Workflow data patterns: Identification, representation and tool support

Abstract

Workflow systems seek to provide an implementation vehicle for complex, recurring
business processes. Notwithstanding this common objective, there are a
variety of distinct features offered by commercial workflow management systems.
These differences result in significant variations in the ability of distinct tools to
represent and implement the plethora of requirements that may arise in contemporary
business processes. Many of these requirements recur quite frequently
during the requirements analysis activity for workflow systems and abstractions
of these requirements serve as a useful means of identifying the key components
of workflow languages.
Previous work has identified a number of Workflow Control Patterns which
characterise the range of control flow constructs that might be encountered when
modelling and analysing workflow. In this paper, we describe a series of Workflow
Data Patterns that aim to capture the various ways in which data is represented
and utilised in workflows. By delineating these Patterns in a form that is independent
of specific workflow technologies and modelling languages, we are able to
provide a comprehensive treatment of the workflow data perspective and we subsequently
use these Patterns as the basis for a detailed comparison of a number
of commercially available workflow management systems and business process
modelling languages.