Stefan Jablonski

A comprehensive approach to flexibility in workflow management systems

Flexibility has recently grown to be one of the major research topics in the area of workflow management. In this paper we focus on flexibility of workflow management applications, in contrast to flexibility of the implementation of workflow management systems. In a case study we show the necessity of flexibility in workflow management applications. This flexibility can roughly be classified into flexibility, which is provided by the workflow type, and flexibility, which goes beyond the scope of the workflow type and has additionally to be provided by a workflow management system. We call this flexibility by selection and flexibility by adaption, respectively. We point out that the modeling process as a main aspect of flexibility by adaption has to be treated as a CSCW scenario. The classification leads to a structured overall concept for flexibility in workflow management applications.

On the complementarity of workflow management and business process modeling

The way business processes are implemented currently is out-of-date. It cannot keep pace with the rapid changes of todays business behavior. Thus, new ways to structure business processes have to be investigated. Business process reengineering is the upcoming discipline that is able to cope with the requirements posted by todays way of conducting business. However, models of business processes defined through business process reengineering still lack a suitable execution environment. Conventional infrastructures are too static and inflexible to adequately reflect rapid changes in business processes. Workflow management promises to cope with this requirement by providing a highly dynamic execution platform for multi-faceted business processes. In this research paper we discuss the interrelationship between business process modeling and workflow management and show how they can mutually benefit from each other.

A general framework for the execution of heterogenous programs in workflow management systems

Application programs are a substantial asset of an organization. The introduction of workflow management technology must provide means and mechanisms to integrate existing application programs which are not aware of workflow management systems in the same seamless manner as newly written, workflow-aware applications. The paper presents a general approach for integrating workflow-unaware application programs into workflow management systems. Their concepts enable the integration of application programs which are implemented on top of heterogeneous operating systems or base services into our prototype workflow management system MOBILE. Furthermore, they support the execution of several transactional application programs within a single transaction controlled by the workflow management system.

Data logistics as a means of integration in healthcare applications

Information integration is still a crucial issue in healthcare applications. Most clinical applications are determined by a huge variety of heterogeneous and independent work places, most of them equipped with specialized clinical hardware. Due to this it is almost impossible -- at least not feasible -- to run a common database system storing all relevant data of a clinical application. Nevertheless these clinical applications have to share their data. Our solution to this integration problem is to facilitate so called Process based Data Logistics. This approach is based on the integration capabilities of process management; however it does not coordinate the staff working in the healthcare domain in a restricting sense, but coordinates data sources and data sinks of these applications.

Client/server qualities: a basis for reliable distributed workflow management systems

In distributed workflow management systems (WfMSs) many workflow servers and application programs referenced within workflows have to work together cooperatively. We introduce a middleware service for WfMSs which offers qualities for client/server communication. These qualities characterize the behavior of clients and servers in case of failure and recovery. Our middleware service builds an abstraction from the concrete implementation of a client/server interaction and hides characteristics of underlying system services, e.g. RPC mechanisms and TP monitors. For this reason, our middleware service supports the implementation of reliable distributed WfMSs.

iRM: An OMG MOF Based Repository System with Querying Capabilities

In this work we present iRM – an OMG MOF-compliant repository system that acts as custom-defined application or system catalogue. iRM enforces structural integrity using a novel approach. iRM provides declarative querying support. iRM finds use in evolving data intensive applications, and in fields where integration of heterogeneous models is needed.

A new generation of workflow-management-systems: beyond Taylorism with MOBILE

Workflow management systems (WMS) are widely discussed at the moment. It is common understanding that organizational structures are a matter of changes and that a WMS represents and may freeze a particular organizational structure. Therefore some kind of flexibility of the system is required in order to prevent problems arising using the WMS in a daily working situation, e.g. handling exceptions not anticipated. Herrmann (1995) for example states that any WMS must be adaptable in regards to the dynamism of those organizational structures and its role as a supporting tool for a collaborating group of people. But allowing modifications, especially in a groupware scenario where any modification may interfere with somebody elses (users as well as the managements) interest, implies a design principle like negotiation. Negotiation is needed to solve such conflicts (Wulf, 1994).

Implementation of a distributed data management system for manufacturing applications-a feasibility study

A prototype implementation of a data management system primarily designed for technical applications is discussed. The system may be regarded as a superset of well-known data administration concepts like file systems and database systems, both centralized and distributed. The basic idea is to enrich the concept of consistency supported in a classical database system by a more flexible data distribution mechanism. The prototype makes it possible to validate the basic concepts it is then extended to a more powerful version.<<ETX>>

Architektur von Workflow-Management-Systemen

Zusammenfassung. Der Begriff „Architektur“ wird im Bereich Workflow-Management sehr unterschiedlich interpretiert, weshalb eine Diskussion über Architekturen von Workflow-Management-Systemen nur sehr schwer möglich ist. Dieser Beitrag stellt deshalb drei zu beobachtende Interpretationen des Architekturbegriffs vor und erläutert deren Bedeutung. Schwerpunktmäßig wird daran anschließend die Interpretation des Architekturbegriffs aus Sicht einer Implementierung näher diskutiert, welche als die wesentliche angesehen wird. Ein Phasenmodell zur Entwicklung einer Architektur eines Workflow-Management-Systems und ein Schichtenmodell eines Workflow-Management-Systems im Sinne einer Abstraktionshierarchie werden abschließend vorgestellt.Abstract. The notion ’architecture is interpreted manifold in the workflow management area. Therefore, the discussion of architectures for workflow management systems is difficult. This article introduces three different interpretations of the notion ’architecture. In detail, the implementation-oriented interpretation of architecture is presented which is considered to be most important. A phase model for the development of a workflow management system architecture and a layered design model of a workflow management system are shown finally.

Web-Content- Managementsysteme

Sich im Internet zu repräsentieren, ist inzwischen für ein Unternehmen obligatorisch geworden. Dabei wird oftmals unterschätzt, dass die gezeigten Inhalte und Strukturen gepflegt werden müssen.