Automatic Support for Enterprise Modelling and Workflow Figure 1: A Holistic Support Framework for Informal Modelling Activities What's the Problem? * Enterprise Modelling (EM) methods are well recognised for their value in describing complex domains in an organised but usually informal structure. Because of their lack of formal structure, the use of Enterprise Models that have been developed is limited. * Domain experts are normally not knowledge modellers and need to be assisted with automatic facilities to help them refine, verify, validate and share their models. * Collaborative knowledge work in real organisations may use different (informal) models to capture their group memory, consensus and visions. These models need to be shared and reused correctly to allow effective communication and learning. However, because of the informal nature of such models not all information has been shared effectively. When models are not being described formally, there may not be adequate facilities to support the exchange of information and ensure the consistency between different models.[10] * Business process modelling techniques provide rich conceptualisations that tend to describe the type of information required by the adaptive workflow systems. However, to achieve more widespread application, Workflow Management Systems (WfMS) need to be developed to operate in dynamic environments where they are expected to ensure that users are supported in performing flexible and creative tasks while maintaining organisational norms. Unfortunately, such needs have not been fully addressed. Towards a Solution Providing a Holistic Support Framework for Informal Modelling Activities We propose a holistic supportive modelling framework to assist informal modelling that may be applied throughout its design-build-test-refine-use lifecycle. The framework is under-pinned by formal methods and illustrated in Figure 1 (above). To support the building of enterprise models, an iterative cycle of knowledge-based support may be provided. KBST-EM is a generic modelling system that has been built on top of Hardy - a programmable hypertext-diagram tool that has been built in AIAI. Below is a list of example support facilities that are provided by KBST-EM (Knowledge Based Support Tool for Enterprise Modelling) and a workflow engine: * Method-specific model creation and documentation; [1][7][8] * Generic and method-specific knowledge based analysis, error detection and correction advise giving; [1][7][8][10] * Ontology based knowledge sharing between multiple models where each model may be described using different modelling methods; [2][4][9] * Dynamic behaviour illustration through state-stepping; [1][7][11] * Case-based retrieving and reuse of history models; [1][6] * Automatic translation to a different modelling language; [1] * When the enterprise model is a process model, the process mode may be used as a blueprint to automatically generate or modify a workflow system that implements the process model in real life. Figure 1 shows workflow systems J and K operating as agents in a distributed environment. [8][9][11] Currently, 29 different modelling methods are supported by the KBST-EM and around 40 models are stored in the KBST-EM. Under the AKT project, two new methods were devised, AKT research map [3] and FBPML [5][8][9] and five new models have been developed. In KBST-EM, all modelling methods are supported with generic knowledge based support, and some of them also have method-specific facilities. Figure 2 is a screen shot of KBST-EM. It shows a part of the ontology that has been used in the application domain of PC Configuration that is a part of the AKT work item: KRAFT-IX TIE (see KRAFT-IX TIE technology profile web page for more details). [onto.gif] Figure 2: Partial Ontology in the PC Configuration domain (KBST-EM screen shot) Figure 3 shows another screen shot of KBST-EM which is part of a process model. This process model is written in FBPML (Fundamental Business Process Modelling Language) that has been developed as a part of AKT. [pm.gif] Figure 3: Process Model for PC Configuration Application Knowledge Sharing and Inconsistency Checking between Multiple Models To support knowledge sharing and improve consistency between models, an ontological mapping framework has been devised to enable the mapping between primitives of different modelling methods and concepts that have been captured in different models. Figure 4 shows an ontology based framework that shows how knowledge may be shared between different models.