Donald Bren School of Information and Computer Sciences

The ad-hoc nature of work practice is a challenge for developers of systems that attempt to model and support the enaction of work processes. Development in workflow modeling systems has taken a number of approaches to addressing the issue of exceptions, or deviations from the "ideal" process. We suggest that one significant element, that of informal communication between process participants, has been largely overlooked by these efforts. Not only is social interaction a key component of work practice, it serves a particularly important role in addressing unusual situations, solving problems, and coordinating the implementation of those solutions. This paper explores the design space of integrating tools for conversation with workflow systems.