210 research outputs found
Evolving information systems: meeting the ever-changing environment
To meet the demands of organizations and their ever-changing environment, information systems are required which are able to evolve to the same extent as organizations do. Such a system has to support changes in all time-and application-dependent aspects. In this paper, requirements and a conceptual framework for evolving information systems are presented. This framework includes an architecture for such systems and a revision of the traditional notion of update. Based on this evolutionary notion of update (recording, correction and forgetting) a state transition-oriented model on three levels of abstraction (event level, recording level, correction level) is introduced. Examples are provided to illustrate the conceptual framework for evolving information systems
Automated error correction of business process models
As order dependencies between process tasks can get complex, it is easy to make mistakes in process model design, especially behavioral ones such as deadlocks. Notions such as soundness formalize behavioral errors and tools exist that can identify such errors. However these tools do not provide assistance with the correction of the process models. Error correction can be very challenging as the intentions of the process modeler are not known and there may be many ways in which an error can be corrected. We present a novel technique for automatic error correction in process models based on simulated annealing. Via this technique a number of process model alternatives are identified that resolve one or more errors in the original model. The technique is implemented and validated on a sample of industrial process models. The tests show that at least one sound solution can be found for each input model within a reasonable response time
Dimensions of coupling in middleware
It is well accepted that different types of distributed architectures require different degrees of coupling. For example, in client-server and three-tier architectures, application components are generally tightly coupled, both with one-another and with the underlying middleware. Meanwhile, in off-line transaction processing, grid computing and mobile applications, the degree of coupling between application components and with the underlying middleware needs to be minimised. Terms such as "synchronous", "asynchronous", "blocking", "non-blocking", "directed", and "non-directed" are often used to refer to the degree of coupling required by an architecture or provided by a middleware. However, these terms are used with various connotations. And while various informal definitions have been provided, there is a lack of an overarching formal framework to unambiguously communicate architectural requirements with respect to (de-)coupling. This article addresses this gap by: (i) formally defining three dimensions of (de-)coupling; (ii) relating these dimensions to existing middleware; and (iii) proposing notational elements to represent various coupling integration patterns. This article also discusses a prototype that demonstrates the feasibility of its implementation
Workflow control-flow patterns : a revised view
The Workflow Patterns Initiative was established with the aim of delineating the fundamental requirements that arise during business process modelling on a recurring basis and describe them in an imperative way. The first deliverable of this research project was a set of twenty patterns describing the control-flow perspective of workflow systems. Since their release, these patterns have been widely used by practitioners, vendors and academics alike in the selection, design and development of workflow systems [vdAtHKB03]. This paper presents the first systematic review of the original twenty control-flow patterns and provides a formal description of each of them in the form of a Coloured Petri-Net (CPN) model. It also identifies twenty three new patterns relevant to the control-flow perspective. Detailed context conditions and evaluation criteria are presented for each pattern and their implementation is assessed in fourteen commercial offerings including workflow and case handling systems, business process modelling formalisms and business process execution languages
newYAWL : achieving comprehensive patterns support in workflow for the control-flow, data and resource perspectives
The Workflow Patterns provide a conceptual foundation for the control-flow, data and resource perspectives of process-aware information systems (PAIS). In this paper we present newYAWL, a reference language for PAIS based on the workflow patterns. newYAWL radically extends previous work undertaken on the YAWL language and provides a comprehensive formal description of how the complete set of workflow patterns can be realized and integrated in the context of an operational PAIS
Dimensions of coupling in middleware
It is well accepted that different types of distributed architectures require different degrees of coupling. For example, in client-server and three-tier architectures, application components are generally tightly coupled, both with one-another and with the underlying middleware. Meanwhile, in off-line transaction processing, grid computing and mobile applications, the degree of coupling between application components and with the underlying middleware needs to be minimised. Terms such as "synchronous", "asynchronous", "blocking", "non-blocking", "directed", and "non-directed" are often used to refer to the degree of coupling required by an architecture or provided by a middleware. However, these terms are used with various connotations. And while various informal definitions have been provided, there is a lack of an overarching formal framework to unambiguously communicate architectural requirements with respect to (de-)coupling. This article addresses this gap by: (i) formally defining three dimensions of (de-)coupling; (ii) relating these dimensions to existing middleware; and (iii) proposing notational elements to represent various coupling integration patterns. This article also discusses a prototype that demonstrates the feasibility of its implementation
Facilitating process analysis through visualising process history: experiences with a Dutch municipality
Nowadays vast quantities of data are stored as a result of the operation of software systems and devices. The analysis of this data can provide valuable insights. In the field of Business Process Management, event logs may provide valuable information for business process improvement. This is the realm of process mining, an area which has provided many analysis techniques over the past decade. Despite the abundance of process mining techniques, it remains a challenge to provide results that are understandable by domain experts. Discovered process models are often perceived as abstract and static. Conformance checking techniques provide detailed results that are only understandable for process analysts. Therefore, we propose an approach to dynamically visualize event data on intuitive 'maps'. States of the process are visualized on a collection of maps thus resulting in sequences of 'photographs' of the process under investigation. By replaying the event log using such visualizations we can create a collection of 'process movies'. Our visualisation approach has been implemented in ProM and allows for any type of 'map' as long as activity instances can be associated to map coordinates. Moreover, the approach has been evaluated in collaboration with a Dutch municipality
Turning event logs into process movies : animating what has really happened
Today's information systems log vast amount of data which contains information about the actual execution of business processes. The analysis of this data can provide a solid starting point for business process improvement. This is the realm of process mining, an area which has provided a repertoire of many analysis techniques. Despite the impressive capabilities of existing process mining algorithms, dealing with the abundance of data recorded by contemporary systems and devices remains a challenge. Of particular importance is the capability to guide the meaningful interpretation of this 'ocean' of data by process analysts. To this end, insights from the field of visual analytics can be leveraged. An approach is proposed where process states are reconstructed from event logs and visualised in succession, leading to an animated history of a process. This approach is customisable in how a process state, partially defined through a collection of activity instances, is visualised: one can select a map and specify a projection of activity instances on this map based on their properties. In this paper an implementation of the proposal is described for the open-source process-mining framework ProM along with reporting an evaluation with one of Australia's largest insurance companies: Suncorp
Facilitating process analysis through visualising process history: experiences with a Dutch municipality
Nowadays vast quantities of data are stored as a result of the operation of software systems and devices. The analysis of this data can provide valuable insights. In the field of Business Process Management, event logs may provide valuable information for business process improvement. This is the realm of process mining, an area which has provided many analysis techniques over the past decade. Despite the abundance of process mining techniques, it remains a challenge to provide results that are understandable by domain experts. Discovered process models are often perceived as abstract and static. Conformance checking techniques provide detailed results that are only understandable for process analysts. Therefore, we propose an approach to dynamically visualize event data on intuitive 'maps'. States of the process are visualized on a collection of maps thus resulting in sequences of 'photographs' of the process under investigation. By replaying the event log using such visualizations we can create a collection of 'process movies'. Our visualisation approach has been implemented in ProM and allows for any type of 'map' as long as activity instances can be associated to map coordinates. Moreover, the approach has been evaluated in collaboration with a Dutch municipality
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