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International Conference on Software Technologies

ICSOFT 2014: Software Technologies pp 365–383Cite as

A Timed Semantics of Workflows

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Part of the book series: Communications in Computer and Information Science ((CCIS,volume 555))

Abstract

We formalize timed workflow with abnormal behavior management (i.e. recovery) and demonstrate how temporal logics and model checking are methodologies to iteratively revise the design correct-by construction system. We define a formal semantics by compiling generic workflow patterns into an extension of LTL with dense time clocks (CLTLoc). CLTLoc allows us to define the first logical formalization of workflows that can be practically employed in verification tools and to avoid the use of well-known automata based formalisms dealing with real-time. We use an ad-hoc bound model checker to prove requirements validity on a business process. The working assumption is that lightweight approaches easily fit into processes that are already in place so that radical change of procedures, tools and people’s attitudes are not needed. The complexity of formalisms and invasiveness of methods have been demonstrated to be one of the major drawback and obstacle for deployment of formal engineering techniques into mundane projects.

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Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge the support and advice given by Marina Carvalho, Miticus Flamejante, Vínicius Pereira, Diego Pérez, Michele Ciavotta, Marco Miglierina and all the other Friends at Politecnico di Milano, which represent a moving force, an actual égrégore capable of always moving ideas forward to the next level.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dipartimento di Elettronica Informazione e Bioingegneria, Politecnico di Milano, Milano, Italy

    Marcello M. Bersani & Salvatore Distefano

  2. Kazan Federal University, Kazan, Russia

    Salvatore Distefano

  3. ISTI-CNR, Pisa, Italy

    Luca Ferrucci

  4. Innopolis University, Kazan, Russia

    Manuel Mazzara

Authors
  1. Marcello M. Bersani
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  2. Salvatore Distefano
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  3. Luca Ferrucci
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  4. Manuel Mazzara
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Manuel Mazzara .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Medical Informatis, Statistics, Document, Medical University Graz, Graz, Austria

    Andreas Holzinger

  2. Engenharia Informática Dept, Universidade de Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal

    Jorge Cardoso

  3. INSTICC and IPS, Setúbal, Portugal

    José Cordeiro

  4. Dépt. Informatique, Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France

    Therese Libourel

  5. Wroclaw University of Economics, Wroclaw, Poland

    Leszek A. Maciaszek

  6. Dept. of Computer Science, University of Twente, Enschede, Overijssel, The Netherlands

    Marten van Sinderen

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Bersani, M.M., Distefano, S., Ferrucci, L., Mazzara, M. (2015). A Timed Semantics of Workflows. In: Holzinger, A., Cardoso, J., Cordeiro, J., Libourel, T., Maciaszek, L., van Sinderen, M. (eds) Software Technologies. ICSOFT 2014. Communications in Computer and Information Science, vol 555. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-25579-8_21

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-25579-8_21

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-25578-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-25579-8

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