Showing papers on "Workflow published in 2002"

Modeling Quality of Service for Workflows and Web Service Processes

Abstract: Workflow management systems (WfMSs) have been used to support various types of business processes for more than a decade now. In workflows for e-commerce and Web service applications, suppliers and customers define a binding agreement or contract between the two parties, specifying Quality of Service (QoS) items such as products or services to be delivered, deadlines, quality of products, and cost of services. The management of QoS metrics directly impacts the success of organizations participating in e-commerce. Therefore, when services or products are created or managed using workflows, the underlying workflow system must accept the specifications and be able to estimate, monitor, and control the QoS rendered to customers. In this paper, we present a predictive QoS model that makes it possible to compute the quality of service for workflows automatically based on atomic task QoS attributes. To this end, we present a model that specifies QoS and describe an algorithm and a simulation system in order to compute, analyze and monitor workflow QoS metrics.

YAWL: yet another workflow language

Abstract: Based on a rigorous analysis of existing workflow management systems and workflow languages, a new workflow language is proposed: yet another workflow language (YAWL). To identify the differences between the various languages, we have collected a fairly complete set of workflow patterns. Based on these patterns we have evaluated several workflow products and detected considerable differences in their ability to capture control flows for non-trivial workflow processes. Languages based on Petri nets perform better when it comes to state-based workflow patterns. However, some patterns (e.g. involving multiple instances, complex synchronisations or non-local withdrawals) are not easy to map onto (high-level) Petri nets. This inspired us to develop a new language by taking Petri nets as a starting point and adding mechanisms to allow for a more direct and intuitive support of the workflow patterns identified. This paper motivates the need for such a language, specifies the semantics of the language, and shows that soundness can be verified in a compositional way. Although YAWL is intended as a complete workflow language, the focus of this paper is limited to the control-flow perspective.

System and method for building multi-modal and multi-channel applications

Abstract: A system and method are provided for visually building multi-channel and multi-modal applications. The system includes a process design module for designing application workflow, an integration design module for integrating data sources into the application; a presentation design module for designing application views; a media library; and a componentization module, for packaging designed workflow into reusable components. The system further includes an interactive development/design environment (IDE). The IDE provides a graphical user interface for allowing a developer to visually interact with and operate modules. The system allows a developer to design a single application that can operate across multiple network standards, devices, browsers and languages, and that operate in one or more modes, such as real-time, off-line and asynchronous modes.

Metamodelling Platforms

Abstract: The elements of an enterprise are managed more and more model-based. The state-of-the-art in the area of modelling of organisations is based on fixed metamodels. Product models are created by using product modelling environments, process models are created in business process modelling tools and organisational models are realised in personnel management tools. Web service models link these business models to information technology. They are created by using standardised languages and common ontologies. Information technology is modelled in tools supporting notions such as workflow or object-orientation. The models of the company's strategy, goals and the appropriate measurements are described and monitored by using tools supporting management concepts such as Balanced Scorecard.Major requirements to an enterprise modelling platform are flexibility and adaptability. These are fulfilled by environments providing flexible metamodelling capabilities. The main characteristic of such environments is that the formalism of modelling - the metamodel - can be freely defined. This raises research issues on how to design, manage, distribute and use such metamodels on a syntactic as well as on a semantic level and how to integrate, run and maintain a metamodelling platform in a corporation's environment.Platforms based on metamodelling concepts should support the following topics: 1. Engineering the business models & their web services 2. Designing and realizing the corresponding information technology 3. Evaluating the used corporation resources and assets.This paper presents a framework for metamodelling platforms and gives some answers to the research issues stated above. As part of the framework flexible metamodel integration mechanisms, using meta-metamodels (meta2-models) and semantical mapping, are discussed. Additionally, a system architecture and the building blocks of a corporate metamodelling platform are described. Finally, best practices from three EU funded projects - REFINE, ADVISOR, and PROMOTE - all realised with industrial partners, are presented.

