Towards a Methodology for Flexible Process Specification

Abstract

This paper proposes the foundations of a methodology for specifying process flexibility based on a viewv of processes as design objects. It is represented using the function-behaviour-structure (FBS) ontology of designing. The paper shows how the FBS ontology allows extending and generalising recent work on flexibility in engineering design, and how it allows applying this work to processes. The resulting framework provides a comprehensive account of process flexibility that subsumes existing approaches. Finally, the paper presents a method for flexible process specification, illustrated using examples of a property valuation process in the Australian lending industry.