An Application of Business Process Modeling System ILNET

Dimitar Blagoev, George Totkov, Elena Somova

Department of Computer Science The University of Plovdiv Paisii Hilendarski Plovdiv, Bulgaria [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]
Abstract In this paper we present a system for accompanying of the process of Bachelor and Master thesis administration, including all stages: publication of thesis themes, thesis choice, documents fulfillment, thesis writing, thesis submission, thesis review, thesis publication, etc. The system is developed on the base of business process modeling system ILNET and its basic model for describing and executing workflow models. The basic model allows the creation and usage of both high-level constructs that are available in all popular business modeling standards as well as low-level programming language constructs that allow the implementations of new building blocks. Amongst the main features of the system are the capability of the blocks to implement their own custom visualization using the same workflow model, the centralized independent hosting and execution of the models, the ability to hot-swap a compiled and running model with another (newer) one and the automatic wrapping of web services and .NET libraries into ILNET building blocks. Keywords workflow, administration of education business process modeling,

some of the others focus on model visualization and visual description, not execution or analysis. Amongst the vast number of tools and models two standards have become widely accepted the BPMN (Business process modeling notation) and EPC (Event-driven process chain). These two seemingly completely different process modeling approaches are used by most of the recently developed tools in the field. The execution of the BPMN models has been possible with the help of the BPEL (Business process execution language) standard, while XPDL (XML process definition language) focuses more on the visual representation of the models (also known as Workflow process description language in its first revision from 1998, before it began supporting the BPMN constructs). The latter also works as an exchange format for process definitions between different systems (including those based on the EPC approach). The second version of the BPMN standard (version 2) also supports process execution. In 1999 begins the Workflow Patterns initiative under the supervision of Prof. Wil van der Aalst. The goal of the initiative is to present a thorough study of the different perspectives (workflow control, data, resources and exception handling) that should to be supported by a process management or business process modeling standard. Currently there are 43 patterns for workflow control, 43 for working with resources, 40 for data and 108 (derived) for exception handling. Table 1 shows a comparison of some of the most widely used standards for process modeling (BPMN, UML, EPC) and process execution and management (BPEL, XPDL).
TABLE 1. SUPPORTED WORKFLOW PATTERNS BY SOME OF THE BUSINESS
PROCESS MODELLING STANDARDS

I.

INTRODUCTION

In this paper we introduce a novel process modeling environment and present an approach towards the automation of administrative processes. Still big portion of the administrative work at learning institutions is being carried by out manually on paper. Some of the processes are short and can be done fast, while other spread over a long period of time, involves collecting and processing data from multiple members and is more difficult to monitor and administer. The notion of modeling and executing business processes using workflows or other techniques has been around for decades. Initially in the late 1970s it was focused on office automation systems (Officetalk-Zero [2]), shortly after systems supporting organizational processes emerged (SCOOP [6], which used Petri Nets). Since then many new tools and approaches have been introduced and new standards emerged trying to help different tools exchange process definitions. Using Petri Nets and in particular Colored Petri Nets is a good choice in cases of computer algorithm analysis and improvement [4]. Presenting a good base for simulation of process models is probably one of the reasons some business process modeling systems chose CPN as their underlying model representation language, while

Patterns Workflow Control Data Resources Exception Handling

BPEL 21 19 28 16

BPMN 33 22 8 32

XPDL 33 16 18

UML 30 18 8 -

EPC 12 -

Often new patterns are being added for either further simplifying the process modeling process or fixing problematic zones that arise from the use of already existing prior patterns. One issue which can be observed is that there isnt a single

standard that covers or can promise to cover all of the possible necessary patterns for optimal and seamless process description. Bellow we present a possible solution, by proposing a system in which new building elements and patterns can be defined in the same manner as processes. II. SYSTEM ILNET

prototype e-learning architecture for modeling e-learning processes related to the course workflow. The system is modular and consists of five main components, which communicate between them through inside messages or SOAP-based web services: Workflow compiler, which translates descriptions to programming code; process

The ILNET system is a light framework for creating business process modeling solutions. It is the final product of a long and extended development of series of tools for linguistic processing. One of its main features is that, although a fixed base model with which processes can be defined and executed is given, there is a built-in feature to enhance and adapt both the graphical editor and the underlying engine, to define and execute processes using models with which the end users may be more familiar with. Currently Petri Net modeling is in testing and most of the BPML elements are drafted. The first version of the system was designed to be used primarily in the field of computational linguistics [1]. The system is used successfully in the text-to-speech solution SLOG [5]. In [3] the new and current, now based on.NET, version of the system, called ILNET, is used during the creation of a

Server for execution and management of the described processes; Graphical editor for visual process modeling; Event manager which handles internal communication between processes and provides a gateway for the outside environment to exchange messages with running process instances using SOAP; Building blocks library which contains descriptions of utility sub-processes which can be used for more rapid process modeling and also provides the ability to use familiar structures from other modeling tools.

Figure 1 presents the architecture of the system in common.

