Towards Object-aware Process Management

Systems: Issues, Challenges, Benefits

Vera K¨unzle1and Manfred Reichert1

Institute of Databases and Information Systems, Ulm University, Germany

{vera.kuenzle,manfred.reichert}@uni-ulm.de

Abstract. Contemporary workflow management systems (WfMS) offer

promising perspectives in respect to comprehensive lifecycle support of

business processes. However, there still exist numerous business applica-

tions with hard-coded process logic. Respective application software is

which we gathered in several case studies, and it elaborates to what de-

gree existing WfMS are able to provide the needed object-awareness. We

show that the activity-centered paradigm of existing WfMS is too inflex-

ible in this context, and we discuss major requirements needed to enable

object-awareness in processes management systems.

Key words: Workflow Management, Object-aware Process Manage-

ment Systems, Data-driven Process Execution

1 Introduction

Nowadays, specific application software (e.g., ERP, CRM, and SCM systems)

isting application software typically provides simple configuration facilities; i.e.,

based on some settings one can configure a particular process variant. Prob-

lems emerging in this context are the lack of transparency of the configurable

processes and the mutual dependencies that exist between the different con-

figuration settings. In addition, like the overall process logic the settings are

often (redundantly) scattered over the whole application code, which therefore

2 Vera K¨unzle and Manfred Reichert

becomes complex and difficult to maintain over time. This results in long devel-

opment cycles and high maintenance costs (e.g., when introducing new features).

In principle, workflow management systems (WfMS) offer promising perspec-

rectly depend on the execution of activities, but on changes of attribute values of

data objects. Thus business processes and data cannot be treated independently

from each other, and business process models need to be compliant with the

underlying data structure; i.e. with the life cycles of the used data objects.

WfMS is inadequate for supporting data-oriented processes. For this purpose,

we elaborate important properties of existing application software and show to

what degree they can be covered by existing WfMS. Based on the identified

shortcomings, we define major requirements for a generic system component

enablingdata-oriented processes with integrated view on both business processes

aware Process Management System. We check to what degree contemporary

WfMS cover the properties of data-oriented applications. Based on the problems

identified in this context we derive the requirements for Object-aware Process

Management Systems. Section 4 describes related work. The paper concludes

with an outlook on our future research in Section 5.

2 Backgrounds and Illustrating Example

This section describes basic workflow terminology and introduces an illustrating

example. Based on this information we discuss the deficiencies of contemporary

WfMS in the following sections.

Existing WfMS. In existing WfMS, a process definition consists of a set of

user roles) need to be defined for the corresponding activities. At runtime, for

each business case an instance of the corresponding process definition is created

Object-aware Process Management Systems 3

and executed according to the defined control flow. A particular activity may be

only enabled if all activities preceding in the control flow are completed or cannot

be executed anymore (except loop backs). When an interactive activity becomes

applicant. Corresponding review forms have to be filled out by employees from

functional divisions until a certain deadline. Usually, they evaluate the applica-

tion(s), make a proposal on how to proceed (e.g., whether or not a particular

candidate shall be invited for an interview), and submit their recommendation to

the personnel officer. Based on the provided reviews the personnel officer makes

his decision on the application(s) or he initiates further steps like an interview

3 Findings, Problems, Requirements

oriented application software. This section summarizes basic findings from these

requirements to be met by object-aware process management systems.

3.1 Challenge 1: Integration of Data

Fig. 1a depicts the data structure for our running example. For each applica-

4 Vera K¨unzle and Manfred Reichert

ing runtime (e.g., if for an application some reviews are requested or completed

From a user perspective, the instances of a particular object type correspond

to rows in a table. Table columns, in turn, relate to selected attributes of the

on mandatory process activities , authorized users may optionally edit attribute

values of single object instances at arbitrary points in time (optional activities).

Object-aware Process Management Systems 5

faulty process executions.

6 Vera K¨unzle and Manfred Reichert

Object-aware Process Management Systems 7

3.3 Challenge 3: Data-based Modeling

3.4 Challenge 4: Synchronizing Process Instances

Findings. A subordinate process is always instantiated during the execution

8 Vera K¨unzle and Manfred Reichert

corresponding object instance is then created. In particular, this object instance

references the one related to the superordinate process instance. Finally, the

pre-condition of the process step, in which the subordinate process instance is

The creation of a particular object instance depends on the progress of the

before the skills of the applicant have been compared with the job profile.

may be required [6]; i.e., we need to aggregate the values of particular attributes

process instances. Fig. 5b illustrates this along our running example. Within the

Thereby, only submitted reviews are considered.

review may only be marked as completed after a decision on the job application

has been made (cf. Fig. 5c).

each other [6]. Neither dependencies between instances of different process types

cess instances is tightly synchronized with their superordinate process instance;

Object-aware Process Management Systems 9

described above can be adequately handled in WfMS [6].

corresponding object instances as well as their cardinalities.

3.5 Challenge 5: Flexibility

or less asynchronous execution becomes possible (cf. Fig. 6).

actions necessary for the fulfillment of the data conditions of subsequent steps.