Semantics and Verification of UML Activity Diagrams for Workflow Modelling

Abstract: This thesis defines a formal semantics for UML activity diagrams that is suitable for workflow modelling. The semantics allows verification of functional requirements using model checking. Since a workflow specification prescribes how a workflow system behaves, the semantics is defined and motivated in terms of workflow systems. As workflow systems are reactive and coordinate activities, the defined semantics reflects these aspects. In fact, two formal semantics are defined, which are completely different. Both semantics are defined directly in terms of activity diagrams and not by a mapping of activity diagrams to some existing formal notation. The requirements-level semantics, based on the Statemate semantics of statecharts, assumes that workflow systems are infinitely fast w.r.t. their environment and react immediately to input events (this assumption is called the perfect synchrony hypothesis). The implementation-level semantics, based on the UML semantics of statecharts, does not make this assumption. Due to the perfect synchrony hypothesis, the requirements-level semantics is unrealistic, but easy to use for verification. On the other hand, the implementation-level semantics is realistic, but difficult to use for verification. A class of activity diagrams and a class of functional requirements is identified for which the outcome of the verification does not depend upon the particular semantics being used, i.e., both semantics give the same result. For such activity diagrams and such functional requirements, the requirements-level semantics is as realistic as the implementation-level semantics, even though the requirements-level semantics makes the perfect synchrony hypothesis. The requirements-level semantics has been implemented in a verification tool. The tool interfaces with a model checker by translating an activity diagram into an input for a model checker according to the requirements-level semantics. The model checker checks the desired functional requirement against the input model. If the model checker returns a counterexample, the tool translates this counterexample back into the activity diagram by highlighting a path corresponding to the counterexample. The tool supports verification of workflow models that have event-driven behaviour, data, real time, and loops. Only model checkers supporting strong fairness model checking turn out to be useful. The feasibility of the approach is demonstrated by using the tool to verify some real-life workflow models.

ARVIKA-augmented reality for development, production and service

Abstract: Augmented reality (AR) is a form of human-machine interaction where information is presented in the field of view of an individual. ARVIKA, funded by the German Ministry of Education and Research, develops this technology and applications in the fields of development, production, and service in the automotive and aerospace industries, for power and processing plants and for machine tools and production machinery. Up to now, AR has only been a subject of individual research projects and a small number of application-specific industrial projects on a global scale. The current state of the art and the available appliances do not yet permit a product-oriented application of the technology. However, AR enables a new, innovative form of human-machine interaction that not only places the individual in the center of the industrial workflow, but also offers a high potential for process and quality improvements in production and process workflows. ARVIKA is primarily designed to implement an augmented reality system for mobile use in industrial applications. The report presents the milestones that have been achieved after a project duration of a full three years.

System, method, and computer program product for workflow processing using internet interoperable electronic messaging with mime multipart content type

Abstract: A client computer in a communications network with a server computer assembles a record set that has a MIME declaration header with a multipart content type and a content sub-type indicative of a workflow media type. The first client computer also assembles a binary file having therein an encoded workflow specification. The record set is then transmitted with the binary file to the communications network. A second client computer on the communications network receives both the record set and the binary file and begins decoding the workflow specification. The second client computer uses an application program to execute the decoded workflow specification so as to perform all or a portion of the workflow process that is specified therein. The workflow specification is optionally written in eXtensible Mark-up Language (XML).

A knowledge flow model for peer-to-peer team knowledge sharing and management

Abstract: To realize effective knowledge sharing in teamwork, this paper proposes a knowledge flow model for peer-to-peer knowledge sharing and management in cooperative teams. The model consists of the concepts, rules and methods about the knowledge flow, the knowledge flow process model, and the knowledge flow engine. A reference model for coordinating the knowledge flow process with the workflow process is suggested to provide an integrated approach to model teamwork process. We also discuss the peer-to-peer knowledge-sharing paradigm in large-scale teams and propose the approach for constructing a knowledge flow network from the corresponding workflow. The proposed model provides a new way to model and manage teamwork processes.

Research Commentary: Workflow Management Issues in e-Business

Abstract: Trends towards increased business process automation, e-commerce, and e-business have led to increasing interest in the field of workflow management. In this paper, we provide a perspective on the state of research in workflow management systems, and discuss possible future research directions in this area, with a particular emphasis on workflow systems in integrating interorganizational processes and enabling e-commerce solutions.

