Publications in Workflow

Articles in Refereed Journals:

1. Bianculli, D., Ghezzi, C., Spoletini, P.. A Model Checking Approach to Verify BPEL4WS Workflows. Service-Oriented Computing and Applications, 2007. SOCA '07. IEEE International Conference on, To Appear, June 2007.
   Abstract: The increasing diffusion of service oriented computing in critical business transactions demands reliability and correctness of the workflow logic representing web service orchestrations. We present an approach for the formal verification of workflow-based compositions of web services, described in BPEL4WS. Workflow processes can be verified in isolation, assuming that the external services invoked are known only through their interface. It is also possible to verify that the actual composition of two or more processes behaves correctly. We can verify deadlock freedom, properties expressed as data-bound assertions written in WS-CoL, a specification language for web services, and LTL temporal properties. Our approach is based on the software model checker Bogor, whose language supports the modeling of all BPEL4WS constructs. We provide an empirical evaluation of our approach and we compare the results with other BPEL4WS model checking tools.

2. Wil M. P. van der Aalst, Arthur H. M. ter Hofstede, Bartek Kiepuszewski, Alistair P. Barros. Workflow Patterns. Distributed and Parallel Databases, Vol. 14, Num. 1, pages 5-51, 2003.
   Abstract: Differences in features supported by the various contemporary commercial workflow management systems point to different insights of suitability and different levels of expressive power. The challenge, which we undertake in this paper, is to systematically address workflow requirements, from basic to complex. Many of the more complex requirements identified, recur quite frequently in the analysis phases of workflow projects, however their implementation is uncertain in current products. Requirements for workflow languages are indicated through workflow patterns. In this context, patterns address business requirements in an imperative workflow style expression, but are removed from specific workflow languages. The paper describes a number of workflow patterns addressing what we believe identify comprehensive workflow functionality. These patterns provide the basis for an in-depth comparison of a number of commercially availablework flow management systems. As such, this paper can be seen as the academic response to evaluations made by prestigious consulting companies. Typically, these evaluations hardly consider the workflow modeling language and routing capabilities, and focus more on the purely technical and commercial aspects.

Articles in Refereed Conferences:

1. Michael C. Jaeger, Gregor Rojec-Goldmann, Gero Mühl. QoS Aggregation for Web Service Composition using Workflow Patterns. EDOC, pages 149-159, 2004.
   Abstract: Contributions in the field of Web services have identified that (a) finding matches between semantic descriptions of advertised and requested services and (b) nonfunctional characteristics - the quality of service (QoS) - are the most crucial criteria for composition of Web services. A mechanism is introduced that determines the QoS of a Web service composition by aggregating the QoS dimensions of the individual services. This allows to verify whether a set of services selected for composition satisfies the QoS requirements for the whole composition. The aggregation performed builds upon abstract composition patterns, which represent basic structural elements of a composition, like sequence, loop, or parallel execution. This work focusses on workflow management environments. We define composition patterns that are derived from Van der Aalst's et al. comprehensive collection of workflow patterns. The resulting aggregation schema supports the same structural elements as found in workflows. Furthermore, the aggregation of several QoS dimensions is discussed.

2. Wil M. P. van der Aalst, Alistair P. Barros, Arthur H. M. ter Hofstede, Bartek Kiepuszewski. Advanced Workflow Patterns. CoopIS, pages 18-29, 2000.
   Abstract: Conventional workflow functionality like task sequencing, split parallelism, join synchronization and iteration have proven effective for business process automation and have widespread support in current workflow products. However, newer requirements for workflows are enconntered in practice, opening grave uncertainties about the extensions for current languages. Different concepts, although outwardly appearing to be more or less the same, are based on different paradigms, have fundamentally different semantics and different levels of applicability -more specialized for modeling or more generalized for workflow engine posit. By way of developmental insight of new requirements, we define workflow patterns which are described imperatively but independently of current workflow languages. These patterns provide the basis for an in-depth comparison of 12 workflow management systems. As such, the work reported in this paper can be seen as the academic response to evaluations made by prestigious consulting companies. Typically, these evaluations hardly consider the workflow modeling language and routing capabilities and focus more on the purely technical and commercial aspects.

3. Wil M. P. van der Aalst. Workflow Verification: Finding Control-Flow Errors Using Petri-Net-Based Techniques. Business Process Management, pages 161-183, 2000.
   Abstract: Workflow management systems facilitate the everyday operation of business processes by taking care of the logistic control of work. In contrast to traditional information systems, they attempt to support frequent changes of the workflows at hand. Therefore, the need for analysis methods to verify the correctness of workflows is becoming more prominent. In this chapter we present a method based on Petri nets. This analysis method exploits the structure of the Petri net to find potential errors in the design of the workflow. Moreover, the analysis method allows for the compositional verification of workflows.

Books and Monographs:

1. J. Cardoso. Quality of Service and Semantic Composition of Workflows. Ph.D. Thesis, University of Georgia, 2002.
   Abstract: Workflow management systems (WfMSs) have been used to support a variety of business processes. As organizations adopt new working models, such as e-commerce, new challenges arise for workflow systems. These challenges include support for the adequate management of quality of service (QoS) and the development of new solutions to facilitate the composition of workflow applications involving Web services. The good management of QoS directly impacts the success of organizations participating in e- commerce activities by better fulfilling customer expectations and achieving customer satisfaction. To enable adequate QoS management, research is required to develop mechanisms that specify, compute, monitor, and control the QoS of the products or services to be delivered. The composition of workflows to model e-service applications differs from the design of traditional workflows due to the number of Web services available during the composition process and to their heterogeneity. Two main problems need to be solved: how to efficiently discover Web services and how to facilitate their interoperability. To enhance WfMSs with QoS management, we have developed a QoS model that allows for the description of nonfunctional aspects of workflow components, from a quality of service perspective. To automatically compute the overall QoS of a workflow, we have developed a mathematical model and implemented an algorithm (SWR algorithm). Our QoS model and mathematical model have been validated with the deployment and execution of a set of production workflows in the area of genetics. The analysis of the collected data proves that our models provide a suitable framework for estimating, predicting, and analyzing the QoS of production workflows. To support, facilitate, and assist the composition of workflows involving Web services, we present a solution based on ontologies. We have developed an algorithm that workflow systems and discovery mechanisms can use to find Web services with desired interfaces and operational metrics, and to assist designers in resolving heterogeneity issues among Web services. Our approach provides an important solution to enhance Web service discovery and interoperability.