Agile Business Process Modelling Framework and Enterprise

INTRODUCTION Agile Modelling (AM) approach to developing software-based systems aims to improve system modelling process by combining best practices of selected modelling methods in a context of a particular project. “Simply put, Agile Modelling (AM) is a collection of values, principles, and practices for modelling software that can be applied on a software development project in an effective and light-weight manner” [1]. AM frees the modeller from the constraints and often – the bureaucracy of a particular methodology (none of which seems to suite all kinds of projects) and lets them become more effective in the art of modelling the system to be developed. Therefore, AM should be perceived as a panacea for the common methodology drawbacks that slug many of the software development projects to the detriment to the interests of the project stakeholders. In author’s opinion, the main reason this idealistic perception is far from today’s reality is that AM harbours intrinsic paradox which applies to any kind of human endeavour and can be expressed as follows: the more freedom you have the more discipline you need to reach your goal. This discipline is needed on both individual and organisational level. Agile methods, more than any other require seasoned modelling practitioners and multidisciplinary methodology mentors of the highest order to configure and implement the best modelling process for the project. At the organisational level, a right-weighted strategy should be put in place to adopt an agile approach. At the minimum, the strategy should define where the organisation is now and where it wants to be at some point in the future. For example, a big-size organisation may decide to achieve Level 3 of CMM first based on a well-defined methodology and only then to augment its development process using agile modelling extensions, possibly at the Enterprise level.