Discovering Workflow Performance Models from Timed Logs

Abstract: Contemporary workflow management systems are driven by explicit process models, i.e., a completely specified workflow design is required in order to enact a given workflow process. Creating a workflow design is a complicated time-consuming process and typically there are discrepancies between the actual workflow processes and the processes as perceived by the management. Therefore, we have developed techniques for discovering workflow models. Starting point for such techniques are so-called "workflow logs" containing information about the workflow process as it is actually being executed. In this paper, we extend our existing mining technique ? [4] to incorporate time. We assume that events in workflow logs bear timestamps. This information is used to attribute timing such as queue times to the discovered workflow model. The approach is based on Petri nets and timing information is attached to places. This paper also presents our workflow-mining tool EMiT. This tool translates the workflow log of several commercial systems (e.g., Staffware) to an independent XML format. Based on this format the tool mines for causal relations and produces a graphical workflow model expressed in terms of Petri nets.

An Alternative Way to Analyze Workflow Graphs

Abstract: At the CAiSE conference in Heidelberg in 1999, Wasim Sadiq andMaria Orlowska presented an algorithm to verify workflow graphs [19]. The algorithm uses a set of reduction rules to detect structural conflicts. This paper shows that the set of reduction rules presented in [19] is not complete and proposes an alternative algorithm. The algorithm translates workflow graphs into so-called WF-nets. WF-nets are a class of Petri nets tailored towards workflow analysis. As a result, Petri-net theory and tools can be used to verify workflow graphs. In particular, our workflow verification tool Woflan [21] can be used to detect design errors. It is shown that the absence of structural conflicts, i.e., deadlocks and lack of synchronization, conforms to soundness of the corresponding WF-net [2]. In contrast to the algorithm presented in [19], the algorithm presented in this paper is complete. Moreover, the complexity of this alternative algorithm is given.

Method and system for flexible workflow management

Abstract: A method for providing emergent and flexible workflow management to a user. The user communicates with other users, using a message-based system having embedded information management resources. The message-based system has a viewer. A message is generated at the message-based system. The message has metadata. The metadata of the message is updated using the embedded information management resources. The metadata include at least one of the group of a deadline, a reminder, a deferral and an obligation. The message is sent to the other users. Some of the metadata of the message are displayed on the viewer of the message-based system. Some of the metadata of the message are tracked at the message-based system.

Dynamic Work Distribution in Workflow Management Systems: How to Balance Quality and Performance

Abstract: Today's workflow management systems offer work items to workers using rather primitive mechanisms.Although most workflow systems support a role-based distribution of work, they have problems dealing with unavailability of workers as a result of vacation or illness, overloading, context-dependent suitability, deadlines, and delegation. As a result, the work is offered to too few, too many, or even the wrong set of workers. Current practice is to offer a work item to one person, thus causing problems when the person is not present or too busy, or to offer it to a set of people sharing a given role, thus not incorporating the qualifications and preferences of people. Literature on work distribution is typically driven by considerations related to authorizations and permissions. However, workflow processes are operational processes where there is a highly dynamic trade-off between quality and performance. For example, an approaching deadline and an overloaded specialist may be the trigger to offer work items to less qualified workers. This paper addresses this problem by proposing a systematic approach to dynamically create a balance between quality and performance issues in workflow systems. We illustrate and evaluate the proposed approach with a realistic example and also compare how a workflow system would implement this scenario to highlight the shortcomings of current, state of the art workflow systems. Finally, a detailed simulation model is used to validate our approach.

Modelling biological processes using workflow and Petri Net models.

Abstract: Motivation: Biological processes can be considered at many levels of detail, ranging from atomic mechanism to general processes such as cell division, cell adhesion or cell invasion. The experimental study of protein function and gene regulation typically provides information at many levels. The representation of hierarchical process knowledge in biology is therefore a major challenge for bioinformatics. To represent high-level processes in the context of their component functions, we have developed a graphical knowledge model for biological processes that supports methods for qualitative reasoning. Results: We assessed eleven diverse models that were developed in the fields of software engineering, business, and biology, to evaluate their suitability for representing and simulating biological processes. Based on this assessment, we combined the best aspects of two models: Workflow/Petri Net and a biological concept model. The Workflow model can represent nesting and ordering of processes, the structural components that participate in the processes, and the roles that they play. It also maps to Petri Nets, which allow verification of formal properties and qualitative simulation. The biological concept model, TAMBIS, provides a framework for describing biological entities that can be mapped to the workflow model. We tested our model by representing malaria parasites invading host erythrocytes, and composed queries, in five general classes, to discover relationships among processes and structural components. We used reachability analysis to answer queries about the dynamic aspects of the model. Availability: The model is available at http://smi.stanford. edu/projects/helix/pubs/process-model/

