Utilisation of Process Modeling in Improving the Hypermedia Development Process

If we are to improve our ability to reliably and consistently create high quality hypermedia applications then we need to improve our understanding of the development process and its relationship to the quality of the end applications. In this paper we consider the role of descriptive process modeling in understanding and subsequently improving the hypermedia development process. We will look at problems with existing hypermedia development processes and the role which design tools, methods and models can play. We then go on to consider how descriptive process modeling can be used to model hypermedia development processes and subsequently identify potential flaws within these processes. We propose a hypermedia development process reference model, and an associated modeling and process assessment method that provides the mechanisms necessary for measuring and improving hypermedia development. We provide some examples that demonstrate the validity of the approach. The result is a technique which is capable of providing significant improvements in the manageability, consistency and cost-effectiveness of the development process and hence the quality of the applications which result from this process.