Het belang van de menselijke factor bij de configuratie van flexibele en geschikte workflowsystemen

By providing reduced lead times and increased efficiency, Workflow Systerns (WFSs) are proficient in automating business processes. Despite many example of successful workflow projects, a frequently cited case study in the British printing industry reveals how a WFS can disrupt a smooth flow of work. To avoid such difficulties, research tends to focus on the provision of technological solutions such as exception handling or adaptive WFSs. In this paper we present two successful cases in the BeIgian financial sector to show that even production-type workflow systems offer a number of configuration options to increase flexibility and prevent potential disruptions. It was certain configuration decisions and differences in stakeholders' goals which initially caused several anomalies, not intrinsic technological constraints. Feasible adjustments such as a finer step granularity and a flexible task allocation finally led to flexible workflow applications that satisfied management's objectives and the end-users' daily information requirements.