Brookhaven Science Associates U.S. Department of Energy Interlab 2009 November 17, 2009 Courtney Patterson Information Technology Division/Quality Management

Brookhaven Science AssociatesU.S. Department of Energy

Interlab 2009November 17, 2009

Courtney PattersonInformation Technology Division/Quality Management Office

BNL Key WorkflowsBNL Key Workflows

Brookhaven Science AssociatesU.S. Department of Energy 2

AgendaAgenda

Background Current Problems Solution Requirements Workflow Solution Demo Next Steps Questions/Comments


Background: What is SBMS?Background: What is SBMS?

Web-based system of institutional policies and procedures.

Management System which provides• A Requirements management process.• A Content development and management process.• Roles Management.• Content Delivery tool


Accessing SBMS from the BNL HomepageAccessing SBMS from the BNL Homepage


SBMS HierarchySBMS Hierarchy



Policies; • highest-level statements of BNL philosophy for

conducting business. Standards of performance;

• performance expectations by which BNL carries out its policies.

Management System Descriptions;• Summary of high-level lab-wide operating

processes.



Subject Areas; • Most common vehicle used to translate

requirements into how work should be done. BNL Manual;

• Same function as SA but in old format. Program Description;

• Steering document developed when required by clients, regulations, or the management system to further describe operations.



Facility Use Agreements; • Identifies the operating requirements, roles and

responsibilities for all aspects of our facilities. Interim Procedures

• Used when a procedure needs to be disseminated quickly. They have an expiration date.

Lessons Learned • Documentation of experiences at BNL and other sites for the

purpose of sharing in order to emulate good practices, avoid risky / poor practices.


What does the SBMS Manage?What does the SBMS Manage?


1st Problem1st Problem

Employees find SBMS challenging.• Information overload.• Navigation between procedures is difficult.

– Procedures are hard to read. Difficult to understand what they need to do.


SBMS’s Main Delivery FormatSBMS’s Main Delivery Format1

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2nd problem2nd problem

Procedures are stove-piped.• Lab wide business process != Management System

Procedures.• Difficult to understand the “big” Lab wide business

processes.


Stove Piped ProceduresStove Piped Procedures


High level Solution RequirementsHigh level Solution Requirements

Deliver procedures in a Workflow format Simplicity (for end users)

• Simple user interface • No training required (intuitive)

Re-use• Extends the current SBMS data/information• Reuse current resources/infrastructure

– Hardware resources– Software resources


High level Solution RequirementsHigh level Solution Requirements

BPMN compliant.• Ability to share workflows with other Labs.• Ability to integrate with any BPMN compliant

software Budget friendly.


Workflow SolutionWorkflow Solution

Web-based process modeling/presentation tool. Integrates directly into our current infrastructure

• Built using .NET/CFML/MS SQL Server Multi-phase approach.

• First phase– Present workflows.

• Second phase– Manage workflows.

• Third phase– Automate workflows.


Workflow Solution cont.Workflow Solution cont.

Relatively inexpensive• Total of $3695 (Layout engine)

Designed with extendibility in mind• Supports .net thick client, web and mobile apps.

– Possibility of pushing workflows to mobile devices• Supports silverlight applications• Supports WPF applications


DemoDemo

Browsing a workflow Administrating a workflows


Where do we go from hereWhere do we go from here

Workflow change management tools/procedures• Archiving• Versioning• Publishing controls

Optimization• Visual• Printing • Speed • Usability


Future Future

Automation using a workflow engine eg;• Windows Workflow Foundation• Skelta Workflow.NET• Intrafinity workflow• Home-brewed solution


Questions/Comments/DiscussionQuestions/Comments/Discussion

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Documents

Brookhaven Science Associates U.S. Department of Energy Interlab 2009 November 17, 2009 Courtney Patterson Information Technology Division/Quality Management