Skip to main content

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((TOPNOC,volume 5460))

Abstract

Process-aware information systems (PAIS) must be able to deal with uncertainty, exceptional situations, and environmental changes. Needed business agility is often hindered by the lacking flexibility of existing PAIS. Once a process is implemented, its logic cannot be adapted or refined anymore. This often leads to rigid behavior or gaps between real-world processes and implemented ones. In response to this drawback, adaptive PAIS have emerged, which allow to dynamically adapt or evolve the structure of process models under execution. This paper deals with fundamental challenges related to structural process changes, discusses how existing approaches deal with them, and shows how the various problems have been exterminated in ADEPT2 change framework. We also survey existing approaches fostering flexible process support.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 39.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  1. Bassil, S., Keller, R., Kropf, P.: A workflow–oriented system architecture for the management of container transportation. In: Desel, J., Pernici, B., Weske, M. (eds.) BPM 2004. LNCS, vol. 3080, pp. 116–131. Springer, Heidelberg (2004)

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  2. Lenz, R., Reichert, M.: IT support for healthcare processes - premises, challenges, perspectives. Data and Knowledge Engineering 61, 39–58 (2007)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Müller, R., Greiner, U., Rahm, E.: AgentWork: A workflow system supporting rule–based workflow adaptation. Data and Knowlege Engineering 51, 223–256 (2004)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Müller, D., Herbst, J., Hammori, M., Reichert, M.: IT support for release management processes in the automotive industry. In: Dustdar, S., Fiadeiro, J.L., Sheth, A.P. (eds.) BPM 2006. LNCS, vol. 4102, pp. 368–377. Springer, Heidelberg (2006)

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  5. Rinderle, S., Reichert, M., Dadam, P.: Flexible support of team processes by adaptive workflow systems. Distributed and Parallel Databases 16, 91–116 (2004)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Weber, B., Rinderle, S., Reichert, M.: Change patterns and change support features in process-aware information systems. In: Krogstie, J., Opdahl, A.L., Sindre, G. (eds.) CAiSE 2007. LNCS, vol. 4495, pp. 574–588. Springer, Heidelberg (2007)

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  7. Pesic, M., Schonenberg, H., Sidorova, N., van der Aalst, W.M.P.: Constraint-based workflow models: Change made easy. In: Meersman, R., Tari, Z. (eds.) OTM 2007, Part I. LNCS, vol. 4803, pp. 77–94. Springer, Heidelberg (2007)

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  8. Weske, M.: Workflow management systems: Formal foundation, conceptual design, implementation aspects. University of Münster, Habilitation Thesis (2000)

    Google Scholar 

  9. Rinderle, S., Reichert, M., Dadam, P.: Correctness criteria for dynamic changes in workflow systems – a survey. Data and Knowledge Engineering 50, 9–34 (2004)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Ellis, C., Keddara, K., Rozenberg, G.: Dynamic change within workflow systems. In: COOCS 1995, pp. 10–21 (1995)

    Google Scholar 

  11. Reichert, M., Dadam, P.: ADEPT flex - supporting dynamic changes of workflows without losing control. Journal of Intelligent Information Systems 10, 93–129 (1998)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Sadiq, S., Sadiq, W., Orlowska, M.: Pockets of flexibility in workflow specifications. In: Kunii, H.S., Jajodia, S., Sølvberg, A. (eds.) ER 2001. LNCS, vol. 2224, pp. 513–526. Springer, Heidelberg (2001)

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  13. Adams, M., Hofstede, A., Edmond, D., van der Aalst, W.: Worklets: A service-oriented implementation of dynamic flexibility in workflows. In: Meersman, R., Tari, Z. (eds.) OTM 2006. LNCS, vol. 4275, pp. 291–308. Springer, Heidelberg (2006)

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  14. van der Aalst, W., Weske, M., Grünbauer, D.: Case handling: a new paradigm for business process support. Data and Knowledge Engineering 53, 129–162 (2005)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Müller, D., Reichert, M., Herbst, J.: A new paradigm for the enactment and dynamic adaptation of data-driven process structures. In: Bellahsène, Z., Léonard, M. (eds.) CAiSE 2008. LNCS, vol. 5074, pp. 48–63. Springer, Heidelberg (2008)

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  16. van der Aalst, W., Basten, T.: Inheritance of workflows: An approach to tackling problems related to change. Theoretical Computer Science 270, 125–203 (2002)

