BProVe: A formal verification framework for business process models

Business Process Modelling has acquired increasing relevance in software development. Available notations, such as BPMN, permit to describe activities of complex organisations. On the one hand, this shortens the communication gap between domain experts and IT specialists. On the other hand, this permits to clarify the characteristics of software systems introduced to provide automatic support for such activities. Nevertheless, the lack of formal semantics hinders the automatic verification of relevant properties. This paper presents a novel verification framework for BPMN 2.0, called BProVe. It is based on an operational semantics, implemented using MAUDE, devised to make the verification general and effective. A complete tool chain, based on the Eclipse modelling environment, allows for rigorous modelling and analysis of Business Processes. The approach has been validated using more than one thousand models available on a publicly accessible repository. Besides showing the performance of BProVe, this validation demonstrates its practical benefits in identifying correctness issues in real models

Transition between process models (BPMN) and service models (WS-BPEL and other standards): A systematic review

BPMN and BPEL have become de facto standards for modeling of business processes and imple-mentation of business processes via Web services. There is a quintessential problem of discrep-ancy between these two approaches as they are applied in different phases of lifecycle and theirfundamental concepts are different — BPMN is a graph based language while BPEL is basicallya block-based programming language. This paper shows basic concepts and gives an overviewof research and ideas which emerged during last two years, presents state of the art and possiblefuture research directions. Systematic literature review was performed and critical review wasgiven regarding the potential of the given solutions

Algebraic Reasoning About Timeliness

Designing distributed systems to have predictable performance under high load is difficult because of resource exhaustion, non-linearity, and stochastic behaviour. Timeliness, i.e., delivering results within defined time bounds, is a central aspect of predictable performance. In this paper, we focus on timeliness using the DELTA-Q Systems Development paradigm (DELTA-QSD, developed by PNSol), which computes timeliness by modelling systems observationally using so-called outcome expressions. An outcome expression is a compositional definition of a system's observed behaviour in terms of its basic operations. Given the behaviour of the basic operations, DELTA-QSD efficiently computes the stochastic behaviour of the whole system including its timeliness. This paper formally proves useful algebraic properties of outcome expressions w.r.t. timeliness. We prove the different algebraic structures the set of outcome expressions form with the different DELTA-QSD operators and demonstrate why those operators do not form richer structures. We prove or disprove the set of all possible distributivity results on outcome expressions. On our way for disproving 8 of those distributivity results, we develop a technique called properisation, which gives rise to the first body of maths for improper random variables. Finally, we also prove 14 equivalences that have been used in the past in the practice of DELTA-QSD. An immediate benefit is rewrite rules that can be used for design exploration under established timeliness equivalence. This work is part of an ongoing project to disseminate and build tool support for DELTA-QSD. The ability to rewrite outcome expressions is essential for efficient tool support.Comment: In Proceedings ICE 2023, arXiv:2308.0892

Fluent Logic Workflow Analyser: A Tool for The Verification of Workflow Properties

In this paper we present the design and implementation, as well as a use case, of a tool for workflow analysis. The tool provides an assistant for the specification of properties of a workflow model. The specification language for property description is Fluent Linear Time Temporal Logic. Fluents provide an adequate flexibility for capturing properties of workflows. Both the model and the properties are encoded, in an automated way, as Labelled Transition Systems, and the analysis is reduced to model checking.Comment: In Proceedings LAFM 2013, arXiv:1401.056

Formal methods to improve public administration business processes

Starting from late 90’s the public administration has started to employ a quite relevant amount of its budget in develop ing ICT solutions to better deliver services to citizens. In spite of this effort many statistics show that the mere availability of ICT based services does not guarantee per se their usage. Citizens have continued to largely access services through “traditional” means. In our study we suggest that the highlighted situation is partly due to the fact that relevant domain dependent requirements, mainly related to the delivery process of e-government digital services, are often ignored in the development of e-government solutions. We provide here a domain related quality framework and encoded it in a set of formal statements, so that we can apply automatic verification techniques to assess and improve ICT solutions adopted by public administrations. The paper discusses both the defined quality framework and the tool chain we developed to enable automatic assessment of ICT solutions. The tool chain is based on a denotational mapping of business process modeling notation elements into process algebraic descriptions and to the encoding of quality requirements in linear temporal logic formulas. The resulting approach has been applied to real case studies with encouraging results

Metaplanning: About designing the Geodesign process

Geodesign entails complex processes involving multidisciplinary teams of professionals supporting stakeholders and communities in devising and choosing sustainable future development scenarios for their territories. The roles and the relationships among the actors may vary according to the underlying planning paradigm or style which the local normative and socio-cultural factors shape in the actual practices. Methods and tools to be used in the process phases may vary accordingly. A Geodesign study is characterised by the integrated usage of Geographic Information Science methods and tools to transform spatial data into relevant knowledge for informed design and decision-making. Thus, central to Geodesign are such issues as how to design and manage such complex processes, and how to orchestrate digital methods and tools in Geodesign support systems architectures. To address these challenges, the concept of metaplanning is proposed as an aid to the design of Geodesign processes. Expected benefits of the metaplanning exercise include better process understanding by the participants, improvements in management, and enhanced process transparency and accountability. Moreover, metaplanning may drive the integration of digital information technologies to support the Geodesign workflows.After the formalization of the concept, a Business Process Management (BPM) approach to metaplanning is proposed for its operationalization, aiming at both improving the Geodesign process and easing the creation of process-oriented 2nd generation Planning Support Systems. After a critical discussion on the possible advantages of the metaplanning approach to the design of process-oriented Geodesign workflows and support systems, issues setting the future research agenda in this domain are outlined

Transition between process models (BPMN) and service models (WS-BPEL and other standards): A systematic review

BPMN and BPEL have become de facto standards for modeling of business processes and imple-mentation of business processes via Web services. There is a quintessential problem of discrep-ancy between these two approaches as they are applied in different phases of lifecycle and theirfundamental concepts are different — BPMN is a graph based language while BPEL is basicallya block-based programming language. This paper shows basic concepts and gives an overviewof research and ideas which emerged during last two years, presents state of the art and possiblefuture research directions. Systematic literature review was performed and critical review wasgiven regarding the potential of the given solutions

A Study on the Usage of the BPMN Notation for Designing Process Collaboration, Choreography, and Conversation Models

Being widely accepted by industries and academia, Business Process Model and Notation (BPMN) is the de facto standard for business process modeling. However, the large number of notation elements it introduces makes its use quite complex. This work investigates the usage of the BPMN notation by analyzing 54,500 models harvested from seven online collections. The study considers different model types introduced by the standard, such as process collaboration, choreography, and conversation. The analyses focus on the syntactic dimension of BPMN, investigating the usage of BPMN elements and their combinations. Syntactic violations of the standard, and of good modeling practices, are also investigated as well as possible relations with BPMN elements and modeling tools. The results of the study can guide further activities of educators, practitioners, researchers, and standardization bodies