help me define process and procedure?

Question

I have never undertood the basic difference (if there is any) between these two terms "process" and "procedure", could you help me out? it can be answered in programming-terms or in any other terms you like.

Answer 1

A process involves procedures, because the process is the whole, while the procedure is the part. In some languages (like vb, sql) procedure is a method which does not return values, in counterpart to the function that return values. Also in computing a process means a program that is being executed or at least is loaded in memory.

Process is business oriented (it can be represented by a workflow diagram), normally includes a set of business rules, while the procedure is algorithm oriented (it can be represented by a flow diagram).

See:

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Procedure_(term)
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Process_(computing)

Here are the definitions for both terms provided by the Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL):

Procedure: A Document containing steps that specify how to achieve an Activity. Procedures are defined as part of Processes. See Work Instruction.

Process: A structured set of activities designed to accomplish a specific Objective. A Process takes one or more defined inputs and turns them into defined outputs. A Process may include any of the Roles, responsibilities, tools and management Controls required to reliably deliver the outputs. A Process may define Policies, Standards, Guidelines, Activities, and Work Instructions if they are needed.