    Article  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  17. Weber, B., Reichert, M., Rinderle-Ma, S.: Change patterns and change support features - enhancing flexibility in process-aware information systems. Data and Knowledge Engineering 66, 438–466 (2008)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Dehnert, J., Zimmermann, A.: On the suitability of correctness criteria for business process models. In: van der Aalst, W.M.P., Benatallah, B., Casati, F., Curbera, F. (eds.) BPM 2005. LNCS, vol. 3649, pp. 386–391. Springer, Heidelberg (2005)

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  19. Casati, F., Ceri, S., Pernici, B., Pozzi, G.: Workflow evolution. Data and Knowledge Engineering 24, 211–238 (1998)

    Article  MATH  Google Scholar 

  20. van der Aalst, W., Weske, M., Wirtz, G.: Advanced topics in workflow management. Int’l Journal of Integrated Design and Process Science 7 (2003)

    Google Scholar 

  21. Haddad, S., Pradat-Peyre, J.: New efficient petri nets reductions for parallel programs verification. Parallel Processing Letters 16, 101–116 (2006)

    Article  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  22. Rinderle-Ma, S., Reichert, M., Weber, B.: On the formal semantics of change patterns in process-aware information systems. In: Li, Q., Spaccapietra, S., Yu, E., Olivé, A. (eds.) ER 2008. LNCS, vol. 5231, pp. 279–293. Springer, Heidelberg (2008)

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  23. Wolz, J.: New control and data flow concepts in ADEPT2. Master’s thesis, Ulm University (2008)

    Google Scholar 

  24. Minor, M., Schmalen, D., Koldehoff, A., Bergmann, R.: Structural adaptation of workflows supported by a suspension mechanism and by case-based reasoning. In: WETICE 2007 (2007)

    Google Scholar 

  25. van der Aalst, W., ter Hofstede, A.: Yawl: Yet another workflow language. Information Systems 30, 245–275 (2005)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Agostini, A., De Michelis, G.: Improving flexibility of workflow management systems. In: BPM 2000, pp. 218–234 (2000)

    Google Scholar 

  27. Rinderle, S., Reichert, M., Dadam, P.: Supporting workflow schema evolution by efficient compliance checks. Technical Report UIB2003-02, Ulm University (2003), http://www.uni-ulm.de/in/iui-dbis/forschung/publikationen.html

  28. Rinderle, S.: Schema Evolution in Process Management Systems. PhD thesis, Ulm University (2004)

    Google Scholar 

  29. van der Aalst, W.: Exterminating the dynamic change bug: A concrete approach to support worfklow change. Information Systems Frontiers 3, 297–317 (2001)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. Reichert, M., Rinderle, S.: On design principles for realizing adaptive service flows with BPEL. In: EMISA 2006, pp. 133–146 (2006)

    Google Scholar 

  31. Reichert, M., Rinderle, S., Dadam, P.: On the common support of workflow type and instance changes under correctness constraints. In: Meersman, R., Tari, Z., Schmidt, D.C. (eds.) CoopIS 2003, DOA 2003, and ODBASE 2003. LNCS, vol. 2888, pp. 407–425. Springer, Heidelberg (2003)

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  32. Rinderle-Ma, S., Reichert, M., Weber, B.: Relaxed compliance notions in adaptive process management systems. In: Li, Q., Spaccapietra, S., Yu, E., Olivé, A. (eds.) ER 2008. LNCS, vol. 5231, pp. 232–247. Springer, Heidelberg (2008)

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  33. Müller, R.: Event-Oriented Dynamic Adaptation of Workflows. PhD thesis, University of Leipzig, Germany (2002)

    Google Scholar 

  34. Golani, M., Gal, A.: Optimizing exception handling in workflows using process restructuring. In: Dustdar, S., Fiadeiro, J.L., Sheth, A.P. (eds.) BPM 2006. LNCS, vol. 4102, pp. 407–413. Springer, Heidelberg (2006)

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  35. Weber, B., Reichert, M., Wild, W., Rinderle-Ma, S.: Providing integrated life cycle support in process-aware information systems. Int’l Journal of Cooperative Information Systems (IJCIS) 18 (2009)

    Google Scholar 

  36. Ly, L., Rinderle, S., Dadam, P.: Integration and verification of semantic constraints in adaptive process management systems. DKE 64, 3–23 (2008)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  37. Weber, B., Reichert, M., Wild, W., Rinderle, S.: Balancing flexibility and security in adaptive process management systems. In: Meersman, R., Tari, Z. (eds.) OTM 2005. LNCS, vol. 3760, pp. 59–76. Springer, Heidelberg (2005)

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  38. Bobrik, R., Reichert, M., Bauer, T.: View-based process visualization. In: Alonso, G., Dadam, P., Rosemann, M. (eds.) BPM 2007. LNCS, vol. 4714, pp. 88–95. Springer, Heidelberg (2007)

