Abstract:
Internally, business process flow is modelled by software tools and information
systems employed specifically for the business process. In situations where the
process must extend beyond the boundaries of these internal information systems to
external clients, paper forms are frequently the medium by which data and
information are collected. While internet forms are commonplace, many legacy
processes have not adopted this approach. The issuing of paper forms to external
clients remains commonplace.
Through a case study analysis of three paperbased
processes used by two separate,
large organizations, the reasons for this paper dependency are characterised. This
activity is conducted as a requirements gathering exercise to determine the criteria
for a software system that will enable the internal, technologycentric
business
processes to extend externally to clients over the internet; internet forms replacing
paper forms.
From these requirements, a substantial, comprehensive, nontrivial,
Javabased,
AJAXenabled,
opensource
webapplication
prototype is developed as a proofofconcept
to demonstrate how external clients may participate in the business process
that is modelled internally by Information Technology (IT) systems.
The application facilitates the creation of internet forms using a tool that eliminates
the need for programming of any kind. These administratorauthored
internetforms
are centric to the developed webapplication
that also incorporates the management
of users, clients, forms, postprocessing
activities, metric reporting and data, while
enforcing strict revision control. The complete system is easily integrated with
existing, internal IT architectures through a Service Oriented Architecture (SOA)
paradigm.
Through the availability of such an application, the internal information system
architecture that models the business process can be extended externally to facilitate
external client participation in the business process. This approach serves to
eliminate the need for proprietary, software development investments or technical
expertise.
