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Showing papers on "Workflow published in 1995"


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This paper provides a high-level overview of the current workflow management methodologies and software products and discusses how distributed object management and customized transaction management can support further advances in the commercial state of the art in this area.
Abstract: Today's business enterprises must deal with global competition, reduce the cost of doing business, and rapidly develop new services and products. To address these requirements enterprises must constantly reconsider and optimize the way they do business and change their information systems and applications to support evolving business processes. Workflow technology facilitates these by providing methodologies and software to support (i) business process modeling to capture business processes as workflow specifications, (ii) business process reengineering to optimize specified processes, and (iii) workflow automation to generate workflow implementations from workflow specifications. This paper provides a high-level overview of the current workflow management methodologies and software products. In addition, we discuss the infrastructure technologies that can address the limitations of current commercial workflow technology and extend the scope and mission of workflow management systems to support increased workflow automation in complex real-world environments involving heterogeneous, autonomous, and distributed information systems. In particular, we discuss how distributed object management and customized transaction management can support further advances in the commercial state of the art in this area.

1,687 citations


Proceedings ArticleDOI
13 Aug 1995
TL;DR: A Petri net formalism is used to analyze structural change within office procedures and proves that a class of change called “synthetic cut-over change” maintains correctness when downsizing occurs.
Abstract: Dynamic change is a large and pervasive unsolved problem which surfaces within office systems as well as within software engineering, manufacturing, and numerous other domains. Procedural changes, performed in an ad hoc manner, can cause inefficiencies, inconsistencies, and catastrophic breakdowns within offices. This paper is concerned with dynamic change to procedures in the context of workflow systems. How can we make workflow systems more flexible and open? We believe that part of the answer lies in the study and solution of the dynamic change problem. In this paper, we use a Petri net formalism to analyze structural change within office procedures. As an example, we define a class of change called “synthetic cut-over change”, and apply our formalism to prove that this class maintains correctness when downsizing occurs.

563 citations


Patent
02 Jun 1995
TL;DR: Workflow managers as discussed by the authors provide computer assisted, graphical tools for defining and managing complex processes in terms of a workflow including step encapsulations and dependency relationships, which can be expressed as boolean relationships using step states or data values as arguments.
Abstract: A workflow manager system provides computer-assisted, graphical tools for defining and managing complex processes in terms of a workflow. A workflow includes a number of steps having step encapsulations and dependency relationships. Step encapsulations define the work to be performed by a step in a work flow such as launching a design tool. The dependency relationships represent the conditions that must be satisfied before a step can be performed and can be expressed in terms of boolean relationships using step and data states or data values as arguments. The workflow system manages the state of a workflow including the state of steps and data, and makes the workflow and its related data accessible to multiple users.

364 citations


Book ChapterDOI
10 Sep 1995
TL;DR: This paper reports fieldwork from an organization in the print industry, examining a workflow system introduced to the shopfloor, suggesting CSCW requirements should acknowledge such exigencies and the organizational status of workflow technologies.
Abstract: This paper reports fieldwork from an organization in the print industry, examining a workflow system introduced to the shopfloor. We detail the indigenous methods by which members order their work, contrast this with the order provided by the system, and describe how members have attempted to accommodate the two. Although it disrupted shopfloor work, the system's use was a contractural requirement on the organization to make its services accountable. This suggests workflow systems can often be seen as technologies for organizational ordering and accountability. We conclude that CSCW requirements should acknowledge such exigencies and the organizational status of workflow technologies.

334 citations


Patent
06 Dec 1995
TL;DR: In this article, a workflow graph construct is proposed for participatory document evaluation by a plurality of reviewers utilizing a feed forward synchronization schema defined as workflow graph (52) construct, which allows one to define efficient document evaluation strategies that take advantage of the inherent parallelism within a business process, and take into account the data dependencies exhibited by the business process.
Abstract: A method for structuring the process of participatory document evaluation by a plurality of reviewers utilizing a feed-forward synchronization schema defined as a workflow graph (52) construct. The workflow graph construct allows one to define efficient document evaluation strategies that take advantage of the inherent parallelism within a business process, and take into account the data dependencies exhibited by the business process. Independent aspects of each document are evaluated in parallel, and a stage evaluation is started when all required data (including data provided by other reviewers) is available. The workflow graph construct assembles together a set of workflow objects (review (46), roles (48), stages (50), document (44)), and associates a set of functional properties to each of them. The topology of the workflow graph describes the synchronization schema, while the functional properties provide additional flexibility and further refine the evaluation strategy. A method for managing the process of participatory document evaluation by a plurality of reviewers utilizing a programmed computer system. Documents to be reviewed are prepared by a set of preparers, and are stored into a database (38). Reviewers participate in the review process by evaluating aspects of the document within their area of expertise. Depending on the information in each individual document, a set of reviewers is notified that the document is ready for their review. Each reviewer is notified at the time appropriate for his/her role via electronic mail by a workflow manager (30).