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  39. Reichert, M., Dadam, P., Bauer, T.: Dealing with forward and backward jumps in workflow management systems. Software and Systems Modeling (SOSYM) 2, 37–58 (2003)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  40. Russell, N., van der Aalst, W., ter Hofstede, A.: Exception Handling Patterns in Process-Aware Information Systems. In: CAiSE 2006, pp. 288–302 (2006)

    Google Scholar 

  41. Adams, M., ter Hofstede, A., van der Aalst, W., Edmond, D.: Dynamic, extensible and context-aware exception handling for workflows. In: Meersman, R., Tari, Z. (eds.) OTM 2007, Part I. LNCS, vol. 4803, pp. 95–112. Springer, Heidelberg (2007)

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  42. Kumar, A., Wainer, J.: Meta workflows as a control and coordination mechanism for exception handling in workflow systems. Dec. Support Sys. 40, 85–105 (2004)

    Google Scholar 

  43. Rinderle, S., Reichert, M.: Data-driven process control and exception handling in process management systems. In: Dubois, E., Pohl, K. (eds.) CAiSE 2006. LNCS, vol. 4001, pp. 273–287. Springer, Heidelberg (2006)

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  44. Pesic, M.: Constrained-based Workflow Management Systems – Shifting Control to Users. PhD thesis, TU Eindhoven (2008)

    Google Scholar 

  45. Wainer, J., de Lima Bezerra, F.: Constraint-Based Flexible Workflows. In: Favela, J., Decouchant, D. (eds.) CRIWG 2003. LNCS, vol. 2806, pp. 151–158. Springer, Heidelberg (2003)

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  46. Mangan, P., Sadiq, S.: A constraint specification approach to building flexible workflows. J of Research and Practice in Inf Technology 35, 21–39 (2002)

    Google Scholar 

  47. Mutschler, B., Weber, B., Reichert, M.: Workflow management versus case handling: Results from a controlled software experiment. In: SAC 2008, pp. 82–89 (2008)

    Google Scholar 

  48. Müller, D., Reichert, M., Herbst, J.: Data-driven modeling and coordination of large process structures. In: Meersman, R., Tari, Z. (eds.) OTM 2007, Part I. LNCS, vol. 4803, pp. 131–149. Springer, Heidelberg (2007)

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  49. Li, C., Reichert, M., Wombacher, A.: Discovering reference process models by mining process variants. In: ICWS 2007, Beijing, pp. 45–53 (2008)

    Google Scholar 

  50. Guenther, C., Rinderle-Ma, S., Reichert, M., van der Aalst, W., Recker, J.: Using process mining to learn from process changes in evolutionary systems. Int’l Journal of Business Process Integration and Management 3, 61–78 (2008)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  51. Li, C., Reichert, M., Wombacher, A.: On measuring process model similarity based on high-level change operations. In: Li, Q., Spaccapietra, S., Yu, E., Olivé, A. (eds.) ER 2008. LNCS, vol. 5231, pp. 248–264. Springer, Heidelberg (2008)

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  52. Rinderle-Ma, S., Reichert, M.: Managing the life cycle of access rules in CEOSIS. In: Proc. EDOC 2008, Munich, pp. 257–266 (2008)

    Google Scholar 

  53. Rinderle-Ma, S., Reichert, M.: A formal framework for adaptive access control models. In: Spaccapietra, S., Atzeni, P., Fages, F., Hacid, M.-S., Kifer, M., Mylopoulos, J., Pernici, B., Shvaiko, P., Trujillo, J., Zaihrayeu, I. (eds.) Journal on Data Semantics IX. LNCS, vol. 4601, pp. 82–112. Springer, Heidelberg (2007)

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  54. Hallerbach, A., Bauer, T., Reichert, M.: Managing process variants in the process lifecycle. In: ICEIS 2008, Barcelona, pp. 154–161 (2008)

    Google Scholar 

  55. Weber, B., Reichert, M.: Refactoring process models in large process repositories. In: Bellahsène, Z., Léonard, M. (eds.) CAiSE 2008. LNCS, vol. 5074, pp. 124–139. Springer, Heidelberg (2008)

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2009 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Reichert, M., Rinderle-Ma, S., Dadam, P. (2009). Flexibility in Process-Aware Information Systems. In: Jensen, K., van der Aalst, W.M.P. (eds) Transactions on Petri Nets and Other Models of Concurrency II. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 5460. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-00899-3_7

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-00899-3_7

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-00898-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-00899-3

  • eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics