Interoperability of extended processes (INPREX)

The project objective is to work on the life cycle of business processes (definition, representation, design, construction, execution, analysis and improvement/innovation cycles) in order to offer companies tools that will allow processes to be more than a mere printed representation (e.g., the processes represented in ISO 9000 standards) and for them to be really operational processes that are integrated into the working dynamics of a “living” company or network of companies.

To go about this, work is intended to be done in the company’s processes, but based on the clear need that running these processes must be supported by tools, and to become an additional source of information that permits adequate decision making, with cycles of continuous improvement and innovation at a much lower cost. Also when the company’s processes should interact with those of other companies which it works with in a network (extended processes), interoperability’s problems need to be dealt with. That is to say, allow the processes of different companies be work together, even though they have been developed, and their execution is supported, by different tools.

Thus work will be done to develop methodologies, techniques and tools based on the current state of the art in the proposals that are being developed, and also on international standards, to provide the national industrial fabric with valid solutions to support the engineering and operation of business processes.

One suggestion is that the tools to be developed are based de facto standards in the world of the Internet so that they will be affordable by companies, and be open to allow interoperability and easy maintenance.