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To explain why we became interested in creating an
agent-based language to model and simulate human work practice, we need to
go back in history. In an effort to design a new work system in one of the
former Bell Telephone Operating Companies, the work system designers used
an off-the-shelf workflow simulation tool to model the old and the new
work process. The newly created design of this work process included a new
designed coordination role. The work of a person playing this role did not
include work activities that operated directly on the work product (i.e.
the implementation of a high-speed data line).
It turned out that it was very difficult to
include this type of coordination work into a workflow model. The result
was that the workflow model did not explain the need for this new
coordination role. The frustration of the design team was that they could
not explain the importance of this new role using the model, while the
rationale of their design was solely based on the introduction of this new
coordination role.
Ironically, the company, because of the convincing
power of the workflow simulation, adopted the design. However, in the
implementation of the design the model gave little support and rationale
for the design. In order to have a computer model that is convincing to
the deciding powers, helpful for the understanding of the design, and
helpful in the communication of that design, we started our effort in
developing a modeling language and simulation environment that allows us
to model the work activities and collaboration of people in a work
process. Although useful, a workflow model typically omits collaboration,
"off-task" behaviors, multi-tasking, interrupt and resume,
informal interaction, and geography. In other words, workflow omits work
practice.
Therefore, we developed the Brahms multi-agent
language. Brahms allows us to model the work activities of each type of
role, and each individual (or artifact) playing that role in an
organization. The focus of a Brahms model is on the context of work,
meaning, how does the work really happen. One of the essential
requirements for Brahms is that we can model collaboration and
coordination between people working on one task, as well as that people
can work on more than one task at a time, and are interrupted and able to
resume their activities where they left off.
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