237 citations


Patent
18 Apr 1995
TL;DR: In this article, a system and method for automatically generating and controlling workflows that include a number of processes uses a workflow server computer and a client computer coupled to the workflow server by a network.
Abstract: A system and method for automatically generating and controlling workflows that include a number of processes uses a workflow server computer and a client computer coupled to the workflow server by a network. The workflow server computer has an object repository and a rule engine. The client computer has a workflow builder structure and a graphical user interface. The workflow builder structure includes a rule builder by which users can interactively construct rules for a workflow.

231 citations


Book ChapterDOI
01 Jan 1995
TL;DR: This paper explores a novel distributed architecture, Exotica/FMQM, for workflow systems in which the need for such a centralized database is eliminated and persistent messages are used as the means to store the information relevant to the execution of a business process.
Abstract: In the past few years there has been an increasing interest in workflow applications as a way of supporting complex business processes in modern corporations. Given the nature of the environment and the technology involved, workflow applications are inherently distributed and pose many interesting challenges to the system designer. In most cases, a client/server architecture is used in which knowledge about the processes being executed is centralized in one node to facilitate monitoring, auditing, and to simplify synchronization. In this paper, we explore a novel distributed architecture, Exotica/FMQM, for workflow systems in which the need for such a centralized database is eliminated. Instead, we use persistent messages as the means to store the information relevant to the execution of a business process. Our approach is to completely distribute the execution of a process so individual nodes are independent. The advantages of this approach are increased resilience to failures and greater scalability and flexibility of the system configuration.

220 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The article identifies and examines extensions to the basic client/server model that provide explicit support for coordinating multiserver interactions.
Abstract: A major limitation in the basic client/server model is its focus on clients requesting individual services. Clients often need to invoke multiple services, coordinated to reflect how those services interrelate and contribute to the overall application. Important examples include task allocation and event notification in collaborative workgroup systems, and task sequencing and routing in workflow applications. Failure to address control requirements for such interactions has impeded development of uniform methods and tools for building many types of distributed systems with client/server architectures. The article identifies and examines extensions to the basic client/server model that provide explicit support for coordinating multiserver interactions. >

212 citations


Proceedings Article
01 Jan 1995
TL;DR: The aim of this paper is to present a workflow model which significantly facilitates the design and reliable management of complex business processes supported by an automatic mechanism to handle exceptions.
Abstract: Workflow technology has not yet lived up to its expectations not only because of social problems but also because of technical problems, like inflexible and rigid process specification and execution mechanisms and insufficient possibilities to handle exceptions. The aim of this paper is to present a workflow model which significantly facilitates the design and reliable management of complex business processes supported by an automatic mechanism to handle exceptions. The strength of the model is its simplicity and the application independent transaction facility (advanced control mechanism for workflow units) which guarantees reliable execution of workflow activities.

200 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This paper presents a computational model for workflows that captures the behavior of both transactional and non-transactional tasks of different types, and develops two languages for specifying a workflow at different levels of abstraction.
Abstract: The computing environment in most medium-sized and large enterprises involves old main-frame based (legacy) applications and systems as well as new workstation-based distributed computing systems The objective of the METEOR project is to support multi-system workflow applications that automate enterprise operations This paper deals with the modeling and specification of workflows in such applications Tasks in our heterogeneous environment can be submitted through different types of interfaces on different processing entities We first present a computational model for workflows that captures the behavior of both transactional and non-transactional tasks of different types We then develop two languages for specifying a workflow at different levels of abstraction: the Workflow Specification Language (WFSL) is a declarative rule-based language used to express the application-level interactions between multiple tasks, while the Task Specification Language (TSL) focuses on the issues related to individual tasks These languages are designed to address the important issues of inter-task dependencies, data formatting, data exchange, error handling, and recovery The paper also presents an architecture for the workflow management system that supports the model and the languages

