Performance Evaluation of Workflows

Abstract

In this chapter two analytical methods are presented for the performance evaluation of workflows. Typically, these methods can be applied to assess whether a workflow design meets a performance target with respect to its throughput time. These methods are meant as a support for the designer of workflows, particularly within the setting of a BPR initiative. In particular, if a workflow is designed using the product-based method as described in Chapter 3, the presented algorithms are of use during the evaluation phase when a performance evaluation is due (see Section 3.3). For the specification of a workflow design, we will once again use the Stochastic Workflow net (SWN) as defined in Chapter 2, as well as the notion of throughput defined there. The analysis in this chapter focuses on the routing component of a workflow model (see Section 2.2).