A tool for minimizing update errors for workflow applications: The CARD model

摘要

Product Data Management, the ASP (application service provider) model of e-business, and other information enterprises involve complex database-driven processes that change frequently. Workflow management for these enterprises requires analysis of the causality of updates on the control logic of the processes and the semantics of the databases involved. Previous workflow analysis tends to focus on the former and leave the details of the database control to application developers. This practice could lead to inconsistent applications when the processes evolve and/or the underlying data and rules change. The field still needs an integrated causality analysis tool to facilitate the update problem. In this research, we develop a Control-Activity-Rule-Data (CARD) model of a decision support tool that helps workflow administrators analyze the effects of update in processes and/or databases on both control flow and data/rules flow. The CARD model contributes a new Workflow Information Resources Dictionary which represents data, rules, activities and control in a mutually independent but collectively integrated way to achieve the goal. An extended Workflow Causality Graph capable of representing workflow integrity rules enables the CARD model for implementation. An empirical validation of the model using three representative Product Data Management workflow cases at Samsung Electronics Corporation shows its correctness and relevance for practical applications.