Re-engineering business process modeling

We compare traditional computer based approaches to business process modeling (using the IDEFO technique) to approaches using a new technology, an electronic meeting system (EMS). We studied 23 cases, 12 with traditional approaches, 11 with EMS. EMS models were built on average about ten times faster than traditional models, with five times fewer person-hours required. Models built using traditional approaches followed IDEF guidelines more closely than EMS models, although the majority of models built using both approaches violated some guidelines. There is some evidence suggesting that the EMS models were more accurate and complete, but this evidence is not overwhelming; being conservative, we conclude there were no significant differences in model quality.<>