Figure 1. Arhitecture of ILNET

Another feature of the proposed system is its memory model. The language for process description in ILNET supports working with variables on three different access levels: Local variables: they are always copied and are accessed by only one instance. They can represent the memory of workflow thread, or Petri Net token. They are used for calculations which do not depend on the result of other simultaneously running process threads, eliminating the risk of accessing one variable being accessed from more than one place at the same time. Intermediate variables: they are copied when the process is initializing. They are accessed by each control workflow, derived from the initial (when the process is started). They are used for synchronization of the active roads in the frame of one calling of the process and for implementation of most of the templates used for modeling of business processes which deal with synchronization of workflows. Global variables: they are never copied and are available to all instances. These variables provide a way of creating process instance data pools where different instances of the same process collect and share data. For short-term data storage of non-critical data these variables are faster and easier to work with than using an external database (which is preferred for critical or long-term data).

either full-client or full-server rendering (for web clients) GEFI uses client-side rendering for the model whilst allowing serverside rendering for specific elements (building blocks) of the model. In essence, this means that the tool can be used to edit how the blocks are rendered inside the tool. In addition, since the rendering of the block is handled by the block description on the side of the server, it is possible to model complex interactive multi-user elements. III. APPLICATION SYSTEM

The paper presents an application of the business process modeling system ILNET and its basic model for describing and executing workflow models, introduced in the previous section. The application system has a purpose to follow and maintain the whole administrative process of Bachelor and Master thesis preparation of the students for the graduation of the respective university degree. The process covers the following stages: publication of the thesis themes, thesis choice, administrative acceptance, documents fulfillment, thesis writing with support with help materials (as thesis templates and information about university thesis rules and time schedule about each stage of preparation of the graduation thesis), thesis submission and publication, additional materials (as thesis defense presentation, code of the developed software, software documentation, published scientific papers and other prepared materials) publication, thesis review, thesis evaluation and thesis view . Administrative acceptance is done on two stages of the process, according to the university rules first, tutor has to accept the concrete student for the chosen theme and second, the head of the department has to accept the student to work on thesis with the respective tutor (Application Form 1). During the whole process two official paper documents (application forms) have to be fulfilled. The second official document Application Form 2 is a request for permission of defending the thesis in front of the evaluation commission. The user types that can use the opportunity of the system are student, teacher-tutor, teacher-evaluator and teacher-head. The tutor publicizes the thesis themes that he/she gives, views and updates own themes, views received requests from students to work on a particular theme, answers to the students requests (accepts or rejects) and reviews the thesis. The tutor can follow all steps of the student during the whole process of preparation of the thesis. The head, which is the head of the department, approves the application form 1 and determines the reviewer of the thesis. The evaluator, which is a member of the thesis evaluation commission, has the opportunity to see the list of themes for defense and publishes the final thesis mark. The student chooses the thesis theme from the list of free themes, fills in two application forms (which is almost automatic), views informational and help materials, and submits thesis and additional thesis materials.

Using all three types of variable access levels it is possible to easily model complex data workflows. Loading and execution of the modeled processes and transferring of inner- and outer- process messages is realized by ILNET server. The server operates with events for work with messages and serves for connection between the surrounding environment and the running process instances giving opportunity for: loading process models; starting processes; receiving and sending messages; termination of processes instances.

The graphical editor for visual process modeling provides means for seamless process modeling in the ILNET framework. Figure 2 shows the working screen of the graphical interface of the module for visual process editing GEFI. The environment enables several processes to work simultaneously, they are synchronized in real time with the server, in which they are loaded and gives basic means for tracking and monitoring of executed instances of modeled processes. The environment supports the use of different modeling standards using custom building blocks. The resulting visual information generated for a particular model is attached to the base elements as metadata. One novel approach used in the tool is the use of a hybrid client-server rendering engine. While most systems provide

Figure 2. Grafical environment for process edition

Different views are prepared for each type of user free themes, own themes, themes for defense, Application Form 1 requests, current thesis with status, review requests and finished thesis. The chosen approach about passing over processes for all users is to use one workflow for all users instead of different workflows for each of them. The used approach gives easy management of processes and control of the relationship between processes executed by different users. The scheme of the thesis administrative process is given on the Figure 3. On the figure the possible actors of the actions are pointed with s, t, e and h respectively for student, tutor, evaluator and head. Passing over the workflow is consecutively with some time interruptions when particular user has to wait other user to execute some action. For example, while tutor do not accept student request for specific theme, student cannot continue the process and start to prepare the thesis. In the process there are some stages that depend by the time limitation fulfillment of both application forms and all final submission (thesis, materials, review and evaluation mark). Passing through these stages can be done by user choice or reaching the definite time. In the workflow there is used one special type of ILNET blocks, which presents and-logic in execution. For example, only after when the thesis, the additional materials, the review

and the Application Form 2 (according to the university rules) are submitted, the thesis work is prepared and ready for evaluation. The application system is developed on the base of the following software technologies: MS Visual Studio 2010, MS Silverlight 4.0 and LINQ and database MS SQL Server. The work is funded by projects DO 02-308 to the National Science Fund and BG051 PO 001-3.3.04/13 to European Social Fund of Operational Program Development of the human resources 2007-2013. IV. CONCLUSION

The work presents example how to realize an application system on the base of business process modeling system using workflow models. The system follows the whole administrative process of preparation of Bachelor and Master graduation thesis. We intend to expand the system with connection to the university student system for automatic decision if the student has the right to prepare thesis according to the evaluation marks.

s/t/h Free themes view

s Theme choice t

t Choice rejection 3

t Own themes view e View of themes for defense 1 t Theme submission s/t/h/e Login h Appl. Form 1 requests view s/t/h/e Finished thesis view h Reviewer choice t Review requests view 3 h
Figure 3. Workflow model of the application system

Student request view t Own themes update

s Choice acceptance Appl. form 1 generation

h Appl. form 1 acceptance

s s Thesis update Thesis submission

s Help materials view s s Appl. form 2 generation s Materials update Materials submission

s Final thesis submission

Appl. Form 1 rejection 2

s t Review update t Help materials view Review submission t Final review submission s/t/h/e Thesis view e Mark submission e e Mark update Final mark submission Final materials submission

and

2 1

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