Modelling knowledge worker behaviour in business process studies

Abstract

Purpose Aims to describe a successful use of simulated knowledge worker behaviour used in the developing online procedures and software for arbitration – the E‐Arbitration‐T project Design/methodology/approach Presents four common factors – deadline, length of task, importance of customer, importance to business – that need to be incorporated within any business process model of knowledge worker behaviour. Findings A richer model of knowledge worker behaviour is postulated and elements not necessary for the E‐Arbitration‐T model are identified. The knowledge worker's day was defined as being made up of Scheduled, On‐demand and At‐will tasks, only some of which may relate to the business process being modelled. A particular question that must be addressed in this extended model is how to model the choices knowledge workers make between competing at‐will tasks. Originality/value The two pieces of work reported here have generated a rich model of knowledge worker behaviour ready for application and refinement in further business process modelling studies.