Business process modeling using a question and answer system

A non-transitory computer usable program product comprising a computer usable storage device including computer usable code for creating a business process model using a question and answer (Q and A) system, the computer usable code comprising:

• computer usable code for modifying, by an application executing in one or more processors, a business process modeling (BPM) tool, wherein the BPM tool comprises a software application that is configured to produce a model output in a specific modeling language using a set of standard process models, a modification comprising enabling the BPM tool to produce the business process model using new instructions corresponding to natural language answers from the Q and A system, the new instructions being distinct from the standard process models, the modification comprising:
• computer usable code for receiving a request to create the business process model of a business process;
• computer usable code for converting, by the application executing in the one or more processors, a document in user domain data into a natural language (NL) document, wherein the user domain data comprises a combination of unstructured documents and structured documents related to an operation in a user domain;
• computer usable code for constructing, by the application executing in the one or more processors, a knowledgebase by adding the NL document in an ontology representation of the knowledgebase, and by adding to the ontology a business process modeling (BPM) data;
• computer usable code for detecting, by the application executing in the one or more processors, a set of relationships, descriptions, labels, and process elements from the knowledgebase;
• computer usable code for transforming, by the application executing in the one or more processors, the request into an NL question;
• computer usable code for parsing, in the Q and A system using the BPM data, the NL question into an ontology-triple of entities participating in an activity in the NL question;
• computer usable code for forming, by the application executing in the one or more processors, a set of frame cuts, each frame cut comprising a relationship of entities in a step of the activity;
• computer usable code for computing a set of answers from the Q and A system responsive to the NL question, an answer in the set of answers identifying a portion of the knowledgebase where a relationship of entities is found;
• computer usable code for receiving, associated with each answer in the set of answers, a set of evidence from the knowledgebase, wherein a first set of evidence associated with a first answer in the set of answers supports the first answer;
• computer usable code for receiving, associated with each answer in the set of answers, a confidence rating, wherein a first confidence rating associated with the first answer indicates a probability that the first answer is correct in view of the first set of evidence for modeling the business process;
• computer usable code for selecting, by the application executing in the one or more processors, the answer from the set of answers using a confidence rating associated with the answer, wherein the confidence rating exceeds a threshold level of confidence;
• computer usable code for constructing, by the application executing in the one or more processors, a set of instructions using the answer, the set of instructions being a part of the new instructions;
• and
• computer usable code for sending the set of instructions to a BPM tool, wherein the set of instructions are executable by the BPM tool to automate a construction of the model.

A data processing system for creating a business process model using a question and answer (Q and A) system, the data processing system comprising:

• a storage device including a storage medium, wherein the storage device stores computer usable program code;
• and
• a processor, wherein the processor executes the computer usable program code, and wherein the computer usable program code comprises:
• computer usable code for modifying, by an application, a business process modeling (BPM) tool, wherein the BPM tool comprises a software application that is configured to produce a model output in a specific modeling language using a set of standard process models, a modification comprising enabling the BPM tool to produce the business process model using new instructions corresponding to natural language answers from the Q and A system, the new instructions being distinct from the standard process models, the modification comprising:
• computer usable code for receiving a request to create the business process model of a business process;
• computer usable code for converting, by the application, a document in user domain data into a natural language (NL) document, wherein the user domain data comprises a combination of unstructured documents and structured documents related to an operation in a user domain;
• computer usable code for constructing, by the application, a knowledgebase by adding the NL document in an ontology representation of the knowledgebase, and by adding to the ontology a business process modeling (BPM) data;
• computer usable code for detecting, by the application, a set of relationships, descriptions, labels, and process elements from the knowledgebase;
• computer usable code for transforming, by the application, the request into an NL question;
• computer usable code for parsing, in the Q and A system using the BPM data, the NL question into an ontology-triple of entities participating in an activity in the NL question;
• computer usable code for forming, by the application, a set of frame cuts, each frame cut comprising a relationship of entities in a step of the activity;
• computer usable code for computing a set of answers from the Q and A system responsive to the NL question, an answer in the set of answers identifying a portion of the knowledgebase where a relationship of entities is found;
• computer usable code for receiving, associated with each answer in the set of answers, a set of evidence from the knowledgebase, wherein a first set of evidence associated with a first answer in the set of answers supports the first answer;
• computer usable code for receiving, associated with each answer in the set of answers, a confidence rating, wherein a first confidence rating associated with the first answer indicates a probability that the first answer is correct in view of the first set of evidence for modeling the business process;
• computer usable code for selecting, by the application, the answer from the set of answers using a confidence rating associated with the answer, wherein the confidence rating exceeds a threshold level of confidence;
• computer usable code for constructing, by the application, a set of instructions using the answer, the set of instructions being a part of the new instructions;
• and
• computer usable code for sending the set of instructions to a BPM tool, wherein the set of instructions are executable by the BPM tool to automate a construction of the model.