188 citations



Patent
15 Dec 1995
TL;DR: In this paper, a computer-implemented task workflow management system is provided which includes a workflow engine, which routes tasks in a predetermined task execution sequence to one or more workers and provides access to data and documents required by each worker to complete a particular task.
Abstract: A computer-implemented task workflow management system is provided which includes a workflow engine. The workflow engine routes tasks in a predetermined task execution sequence to one or more workers. In addition, the workflow engine provides access to data and documents required by each worker to complete a particular task. A rule evaluator mechanism is operatively coupled to the workflow engine to evaluate a plurality of rules describing the predetermined task execution sequence such that the workflow management system is rule-based. An external program execution mechanism is operatively coupled to the rule evaluator mechanism to execute a program instruction external to the workflow management system such that functionality of the workflow management system can be extended beyond a core workflow management feature set in the workflow engine.

Book ChapterDOI
01 Jan 1995
TL;DR: This work proposes to support business transactions by compensation based partial backward recovery of the control flow within an instance of a business process by extending the metcunodel of IBM FlowMark to support spheres of joint compensation.
Abstract: Workflow management systems are used today to realize advanced, distributed application systems, e.g. to support and control real world business processes like office procedures. With the increase of sophistication of these application systems a flexible transaction concept is required to be added to the workflow management system. Business processes exploiting such advanced transaction features are often referred to as “business transactions„. We propose to support business transactions by compensation based partial backward recovery of the control flow within an instance of a business process. Work units of a business process which are defined to be potentially subject to such kind of recovery are introduced as “spheres of joint compensation„ For the workflow management system IBM FlowMark we show in detail how its metcunodel can be extended to support spheres of joint compensation.

Book
28 Aug 1995
TL;DR: This chapter discusses the design and implementation of the PROMET Method, a novel approach to business engineering that combines elements of EMMARM, the modularity of the E-commerce system, and more.
Abstract: Contents: Introduction: The Transformation of the Economy.- Business Transformation and its Roots.- Business Engineering.- The PROMET Method.- Reader's Guide.- Organization Design: The Goals of Organization Design.- Process Model.- Process Vision.- Output Analysis.- Flow Planning.- Workflow Planning.- Process Management.- Architecture Planning.- IT Assessment.- Customer Relationship Analysis.- Activity-Specific Analyses.- Benchmarking.- Organizational Monitoring.- Further Reading.- Data Design: Data Design Objectives.- Data Model.- Normalization.- 'Semantic and Object-Oriented Data Modelling'.- Keys.- Integrity Conditions.- Code Tables.- Providing Data History.- Data Integration.- Implementing the Data Modell.- Further Reading.- Function Design: Objectives of Function Design.- Function Model.- Derivation of Transactions.- Checking for Completeness.- Derivation of Applications and Databases.- Transaction Network.- Lists and Messages.- Designing the User Interface.- Control Structure.- Authorization.- Workflow Design.- Further Reading.- Foundations of a Business Engineering Method: Business Engineering Levels.- Business Engineering Meta-Modell.- Business Engineering Method.

Patent
Steven D. Gadol1
08 Dec 1995
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors present a system and a method for automating workflow by distributing the tasks required for the execution of said workflow over servers and clients connected on a network, which allows the stages of the workflow to be performed asynchronously, meaning that, once a workflow initiated by a user has been initiated by database server, the stages can be executed on respective network clients without further interaction with the server.
Abstract: A system and method for automating workflow by distributing the tasks required for the execution of said workflow over servers and clients connected on a network. The disclosed system and method allow the stages of the workflow to be performed asynchronously, meaning that, once a workflow initiated by a user has been initiated by a database server, the stages of the workflow can be executed on respective network clients without further interaction with the server (i.e., without requiring a stateful connection between the clients and servers). This is accomplished through the use of a workflow courier that embodies all programs (encompassing rules governing the execution of the workflow) and forms needed by clients to complete stages of the workflow. The workflow courier also stores workflow state information that indicates which stages of the workflow have been completed. The executable programs are written in the platform-independent Java programming language and are therefore executable on any computer that has an installed Java browser. After each stage is executed, the client executing that stage updates the workflow courier and transmits the updated workflow courier to a client having an associated user who is authorized to perform the next step in the workflow. The updated state information indicates to the recipient of the workflow which stages remain to be completed.

