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We have developed a flexible solution for automating the creation
of human-facing steps in electronic business processes, and for
supporting their deployment and execution within existing workflow
systems. Our solution provides a framework for generating different
kinds of declarative user interfaces, most notably markup-based
electronic forms such as XForms.
This approach allows users to participate in electronic workflows
from a variety of client platforms, including pervasive devices.
Moreover, when using self-contained forms, a certain amount of work
can be carried out offline.
Our solution consists of easy-to-use, standards-based tools and
middleware components. The tools derive the user interface from
an abstract business process definition (e.g. BPEL) and provide
artifacts to generate the desired markup. Ultimately, the tools
will allow user interface designers to refine this generated markup
in the same way as they draw a Web page, while ensuring consistency
of the workflow. The middleware is based on a server-side runtime
component that actuates the user interface and mediates between
the workflow deployed in the backend and the client.
Scenario
In the depicted example, employees fill in relevant data on PDAs
while out-of-office (and working offline); data automatically arrive
from and are subsequently forwarded to neighboring workflow steps.
This particular business trip scenario engages devices that are
equipped with standard XForms
browsers; however, our technology also handles other markup formats
in a similar way.
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