Spacedesign: a mixed reality workspace for aesthetic industrial design

Abstract: Spacedesign is an innovative mixed reality (MR) application addressed to aesthetic design of free form curves and surfaces. It is a unique and comprehensive approach which uses task-specific configurations to support the design workflow from concept to mock-up evaluation and review. The first-phase conceptual design benefits from a workbench-like 3-D display for free hand sketching, surfacing and engineering visualization. Semitransparent stereo glasses augment the pre-production physical prototype by additional shapes, textures and annotations. Both workspaces share a common interface and allow collaboration and cooperation between different experts, who can configure the system for the specific task. A faster design workflow and CAD data consistency can be thus naturally achieved. Tests and collaborations with designers, mainly from automotive industry, are providing systematic feedback for this ongoing research. As far as the authors are concerned, there is no known similar approach that integrates the creation and editing phase of 3D curves and surfaces in virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR). Herein we see the major contribution of our new application.

Method and apparatus for tracking documents in a workflow

Abstract: A workflow system and method include tracking the physical movement of documents. The information of the physical movement is incorporated with the flow graph of a workflow. A display of the workflow can then be enhanced by the information relating to the physical movement of the document.

Dynamic workflow process

Abstract: A system for creating and altering a dynamic workflow process during runtime and executing the runtime-built or modified workflow so that users can make ad hoc custom workflows and change workflows on the fly in response to special requirements of a given situation. A graphical tree editor is employed for runtime manipulation of the process definition. Mutually recursive meta-processes interpret runtime-built procedures for branch and step workflow processing.

System and method for management of pharmacy workflow

Abstract: A system and method for optimized management of pharmacy workflow, specifically, workflow associated with fulfillment of prescription orders for medications and health-related products in a pharmacy environment. A computer-controlled system coordinates and controls pharmacy workflow to sequence prescriptions for fulfillment in a most efficient path thereby minimizing a cost function associated with fulfillment of the prescription order. The system coordinates and controls prescription order fulfillment from automated and non-automated storage locations and can be easily adapted to the specific layout and level of automation desired by the operator.

Methods and systems for linking tasks to workflow

Abstract: Methods and systems consistent with the present invention allow a user to generate a plan from the workflow that reflects an instance of a process and create a link from the plan to the workflow. Moreover, methods and systems consistent with the present invention allow a user to create a link from a task of the plan to an activity of the workflow.

A Taxonomy of Adaptive Workflow Management

Abstract: This paper highlights the need for adaptive workflow management, classifies various types of workflow adaptation, and discusses potential mechanisms for achieving adaptive workflow management. Our current efforts on adaptive workflow research are presented with emphasis laid on human involvement. The developments are based on dynamic composition of workflow resources, including workflow models, as well as a strong association between exception handling and adaptive workflow management.

Workflow engine for automating business processes in scalable multiprocessor computer platforms

Abstract: The present invention relates to a workflow and workflow engine. A workflow in accordance with the present invention is a process that gets triggered in response to a predetermined event (1404) in a relationship management system. The event could be anything input into the system, such as an incoming interaction like a phone call, a fax, an e-mail, or a web-form submission. In addition an event (1404) could be a business events such as an overdue task, an inventory update, a merchandise sale, or an equipment order. A workflow is preferably characterized in terms of a set of steps the workflow is to perform (1406, 1400, 1402), such as creating or modifying a business object, creating and sending an email or fax, making a decision based on a query, scheduling a timed event, and so on.

Making Work Flow: On the Application of Petri Nets to Business Process Management

Abstract: Information technology has changed business processes within and between enterprises. More and more work processes are being conducted under the supervision of information systems that are driven by process models. Examples are workflow management systems such as Staffware, enterprise resource planning systems such as SAP and Baan, but also include many domain specific systems. It is hard to imagine enterprise information systems that are unaware of the processes taking place. Although the topic of business process management using information technology has been addressed by consultants and software developers in depth, a more fundamental approach has been missing. Only since the nineties, researchers started to work on the foundations of business process management systems. This paper addresses some of the scientific challenges in business process management. In the spirit of Hilbert's problems, 10 interesting problems for people working on Petri-net theory are posed.

Workflow Patterns: On the Expressive Power of (Petri-net-based) Workflow Languages.

