Scalability Effects in Modeling Autonomously Controlled Logistic Processes Challenges and Solutions in Business Process Modeling

Modeling of autonomous logistic processes requires detailed knowledge about logistic systems and about the design principles of autonomous control. The Autonomous Logistic Engineering Methodology incorporates both types of knowledge in varying degree in order to guide logistic process experts through the modeling process. Although the methodology enables modeling of any autonomous logistic process, two important challenges affect the methodology’s scalability in case of large logistic scenarios that consist of several organizational independent companies. This article analyzes both consequential challenges, namely the increase of a system’s complexity and the lack of obtainable information. It presents two logistic scenarios of different scale and discusses the selected challenges in detail. In addition, the article suggests a new type of model visualization and a set of collaboration mechanisms allowing to overcome of these challenges.