A general framework for positioning, evaluating and selecting the new generation of development tools.

This paper focuses on the evaluation and positioning of a new generation of development tools containing subtools (report generators, browsers, debuggers, GUI-builders, ...) and programming languages that are designed to work together and have a common graphical user interface and are therefore called environments. Several trends in IT have led to a pluriform range of developments tools that can be classified in numerous categories. Examples are: object-oriented tools, GUI-tools, upper- and lower CASE-tools, client/server tools and 4GL environments. This classification does not sufficiently cover the tools subject in this paper for the simple reason that only one criterion is used to distinguish them. Modern visual development environments often fit in several categories because to a certain extent, several criteria can be applied to evaluate them. In this study, we will offer a broad classification scheme with which tools can be positioned and which can be refined through further research.

An architecture for bridging OO and business process modeling.

Workflow systems and object-oriented (OO) technology have undoubtedly been some of the most important domains of interest of information technology over the past decade. Both domains however, have largely evolved independently, and not much research can be found in which OO principles and concepts have been applied to workflow systems or vice versa. In this paper we show how the two domains can be integrated. By integrating both domains, business process modelling can benefit from the advantages of the object-oriented approach. On the other hand, a more process oriented approach to object-oriented development would enhance the organisational fit in of object-oriented information systems development. The architecture that results from this integration is a tier-based one with a separate tier for workflow aspects.Architecture; Processes; Systems; Information technology; Systems development; Integration;

Existence dependency-based domain modeling for improving stateless process enactment.

In a process-enabled service oriented architecture, a process engine typically stores the state of the process instances during enactment. As an alternative, stateless process enactment entails that process state is derived from the state of business objects, which are organized in a domain model. The business objects are referred to in pre- and post-conditions of activities, which determine when the activity is enabled and completed, respectively. Despite the fact that the latter approach has multiple benefits compared with the former, the repeated state (re)calculations deteriorate performance and the formulation of clear conditions is not self-evident if typical domain modeling techniques (e.g. UML or ER) are adopted. In this paper we show that by adopting a specific domain modeling technique, which is based on the notion of existence dependency between the business objects, the performance and comprehensibility issues can proficiently be dealt with. We illustrate the technique using a real-world case from the insurance domain and analyze the emerging duality between process modeling and domain modeling.

The Deployment of Business Process Management Systems: A Quantitative Analysis of End-Users’ Evaluations

Business process management technology is used at many sites as an instrument to improve the efficiency and agility of business operations. Currently, only a fragmented insight exists into the determinants for successful usage of this technology. The study in this paper is a first approach to more systematically investigate this issue, in particular by taking the end-user perspective into account. The study draws from quantitative data on two different implementations of business process management technology, as generated by the involvement of 342 end users. A major finding is that the proposed research model, inspired by the DeLone and McLean IS success model, has a very high power to explain the successfulness of the investigated implementations. It is found in particular that input and output quality and the quality of the IT support during operations are key factors that are more important than the characteristics of the actual system, which has important ramifications for IT praxis and research

Cognitive behaviour therapy plus aerobic exercise training to increase activity in patients with myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) compared to usual care (OPTIMISTIC):Study protocol for randomised controlled trial

Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Cognitive behavioural therapy with optional graded exercise therapy in patients with severe fatigue with myotonic dystrophy type 1:a multicentre, single-blind, randomised trial

