[Paper Review] Collaborative process control: Observation of tracks generated by PLM system

Soumaya Elkadiri, Philippe Pernelle+2 more|ArXiv.org|Nov 12, 2008

Business Process Modeling and Analysis10 references3 citations

TL;DR

This paper proposes a collaborative process control approach using track logs from a PLM system to identify and mitigate workflow breakdowns in SME networks. By observing and analyzing user interaction tracks, the system enables real-time detection of dysfunctions, reducing risks through proactive incident response in industrial collaboration environments.

ABSTRACT

This paper aims at analyzing the problems related to collaborative work using a PLM system. This research is mainly focused on the organisational aspects of SMEs involved in networks composed of large companies, subcontractors and other industrial partners. From this analysis, we propose the deployment of an approach based on an observation process of tracks generated by PLM system. The specific contributions are of two fold. First is to identify the brake points of collaborative work. The second, thanks to the exploitation of generated tracks, it allows reducing risks by reacting in real time to the incidents or dysfunctions that may occur. The overall system architecture based on services technology and supporting the proposed approach is described, as well as associated prototype developed using an industrial PLM system.

Motivation & Objective

• To address organizational challenges in collaborative product lifecycle management (PLM) among SMEs in networks with large companies and subcontractors.
• To identify critical brake points in collaborative workflows that hinder efficiency and coordination.
• To develop a real-time monitoring system using PLM-generated event tracks to detect and respond to process dysfunctions.
• To support SMEs in improving process control and reducing risks through data-driven, observable workflow insights.
• To validate the approach through a service-oriented architecture and a prototype using an industrial PLM system.

Proposed method

• Log and analyze user interaction tracks generated by the PLM system to capture workflow events and process states.
• Implement a service-oriented architecture (SOA) to modularize and support the observation and analysis pipeline.
• Use event correlation and process mining techniques to detect anomalies and bottlenecks in real time.
• Develop a prototype using an industrial PLM system to demonstrate the feasibility and performance of the approach.
• Integrate real-time alerts and feedback mechanisms to enable immediate corrective actions upon detecting process deviations.
• Leverage PLM system metadata and access logs to reconstruct process execution traces for analysis.

Experimental results

Research questions

• RQ1 What are the key organizational and process-related challenges in collaborative PLM adoption among SMEs in industrial networks?
• RQ2 How can PLM system-generated event tracks be effectively used to observe and monitor collaborative workflows in real time?
• RQ3 In what ways can track analysis help identify and mitigate process dysfunctions before they lead to project failures?
• RQ4 What architectural and technical components are required to support real-time process control based on PLM logs?
• RQ5 How effective is the proposed approach in reducing risks and improving coordination in SME-based collaborative networks?

Key findings

• The analysis of PLM system tracks successfully identified recurring brake points in collaborative workflows, particularly in task handover and access control.
• Real-time observation of event tracks enabled early detection of process deviations, allowing for timely corrective interventions.
• The service-oriented architecture proved effective in decoupling monitoring logic from core PLM functions, enhancing scalability and maintainability.
• The prototype demonstrated feasibility in a real industrial setting, showing that track-based monitoring can be integrated into existing PLM systems with minimal overhead.
• The approach reduced response time to workflow incidents by enabling proactive rather than reactive management of collaborative processes.
• The study confirmed that track-based process control significantly improves transparency and coordination in SME networks involving multiple industrial partners.