Book
17 Apr 1995
TL;DR: Objects of Collaboration.
Abstract: Objects of Collaboration. Client/Server Architecture and Collaborative Computing. Electronic Messaging and Mail Systems. Workflow: Computer-Supported Collaborative Work Processing. Electronic Meetings (EMs). Conclusions. References. Index.

Book ChapterDOI
13 Dec 1995
TL;DR: A convergence between workflow management and databases is occurring, where workflow management systems need to be more integrated with data management technology, particularly as it concerns the access to external databases.
Abstract: Workflow management is emerging as a challenging area for databases, stressing database technology beyond its current capabilities. Workflow management systems need to be more integrated with data management technology, in particular as it concerns the access to external databases. Thus, a convergence between workflow management and databases is occurring.

Patent
11 Dec 1995
TL;DR: In this article, a carrier of cargo can effectively manage a system to process customer cargo claims using a computer, a storage medium, and programing to organize incoming information, store the information in memory, and assign the folders to various workflow queues in order to process the claim.
Abstract: The method and system allow a carrier of cargo to effectively manage a system to process customer cargo claims. The method and system utilize a computer, a storage medium, and programing to organize incoming information, store the information in memory, and assign the folders to various workflow queues in order to process the claim. This system and method allow additional information to be input at any point and allows retrieval of any information previously input on any claim. The system has the ability to interface with existing data systems to optimize the performance of the system for claim processing

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The main idea of WMS can be described in one simple sentence: Existing Workflow Management Systems are the 1st Generation of BPMS and have the ability to delegate business tasks to the right people at the right time using the right information resources.
Abstract: In the last years a lot of research has been done in different domains concerning information system applications. Recent research is characterized by the effort of applying information systems to heterogeneous and distributed environments. Information systems dealing with the definition, administration, customization and evaluation of tasks evolving from business processes as well as from organizational structures are called Business Process Management Systems (BPMS).Recognizing the need of such systems a lot of software companies are entering the markets with first innovative products, based on workflow-based technology, called Workflow Management Systems (WMS). These products have the ability to define and control the workflow in an organization, transfer data, and integrate legacy information systems, existing programs and program modules with the goal of facilitating a vendor's transformation to a "professional services" focus [Sil 95].The main idea of WMS can be described in one simple sentence: Existing Workflow Management Systems are the 1st Generation of BPMS and have the ability to delegate business tasks to the right people at the right time using the right information resources.A BPMS can achieve such a goal only if it offers various task management services. Among these services, the appropriate modeling of the business processes and underlying organizations is the most essential. Support for analysis in order to verify, evaluate and modify processes and organizational structures is also of great importance. Furthermore, a BPMS should support the use of knowledge concerning the awareness/unawareness of integrated software.


Proceedings ArticleDOI
04 Jan 1995
TL;DR: This work introduces policy resolution (PR) for workflow management systems (WFMS) as service to assign work to agents as a framework for defining arbitrary role and organization models together with operations suiting the needs of workflow management system.
Abstract: We introduce policy resolution (PR) for workflow management systems (WFMS) as service to assign work to agents. Policy resolution is a framework for defining arbitrary role and organization models together with operations suiting the needs of workflow management systems. >

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, a business process redesign (BPR) initiative in a major Hong Kong bank is examined in detail, while a strategic management framework for large-scale process innovation is proposed.

Proceedings ArticleDOI
13 Aug 1995
TL;DR: This paper hopes to make a contribution on three aspects of workflow systems: the fact that there is a broken symetry between the level of the specification of the procedures and thelevel of their enactment is stressed; some ways of classifying activities and exceptions are proposed; and some run-time functionalities are proposed to help users deal with exceptions.
Abstract: This paper hopes to make a contribution on three aspects of workflow systems: we stress the fact that there is a broken symetry between the level of the specification of the procedures and the level of their enactment; we propose some ways of classifying activities and exceptions; and we propose some run-time functionalities to help users deal with exceptions.