Background: Myotonic dystrophy type 1 is the most common form of muscular dystrophy in adults and leads to severe fatigue, substantial physical functional impairment, and restricted social participation. In this study, we aimed to determine whether cognitive behavioural therapy optionally combined with graded exercise compared with standard care alone improved the health status of patients with myotonic dystrophy type 1. Methods: We did a multicentre, single-blind, randomised trial, at four neuromuscular referral centres with experience in treating patients with myotonic dystrophy type 1 located in Paris (France), Munich (Germany), Nijmegen (Netherlands), and Newcastle (UK). Eligible participants were patients aged 18 years and older with a confirmed genetic diagnosis of myotonic dystrophy type 1, who were severely fatigued (ie, a score of ≥35 on the checklist-individual strength, subscale fatigue). We randomly assigned participants (1:1) to either cognitive behavioural therapy plus standard care and optional graded exercise or standard care alone. Randomisation was done via a central web-based system, stratified by study site. Cognitive behavioural therapy focused on addressing reduced patient initiative, increasing physical activity, optimising social interaction, regulating sleep–wake patterns, coping with pain, and addressing beliefs about fatigue and myotonic dystrophy type 1. Cognitive behavioural therapy was delivered over a 10-month period in 10–14 sessions. A graded exercise module could be added to cognitive behavioural therapy in Nijmegen and Newcastle. The primary outcome was the 10-month change from baseline in scores on the DM1-Activ-c scale, a measure of capacity for activity and social participation (score range 0–100). Statistical analysis of the primary outcome included all participants for whom data were available, using mixed-effects linear regression models with baseline scores as a covariate. Safety data were presented as descriptives. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT02118779. Findings: Between April 2, 2014, and May 29, 2015, we randomly assigned 255 patients to treatment: 128 to cognitive behavioural therapy plus standard care and 127 to standard care alone. 33 (26%) of 128 assigned to cognitive behavioural therapy also received the graded exercise module. Follow-up continued until Oct 17, 2016. The DM1-Activ-c score increased from a mean (SD) of 61·22 (17·35) points at baseline to 63·92 (17·41) at month 10 in the cognitive behavioural therapy group (adjusted mean difference 1·53, 95% CI −0·14 to 3·20), and decreased from 63·00 (17·35) to 60·79 (18·49) in the standard care group (−2·02, −4·02 to −0·01), with a mean difference between groups of 3·27 points (95% CI 0·93 to 5·62, p=0·007). 244 adverse events occurred in 65 (51%) patients in the cognitive behavioural therapy group and 155 in 63 (50%) patients in the standard care alone group, the most common of which were falls (155 events in 40 [31%] patients in the cognitive behavioural therapy group and 71 in 33 [26%] patients in the standard care alone group). 24 serious adverse events were recorded in 19 (15%) patients in the cognitive behavioural therapy group and 23 in 15 (12%) patients in the standard care alone group, the most common of which were gastrointestinal and cardiac. Interpretation: Cognitive behavioural therapy increased the capacity for activity and social participation in patients with myotonic dystrophy type 1 at 10 months. With no curative treatment and few symptomatic treatments, cognitive behavioural therapy could be considered for use in severely fatigued patients with myotonic dystrophy type 1. Funding: The European Union Seventh Framework Programme

Workflow modelling in objectoriented environments. Requirements, state-of-the-art and future challenges

In the past decade, many research efforts have gone into the object-oriented development of information systems and the design of workflow systems. Both domains however, have largely evolved independently. Nevertheless, particular advantages of object-orientedness such as reusability, scalability and portability can be useful in workflow systems. Obviously, strategic advantages that have been gained by analysing business environments with a process view are also important when considering object-oriented developments. In this paper we will describe the necessary requirements to model a business process using the object-oriented approach. Next, we will discuss two approaches to combine workflow systems with object-oriented development: the pure and the mixed approach. Both methods have their strengths and weaknesses and none can claim to be the best solution. We will conclude by giving a short overview of existing models and applications in both approaches.status: publishe

The Deployment of Business Process Management Systems: A Quantitative Analysis of End-Users’ Evaluations

Business process management technology is used at many sites as an instrument to improve the efficiency and agility of business operations. Currently, only a fragmented insight exists into the determinants for successful usage of this technology. The study in this paper is a first approach to more systematically investigate this issue, in particular by taking the end-user perspective into account. The study draws from quantitative data on two different implementations of business process management technology, as generated by the involvement of 342 end users. A major finding is that the proposed research model, inspired by the DeLone and McLean IS success model, has a very high power to explain the successfulness of the investigated implementations. It is found in particular that input and output quality and the quality of the IT support during operations are key factors that are more important than the characteristics of the actual system, which has important ramifications for IT praxis and research