Abstract: Contemporary workflow management systems are driven by explicit process models, i.e., a completely specified workflow design is required in order to enact a given workflow process. Creating a workflow design is a complicated time-consuming process which is often hampered by the limitations of the workflow language being used. To identify the differences between the various languages, we have collected a fairly complete set of workflow patterns. Based on these patterns we have evaluated 15 workflow products and detected considerable differences in expressive power. Languages based on Petri nets perform better when it comes to state-based workflow patterns. However, some patterns (e.g. involving multiple instances, complex synchronizations or non-local withdrawals) are not easy to map onto (high-level) Petri nets. These patterns pose interesting modeling problems and are used for developing the Petri-net-based language YAWL (Yet Another Workflow Language).

Temporal Reasoning in Workflow Systems

Abstract: In a workflow system, autonomous agents perform various activities cooperatively to complete a common task. Successful completion of the task often depends on correct synchronization and scheduling of agents' activities. It would greatly enhance the capabilities of current workflow systems if quantitative temporal constraints on the duration of activities and their synchronization requirements can be specified and reasoned about. This paper investigates such requirements and related reasoning algorithms. In particular, the paper studies the consistency, prediction and enactment services in a workflow system, and provides corresponding algorithms. The consistency service is to ensure that the specification of the temporal constraints is possible to satisfys the prediction service is to foretell the time frame for the involved activitiess and the enactment service is to schedule the activities so that, as long as each agent starts and finishes its task within the specified time period, the overall constraints will always be satisfied. For the enactment service, the paper identifies two practically interesting families of enactment schedules for autonomous agents, namely “free schedules” and “restricted due-time schedules”. In a free schedule, an agent may use any amount of time to finish the task as long as it is between the minimum and maximum time declared by the agent when the workflow is designed. A restricted due-time schedule is a more restrictive one in which the maximum amount of time that an agent may use is limited to a smaller number than the declared maximum. The paper presents efficient algorithms to find free and restricted due-time schedules. The paper also provides algorithms for the above services when multiple time granularities are involved in the temporal constraint specification.

Workflow Quality of Service

Abstract: Workflow management systems (WfMSs) have been used to support various types of business processes for more than a decade now. In ecommerce processes, suppliers and customers define a binding agreement or contract between the two parties, specifying quality of service (QoS) items such as products or services to be delivered, deadlines, quality of products, and cost of service. Management of such QoS directly impacts success of organizations participating in e-commerce. Organizations operating in modern markets require an excellent degree of quality of service management. Products and services must be available to customers with well-defined specifications. A good management of quality leads to the creation of quality products and services, which in turn fulfills customer expectations and achieves customer satisfaction. Therefore, when services or products are created or managed using workflow processes, the underlying WfMS must accept the specification, be able to predict, monitor, and control the QoS rendered to customers. To achieve these objectives the first step is to develop an adequate QoS model for workflow processes and develop methods to compute QoS.

Method and system for reusing components

Abstract: Methods and systems for executing workflow tasks The workflow system dynamically generates definitions of workflow tasks (eg, business applications) when a request to perform a task is received Each definition identifies components of the workflow task and identifies a data input rule and a data output rule for each component The workflow system executes a workflow task in accordance with its definition To execute a workflow task, the workflow system executes each of its components The workflow system maintains a data area for an executing workflow task containing data that is available for use by the components and available to be updated by the components

Too much middleware

Abstract: The movement from client-server computing to multi-tier computing has created a potpourri of so-called middleware systems, including application servers, workflow products, EAI systems, ETL systems and federated data systems. In this paper we argue that the explosion in middleware has created a myriad of poorly integrated systems with overlapping functionality. The world would be well served by considerable consolidation, and we present some of the ways this might happen. Some of the points covered in this paper have been previously explored in [BERN96].

Verification support for workflow design with UML activity graphs

Abstract: We describe a tool that supports verification of workflow models specified in UML activity graphs. The tool translates an activity graph into an input format for a model checker according to a semantics we published earlier. With the model checker arbitrary propositional requirements can be checked against the input model. If a requirement fails to hold an error trace is returned by the model checker. The tool automatically translates such an error trace into an activity graph trace by high-lighting a corresponding path in the activity graph. One of the problems that is dealt with is that model checkers require a finite state space whereas workflow models in general have an infinite state space. Another problem is that strong fairness is necessary to obtain realistic results. Only model checkers that use a special model checking algorithm for strong fairness are suitable for verifying workflow models. We analyse the structure of the state space. We illustrate our approach with some example verifications.