Process
Process (
lat. processus - movement) is a naturally occurring or designed sequence of
changes of
properties/
attributes of a
system/
object.
From the most general
systemic perspective it can be
continuous or
discrete.
Every
measurement is a process. The process of measurement is the fundamental concept in
physics, and, in practice, in every field of science and engineering.
Identification of a process is a subjective task, because whole Universe demostrates one continuous universal process.Every process has the system property, i.e. can be seen as an
abstract dynamic system and
arbitrarily divided on network of processes. This division depends of the character of changes, their
perception tools and
goal of the observer.
|
Illustration of a process: a geyser in action. |
In
engineering perspective, process refers to
operations or
events, possibly taking up
time,
space,
expertise or other
resource, which produces some outcome. A process may be identified by the changes it creates in the
properties of one or more objects under its
influence. Compare:
project.
A process may be categorized as
singular,
recurrent, or
periodic. A singular process would be one which occurs only once. Few processes in nature can be considered singular. Most processes found in nature are recurrent, or repeat more than once. Recurring processes which repeat at a constant rate are considered periodic. The more periodic a process is the more useful it is as the basis of a
clock. Below are a few specific examples of processes.
*The
Bessemer process is a way of producing
steel.
*The process of
mining extracts
ore.
*
Evolution is a
natural process which explains the adaptation of species over long periods of time. (generally assumed to be an example of a recurrent process)
*The
creation of the universe by God would be an example of a
divine process. (generally assumed to be a singular process)
*
Learning is a process, as are
teaching and
training*
Process music*
Civic governance and
conflict resolution*
Error correction in the
information processing of a
stream of
data.
*
Protein biosynthesis*
process management,
*
process theory,
*
process control*
Integration of System-Process-Function-Goal Interrelations- an example of a systemic approach. Adam Maria Gadomski, 1988.
*
Stage-Gate Product Innovation Process - Developed by Dr. Robert G. Cooper and Dr. Scott J. Edgett
