Workflow Transparency

Authors
P. Bichler, G. Preuner, M. Schrefl
Technical Report
TR9702 (February, 1997)
Report number
97.02
Resources
Copy  (In order to obtain the copy please send an email with subject  TR9702  to dke.win@jku.at)

Abstract

Workflow transparency refers to the ability of considering a business process independently of the workflow implementing it. Unlike current workflow systems, which do not differentiate between business processes and workflows, workflow transparency requires to model business processes and workflows separately.

Workflow systems supporting workflow transparency offer advantages comparable with database systems supporting data independence and with distributed databases supporting distribution transparency. Similarly as data independence allows to change the actual organization of data and similarly as distribution transparency allows the re-distribution of data without effecting applications accessing the database at the conceptual level, workflow transparency allows for dynamic re-organisation of the actual flow of work without effecting the overall results of business processes.