Book
01 May 1995
TL;DR: The best ebooks about New Tools For New Times The Workflow Paradigm New Tools for New Times that you can get for free here by download this New tools for new times the workflow paradigm new tools forNew Times the workflow paradigms new tools business process management and tool support.


02 Jan 1995
TL;DR: Trigger modelling is a technique that is meant to assist in the analysis of workflows in order to automate (parts of) the workflow.
Abstract: Trigger modelling is a technique that is meant to assist in the analysis of workflows in order to automate (parts of) the workflow. The simplicitity of the technique makes it usable for workflow analysts in practice. The technique has a formal semantics, which makes it suitable for support by CASE tools. It has been validated by user experiments and by building a prototype.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The paper traces the development of a family of task support systems starting with the Poise system in the early 1980s, showing that office information systems such as Poise suffered from procedural rigidity, resulting in limited applicability.
Abstract: The paper traces the development of a family of task support systems. Starting with the Poise system in the early 1980s, we visited issues such as office automation and the paperless office. We showed that office information systems such as Poise suffered from procedural rigidity, resulting in limited applicability. Knowledge-based techniques then emerged to meet these limitations. The successor to Poise was Polymer, a task support system built upon a plan-based expert system. D-Polymer, the distributed version, followed, expanding the scope of Polymer to multiple users (workgroups). D-Polymer used techniques from distributed artificial intelligence for multiagent coordination. A parallel trend in workgroup support in the late 1980s and early 1990s was the tool perspective that heavily influenced CSCW systems. The tool perspective viewed systems such as D-Polymer as overly complex, favoring highly user-centered tools. Acknowledging the contributions of the tool perspective, we developed D-Polymer to address workflow issues. The most recent member in the Poise/Polymer line of research is Polyflow. This workflow system uses the power of goal-based knowledge representation to assist in planning, monitoring, and repairing workflows with emphasis on the users and their workgroups. >

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: An overview of the Exotica project, currently in progress at the IBM Almaden Research Center, aims at exploring several research areas from advanced transaction management concepts to client/server architectures and mobile computing within the context of business processes and workflow management.
Abstract: This paper is an overview of the Exotica project, currently in progress at the IBM Almaden Research Center. The project aims at exploring several research areas from advanced transaction management concepts to client/server architectures and mobile computing within the context of business processes and workflow management. The ultimate goal is to incorporate these ideas into IBM's products and prototypes. The project involves IBM groups in Almaden (U.S.A.), Hursley (U.K.), Boeblingen (Germany), and Vienna (Austria). In this paper we briefly describe two IBM products, FlowMark, a workflow management system, and MQSeries, a messaging system, as the environments in which we are focusing our research. We also discuss some of our results in the areas of availability, replication, distribution, and advanced transaction models, as well as describe our future research directions. 10

Proceedings ArticleDOI
01 Dec 1995
TL;DR: This paper presents an approach for integrating simulation modeling and analysis capabilities within the workflow management system (WFMS) being developed in the Large Scale Distributed Information Systems (LSDIS) Lab at the University of Georgia.
Abstract: This paper presents an approach for integrating simulation modeling and analysis capabilities within the workflow management system (WFMS) being developed in the Large Scale Distributed Information Systems (LSDIS) Lab at the University of Georgia. Simulation modeling can be used for studying the efficiency of workflow designs as well as studying the general performance and reliability of WFMSs. We also discuss the importance of using sophisticated monitoring and animation capabilities, and the use of workflow management technology to advance simulation technology itself. Finally, we demonstrate a sample simulation where tasks and task managers are simulated.

Book
29 Mar 1995
TL;DR: This book shows how workflow processes and tools work, offers guidance for analyzing the effectiveness of various tools and design methodologies for workflow analysis, and provides definitions of new terms and technologies.
Abstract: From the Publisher: Written by an authority on workflow technology and methods, this book provides a thorough and easy-to-understand explanation of the workflow concept, its benefits, and its implementation Using four real-world case studies, the book shows how workflow processes and tools work, offers guidance for analyzing the effectiveness of various tools and design methodologies for workflow analysis, and provides definitions of new terms and technologies