Intelligent Support for Context-Sensitive Workflow

Proposer: Yun-Heh (Jessica) Chen-Burger, 650-2756,

Suggested Supervisors: Yun-Heh (Jessica) Chen-Burger

Other Suggested Supervisors: Jussi Stader, Dave Robertson

Subject Areas: Semantic Web, Process Management, Semantic Based Workflow, Visualisation, Multi-perspective Modelling, Semantic Grid.

Principle goal of the project:

To provide an intelligent support tool to support semantic based workflow management.

Description:

Business Process Modelling (BPM) and Workflow technologies are fundamental to many business process re-engineering initiatives. Not all BPM and Workflow technologies, however, manipulates information that is context-sensitive. In fact, currently, none of the standard semantic web related workflow languages support this.

This project aims to provide an intelligent support tool for a semantic based BPM language, the Formal Business Process Modelling Language (FBPML). The tool will enable the generation of semantic business process models and integration with context sensitive information/knowledge. It may also provide automatic modelling assistances based on inferred information derived from the underlying model(s). Theoretical as well as practical evaluations of the system may also be carried out as part of the project based on trials on real life modellers.

Basic Tasks:

  • Understand the problem domain and relevant technologies:
  • FBPML[2, 5, 15];
  • IDEF3 [12];
  • OWL-S (optional) [13];
  • Process modelling and workflow technologies;
  • Ontology [16 and my internal web resources];
  • Knowledge mapping technologies [8, 9],
  • Analyse the problem domain and identify the characteristics and requirements,
  • Examine existing process modelling tools, to get a feel of functionalities available and their strength/weakness, use this knowledge to plan and design your tool: e.g.
  • KBST-EM [5],
  • IX I-P2 [6],
  • AI0WIN [2],
  • ProCap [3],
  • Renew for Petri Net [7].
  • Examples on Inconsistency checking: [8, 9, 17, 2, 3]
  • Distinguish your tool from existing tools, what your tool can offer that others don’t,
  • Identify potential/targeted user group for the tool,
  • Propose a suitable support framework, e.g.
  • Model building advising,
  • Inconsistency checking and guidance for error-correction [8, 9],
  • Infer knowledge,
  • Alternative viewing of knowledge,
  • Model publishing using Semantic Web compliant languages, e.g. OWL-S [13, 14].
  • Knowledge representation issues:
  • Use FBPML-DL to represent the ontology [15];
  • Use FBPML to represent the process model [2] – also get example and slides from Jessica;
  • Learn Methodology of FBPML [2] [5];
  • To learn how to use an UML class diagram to represent the FBPML methodology, see example from [18].
  • Based on the created UML class diagram design your FBPML system.
  • Design and implement a proof of concept system, based on some of the above features.
  • Design an evaluation framework,
  • Carry out an evaluation of the tool.

Additional Tasks:

  • Discuss, compare and contrast your tool with other existing tools for BPM and WF systems,
  • Discuss impact of semantic and BPM based WF systems to semantic web and grid technologies.

Background Required:

  • Java programming ability
  • Concept of knowledge representation
  • First order logic
  • Knowledge of database (optional)

Degree of Difficulty:

Medium – High

References:

  1. Dynamically modified project description:
  2. Yun-Heh Chen-Burger, Jussi Stader, Formal Support for Adaptive Workflow Systems in a Distributed Environment , Section I, Chapter of book: Workflow Handbook 2003, Editor: Layna Fischer. Published in association with Workflow Management Coalition. Publisher: Future Strategies Inc., USA, April 2003.
  3. AI0WIN from KBSI and free download:
  4. ProCap form KBSI and free download:
  5. KBST-EM from AIAI: and (Ask Jessica for a local download.)
  6. I-X Process Panel, I-P2, from AIAI: (Ask Jessica for a local download.)
  7. Relevant workflow tool: Renew for Petri Net:
  8. Yun-Heh Chen-Burger. Sharing and Checking Organisation Knowledge. Chapter of book: Knowledge Management and Organizational Memories. Editors: Rose Dieng-Kuntz, Nada Matta. Publisher: Kluwer Academic Publishers, Boston Hardbound, ISBN 0-7923-7659-5, July 2002. Full Paper:
  9. Yun-Heh Chen-Burger, Multi-Perspective Modelling and Workflow AKT Technology Profile, February 2003.
  10. Relevant software package: J Graph:
  11. Relevant web site: I-X systems and technology web page:
  12. IDEF3:
  13. OWL-S:
  14. Li Guo, Yun-Heh Chen-Burger, Dave Roberston. Mapping a business process model to a semantic web services model 2004 IEEE International Conference on Web Services, July 6-9, 2004, San Diego, California, USA.
  15. Yun-Heh Chen-Burger, Informal Semantics for the FBPML Data Language Informatics Report Series: EDI-INF-RR-0154, School of Informatics, the University of Edinburgh, October 2002.
  16. John Sowa’s home page on Ontology:
  17. Yun-Heh Chen-Burger, Formal Support for an Informal Business Modelling method, PhD thesis.
  18. AKT Research Map: the “Introducing Notations of the AKT Research Map” and the “UML Class Diagram for Notations of AKT Research Map” pages.

Other References:

  1. AT&T automatic graphical layout algorithm.

Reading list on Visualisation:

  1. Margit Noll A1, Doris Fröhlich A2, Edgar Schiebel A1 . Knowledge Maps of Knowledge Management Tools - Information Visualization with BibTechMon. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, 2004.