[4] [framework.gif] Figure 4: A common ontology captures the concepts that are being shared between different models Figure 5 below gives an example where the same and similar information has been captured in different types of models, i.e. the process, data and business-view oriented models. These characteristics enable common knowledge to be shared between different models, and can be used for consistency checking of different models. This technique is based on knowledge about the different modelling primitives in different models and the underlying ontology that matches similar concepts, as suggested earlier in Figure 4. [axiom-model.gif] Figure 5: The same and similar information are often captured in different types of models, but described in different form Through the underlying shared ontology of all three models, it can be derived that D1, D1' and D1'' are compatible, and that O1, O1' and O1'' are compatible. When this technique is repeatedly applied, parts of different models can be mapped to each other. Below is an example of consistency checking axiom that makes use of the common ontology. [axiom.gif] Support for Workflow System development: From design of process models to generation of workflow systems Figure 3 gave a graphical description of a process model using FBPML notation [5][8]. Since FBPML has declarative execution semantics for processes, process models written in FBPML give precise instructions for implementation of a workflow system. Given a set of workflow functions that implement the corresponding components that are included in the FBPML process model, a workflow engine interprets the process model (against dynamics in the world) and invokes the appropriate functions for execution. Figure 6 gives the overall architecture of a workflow engine. More details are given in [8]. [wf-eng.gif] Figure 6: Overall Architecture of Workflow Engine Take a Guided Tour * [1]KBST-EM (zipped Quick Time Movie 25Mbyte) * [2]Workflow and FBPML Example Applications * Virtual organisation communication and collaboration * Workflow applications * E-Business applications * Agent based systems collaboration Further Reading Example Key documents * [1] Yun-Heh Chen-Burger.[3] Formal Support for an Informal Business Modelling Method. PhD Thesis, The University of Edinburgh, 2000. * [2] Yun-Heh Chen-Burger. Knowledge Based Multi-Perspective Framework For Enterprise Modelling. Technical Report, Informatics Report Series, University of Edinburgh, [4]EDI-INF-RR-0036, Feb 2001. * [3] Yun-Heh Chen-Burger, [5]AKT Research Map. * [4] Yun-Heh Chen-Burger. [6]Sharing and Checking Organisation Knowledge. Chapter of book: [7]Knowledge Management and Organizational Memories. Editors: Rose Dieng-Kuntz, Nada Matta. Publisher: Kluwer Academic Publishers, Boston Hardbound, ISBN 0-7923-7659-5, July 2002. * [5] Yun-Heh Chen-Burger, [8]Informal Semantics for the FBPML Data Language, Informatics Report Series: [9]EDI-INF-RR-0154 , School of Informatics, The University of Edinburgh, Oct 2002. * [6] Yun-Heh Chen-Burger, Dave Robertson, Jussi Stader. A Case-Based Reasoning Framework for Enterprise Model Building, Sharing and Reusing. [10]European Conference of Artificial Intelligence, Knowledge Management and Organizational Memories Workshop, Berlin, ECAI 2000 and is published on the web and in its proceedings. * [7] Yun-Heh Chen-Burger, Dave Robertson, Jussi Stader (AIAI). Formal Support for an Informal Business Modelling Method. [11]The International Journal of Software Engineering and Knowledge Engineering, IJSEKE February 2000. World Scientific Publishing Company. * [8] Yun-Heh Chen-Burger, Jussi Stader. Chapter of book in: Formal Support for Adaptive Workflow Systems in a Distributed Environment. To be published in [12]Workflow Handbook 2003, Editor: Layna Fischer, Workflow Management Coalition, Publisher: Future Strategies Inc., USA, 2003. * [9] Yun-Heh Chen-Burger, Austin Tate, and Dave Robertson, [13]Enterprise Modelling: A Declarative Approach for FBPML , [14]European Conference of Artificial Intelligence, Knowledge Management and Organisational Memories Workshop, 2002. Published in its proceedings. Other relevant documents * [10] Robertson D. and Augusti J., [15]Software Blueprints: Lightweight Uses of Logic in Conceptual Modelling, Addison Wesley, 1999. * [11] I-X systems integration architecture: [16]http://www.aiai.ed.ac.uk/project/ix. References 1. file://localhost/home/www.aktors/htdocs/dynamic-technology-pages/workflow/movie/kbst-em-movie.zip 2. http://www.aiai.ed.ac.uk/~jessicac/project/2-workflow-tech-profile-sub/fbpml-slides/wf-fbpml.pdf 3. http://www.aiai.ed.ac.uk/~jessicac/psfiles/phd.pdf.gz 4. http://www.informatics.ed.ac.uk/publications/author/jessicac.html 5. http://www.aiai.ed.ac.uk/%7Ejessicac 6. http://www.aiai.ed.ac.uk/%7Ejessicac/psfiles/kluwer.pdf 7. http://www.wkap.nl/prod/b/0-7923-7659-5 8. http://www.aiai.ed.ac.uk/%7Ejessicac/psfiles/fbpml-dl.zip 9. http://www.informatics.ed.ac.uk/publications/author/jessicac.html 10. http://dblab.comeng.chungnam.ac.kr/%7Edolphin/db/conf/ecai/index.html 11. http://ejournals.wspc.com.sg/ijseke/ijseke.shtml 12. http://www.wfmc.org/ 13. http://www.aiai.ed.ac.uk/%7Ejessicac/psfiles/ecai2002.pdf 14. http://ecai2002.univ-lyon1.fr/show_en.pl 15. http://www.awprofessional.com/catalog/product.asp?product_id=%7B822D28FC-0AEF-4FD6-9299-2F31CA26C33C%7D 16. http://www.aiai.ed.ac.uk/project/ix Jessica Chen-Burger 7d62198de8b2b6f601b030e3ce5cf0fc823bc124