Evaluating workflow process designs using cohesion and coupling metrics

Building on the similarities between software programs and workflow processes, this paper proposes a heuristic that offers guidance for the creation and evaluation of process designs in administrative settings. Designers can use it to select from several alternatives the process design that is strongly cohesive and weakly coupled. It is argued that such a design will result in fewer errors during information exchanges and in more understandable activity descriptions. The paper includes an application of the heuristic in an industrial workflow setting, which supports its feasibility and practical value. The paper also presents the freely available CoCoFlow tool that implements the metrics and the heuristic.