Behavioral patterns

In the PQR formula, we model activities (P and Q) that contribute somehow to goals (R). Two kind of activities are identified: what (P) and how (Q). There is no strict separation between these two kind of activities since a how-activity can be a what-activity for its constituents, and so on. However, from a modelling point of view, making this distinction is useful because it provides a mean to decompose a main activity in sub-activities, which together make up the main activity. Also, the PQR formula allows for modeling alternative ways of achieving a particular goal, that is, more than one how-activity to realize a what-activity. More formally we say that Q-activities introduce degrees of freedom.

So the Q-part of the PQR formula is used in two distinct but closely related ways: firstly, to model alternative ways to realize a what-activity, and secondly, to refine a what-activity in sub-activities. In this section, we focus on the latter. In particular, we show how sub-activities are related using temporal orderings like the sequencing of activities and the paralleling of activities. These orderings are called behavioral patterns because they describe ordering in activities. Note that these behavioral patterns can be seen as process description, but also as cognitive processes which impact can be observed eventually by means of their outcomes. As in the purposeful activity model of SSM, we model human activity, not daydreaming.

The way patterns are modeled is derived from Use Case Maps (UCM), a modeling technique with which behavior of and interactions between (software) components can be described at a high level of abstraction. We broaden our horizon to model larger units than just human activity systems, such as organizations and communities. But in the end, these units are made of humans, or to put it differently, humans cooperate and together they form organizations and communities.

For the time being, the UCM constructs are shown in the EM_ont overview.

Behavioral patterns

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