields that have evolved independently from each other, even though both share common goals, i.e., the improvement of business operations. The paper shows how BPMN 2.0 can be used to model scheduling problems using a BPMN element that is often overlooked: ad-hoc subprocesses. It shows how ad-hoc subprocesses provide the basis for modeling scheduling requirements and demonstrates how well-known scheduling problems, such as the travelling salesperson problem and the job shop scheduling problem can be represented as BPMN models. Business problems containing scheduling problems can be directly modelled by domain experts and process owners, eliminating the need to consult experts in mathematical programming. Moreover, new avenues are opened for research in optimisation algorithms capable of operating directly on BPMN models.