29/01/99 1 Dynamic partitioning of complex process models Alfonso Fuggetta 1 Maria Letizia Jaccheri 2 Politecnico di Milano NTNU Milano (Italy) Trondheim (Norway) Abstract The E 3 modeling language offers a set of mechanisms to support the modeling of complex business and engineering processes. The language is based on well-known object- oriented concepts, extended with specific process-related notions. The E 3 language is supported by a modeling tool (called E 3 p-draw) that offers mechanisms to support the dynamic partitioning of the process model, and enables the creation and the exploitation of multiple model slices. These mechanisms make it possible to master complex and large process models, since the process engineer can focus on specific factors and aspects of the process, ignoring those information that are irrelevant in a specific stage of the modeling activity. The language and the supporting tool have been applied to the modeling of real industrial processes. Keywords: Business and engineering processes, modeling languages, object-orientation, workflow. 1. Introduction During the past years, business organizations have increasingly devoted significant efforts to understand and improve their processes. The basic assumption underlying these efforts is that better processes are instrumental to deliver better products and services. This attitude has spread across different domains and fields, ranging from engineering (e.g., software development) to more traditional business activities (e.g., sales management in classical service and manufacturing companies). 1 Politecnico di Milano, Dipartimento di Elettronica e Informazione, P.za Leonardo da Vinci 32, 20133 Milano (Italy), tel. +39-2-23993623, e-mail: Alfonso.Fuggetta@polimi.it, URL: http://www.elet.polimi.it/~fuggetta .