 |
    |
Unveiling Hidden Unstructured Regions in Process Models
Artem Polyvyanyy1, Luciano García-Bañuelos2, and Mathias Weske1
1Hasso Plattner Institute at the University of Potsdam, Prof.-Dr.-Helmert-Str. 2–3, D-14482 Potsdam, Germany
Artem.Polyvyanyy@hpi.uni-potsdam.de
Mathias.Weske@hpi.uni-potsdam.de
2Institute of Computer Science, University of Tartu, J. Liivi 2, Tartu 50409, Estonia
luciano.garcia@ut.ee
Abstract. Process models define allowed process execution scenarios. The models are usually depicted as directed graphs, with gateway nodes regulating the control flow routing logic and with edges specifying the execution order constraints between tasks. While arbitrarily structured control flow patterns in process models complicate model analysis, they also permit creativity and full expressiveness when capturing non-trivial process scenarios. This paper gives a classification of arbitrarily structured process models based on the hierarchical process model decomposition technique. We identify a structural class of models consisting of block structured patterns which, when combined, define complex execution scenarios spanning across the individual patterns. We show that complex behavior can be localized by examining structural relations of loops in hidden unstructured regions of control flow. The correctness of the behavior of process models within these regions can be validated in linear time. These observations allow us to suggest techniques for transforming hidden unstructured regions into block-structured ones.
Keywords: Process structure tree, process model analysis, process model correctness, process model transformation
LNCS 5870, p. 340 ff.
lncs@springer.com
© Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2009