Data-flow skeleton filled with activities driven workflow design

ABSTRACT

Using the same semantics on the same data is the basis of information sharing. Moreover, it is also the foundation of workflow cooperation and coordination. The data-flow of a workflow process should be focused on in workflow design. Prevalent workflow design methods are from functional perspective or both perspectives of functional and informational. The approach of Data-Flow Skeleton Filled with Activities(DFSFA) is proposed to construct a workflow process by automatically building a data-flow skeleton and then filling it with activities. DFSFA is easily understandable and the data-flow skeleton can be used as the foundation for cooperation and coordination among workflow processes. Data-flow skeleton can also be used as an evaluation criterion to identify a workflow process from others.

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INDEX TERMS

Primary Classification:
  H. Information Systems
  H.4 INFORMATION SYSTEMS APPLICATIONS
      H.4.1 Office Automation

General Terms:
Design

Keywords:
data-flow dependency tree, data-flow skeleton, workflow cooperation and coordination, workflow design