François Chung, Ph.D.

Tag: software implementation

Business process and decision modeling

Business process and decision modeling

HPI training, MOOC (2021). This online training introduces concepts of business process modeling using the Business Process Model and Notation (BPMN) industry standard. Based on a thorough understanding of BPMN, the last part of the training covers decision models using the Decision Model and Notation (DMN). Decision models complement process models by representing concrete, operational decisions, both with their structure and their decision logics.

Week 1: Introduction to business process management

Main topics:

  • Defining business processes;
  • Business process models;
  • Interacting business processes;
  • Models and instances;
  • Business process lifecycle.

Week 2: Basic business process modeling

Main topics:

  • Process activities;
  • Exclusive and parallel gateways;
  • Inclusive gateways and loops;
  • Start, intermediate and end events;
  • Concurrency.

Week 3: Analyzing the behavior of process models

Main topics:

  • Process behavior;
  • Structural soundness;
  • Simulating business processes;
  • Petri nets and process analysis;
  • Checking soundness.

Week 4: Advanced business process modeling

Main topics:

  • Sub-processes and boundary events;
  • Activity modifiers;
  • Event-based gateway;
  • Modeling organizations;
  • Resource allocation patterns.

Week 5: Data in business process models

Main topics:

  • Organizing process models;
  • Data and data flow;
  • Data execution semantics;
  • Structured data and sub-processes;
  • Object lifecycle conformance.

Week 6: Business decision modeling

Main topics:

  • Implementation of decisions;
  • Decision requirements diagrams;
  • Semantics of decision tables;
  • Analysis of decision tables;
  • Consistency of processes and decisions.

References

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ArchiMate 3 in practice (Orsys training)
UML class diagrams (edX training)

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BPMN - Business Process Model and Notation
DMN - Decision Model and Notation
openHPI - Hasso Plattner Institute

PKI for identity documents

PKI for identity documents

Zetes project @Brussels, Belgium (2021). A Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) is a set of physical components (e.g. computers and hardware), human procedures (e.g. checks and validation) and software (e.g. system and applications) intended to manage the public keys of the users of a system. The objective is the secure electronic transfer of information for a range of online activities, such as e-commerce and electronic identification (eID).

In the case of electronic identity documents, such as the identity card, a PKI makes it possible to bind public keys to the identity of citizens, whose personal information is not only printed on the identity card, but also stored in the identity card chip. This system not only allows citizens to use their card to identify themselves online (authentication), but also to sign digital documents using a Qualified Electronic Signature (QES).

A PKI can also be used in an international scheme, such as for the verification of passports at country borders. In that case, a country emits passports for its citizens and also puts in place a PKI to allow other countries to check those passports. This means that, when a citizen presents a passport at the border control, the inspection system checks the identity information both printed on the passport and stored in the passport chip.

As a Functional Analyst and Product Owner within Zetes People ID’s development team, my tasks are related to the analysis of PKI software needs, whether internal or from the customer (e.g. requirement gathering and product presentation), PKI software implementation (e.g. software releases and documentation) and project management (e.g. project coordination during change requests).

References

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Identity proofing (Zetes project)

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UML class diagrams

UML class diagrams

edX training, MOOC (2020). This online computer science training from KU Leuven (BE) provides an in-depth understanding of Unified Modeling Language (UML) class diagrams, which are used to visually represent the conceptual design of a system. The training presents UML class diagrams and explains how they are used to map out the structure of a business domain by showing business objects, their attributes and associations.

Week 1: Introduction

Main topics:

  • Why does data modelling matter?
  • Modelling languages.

Week 2: UML basics

Main topics:

  • Attributes and data types;
  • Class definitions;
  • Unary and ternary association;
  • Aggregation;
  • Derived and implicit association;
  • Parallel paths.

Week 3: UML advanced

Main topics:

  • Superclass, subclass and inheritance;
  • Generalisation sets;
  • Constraints on generalisation and specialisation;
  • Inherited associations;
  • AssociationClass;
  • Association reification.

References

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UML - Unified Modeling Language
edX

Visa Claims Resolution

Visa Claims Resolution

FIS project @Brussels, Belgium (2018). It can take up to 100 days to resolve a chargeback, which means for a merchant over 3 months worrying about the disputed transaction. This is why Visa released in April 2018 its new global dispute resolution process: Visa Claims Resolution (VCR). As a consequence, disputes are now moderated by Visa’s automated tool Visa Resolve Online (VROL). Objective is to cut down on time, cost, and the number of chargebacks.

One of the main features of VCR is that invalid chargebacks are eliminated whenever possible. This means if a customer tries to initiate a chargeback when it is past the time limit, or when minimum criteria are not met, Visa will block the dispute from becoming a chargeback. Requiring this extra information from the beginning reduces unnecessary chargebacks, helps merchants understand why the chargeback occurred, and ultimately saves time for everyone involved.

Here are other important VCR features:

  • Time limit change: merchants have 30 days, instead of 45 days, to respond to a Visa chargeback;
  • Dispute workflows: new workflows are Allocation (fraud and authorization chargebacks) and Collaboration (interaction required between merchants, acquirers and issuers);
  • New reason codes: there are 4 dispute categories:
    • 10 - Fraud;
    • 11 - Authorization;
    • 12 - Processing Errors;
    • 13 - Consumer Disputes.

Within CBK product implementation teams, my role consists in discussing, clarifying and taking note of the VCR requirements expressed during on-site workshops by the clients with respect to their business processes (e.g. business, clearing, IT). These requirements are then analyzed and documented at the office, and finally validated through an agreed scope document.

References

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CBK software (FIS project)

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VCR – Visa Claims Resolution
FIS – Fidelity National Information Services Inc.

CBK software

CBK software

FIS project @Brussels, Belgium (2017). CBK is a chargeback processing software provided by FIS, which resolves disputed transactions while minimizing fraud loss. CBK is implemented at major banks and card processing centers, offers one single interface to cover all types of exception processing problems, cutting down operational costs, ensuring real financial control and relieving users from repetitive and highly time-consuming tasks to focus on decision making.

Key benefits of CBK are:

  • One single solution for both issuer and acquirer exception processing;
  • Support of the whole chargeback cycle (e.g. retrieval requests and miscellaneous);
  • Easy direct access to the original transactions;
  • Easy user interface to all data (e.g. clearing items);
  • Fast and easy generation of reports and statistics.

More precisely, some of the main features of CBK include:

  • International, domestic and on-us dispute management;
  • Multi-currency, multi-bank and multi-platform solution;
  • Fraud reporting and deadline control;
  • EMV compliance and clearing rule validation;
  • Interfaces to card, merchant and document management systems;
  • Interfaces to accounting systems;
  • Business rule automation;
  • Modular architecture and open database system.

Within the CBK team, my tasks are related to business analysis (e.g. product presentation and meeting the client to discuss its business needs), software implementation (e.g. configuration of the solution within the client’s environment and post project support) and project management (e.g. project coordination during the software implementation phase).

References

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FIS – Fidelity National Information Services Inc.