Business process diagram visualization using heat maps

A method, in a data processing system comprising at least one processor and at least one memory, for displaying information regarding a business process, comprising:

• storing historical data regarding the business process in one or more storage devices associated with the data processing system;
• displaying, by the data processing system, a diagram of the business process on the display, wherein the diagram comprises a plurality of icons connected by lines, wherein each of the icons represents a respective step in the business process, wherein the lines indicate flow paths between the steps in the business process;
• analyzing, by the data processing system, the historical data to determine first information regarding one or more steps and/or flow paths in the business process;
• displaying, by the data processing system, first graphical indications associated with at least one of a first subset of icons and/or a first subset of lines in the diagram in response to said analyzing, wherein the graphical indications visually indicate characteristics of corresponding steps and/or flow paths in the business process;
• storing simulation data regarding a simulation of the business process in the one or more storage devices associated with the data processing system;
• comparing, by the data processing system, the historical data and the simulation data to determine differences in characteristics of steps and/or flow paths in the business process;
• and
• displaying, by the data processing system, second graphical indications in the diagram associated with icons and/or lines in the diagram in response to said comparing, wherein the second graphical indications visually indicate the differences in characteristics of the steps and/or flow paths in the business process.

A data processing system, comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a memory coupled to the memory, the memory comprising instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
• store historical data regarding the business process;
• display a diagram of the business process on the display, wherein the diagram comprises a plurality of icons connected by lines, wherein each of the icons represents a respective step in the business process, wherein the lines indicate flow paths between the steps in the business process;
• analyze the historical data to determine first information regarding one or more steps and/or flow paths in the business process;
• display first graphical indications associated with at least one of a first subset of icons and/or a first subset of lines in the diagram in response to said analyzing, wherein the graphical indications visually indicate characteristics of corresponding steps and/or flow paths in the business process;
• store simulation data regarding a simulation of the business process;
• compare the historical data and the simulation data to determine differences in characteristics of steps and/or flow paths in the business process;
• and
• display second graphical indications in the diagram associated with icons and/or lines in the diagram in response to said comparing, wherein the second graphical indications visually indicate the differences in characteristics of the steps and/or flow paths in the business process.