A method to align user interface to workflow allocation patterns

Abstract

Workflow user interfaces are difficult to design because they involve multiple users from multiple working places. In addition, these user interfaces are usually crafted manually without any connection between the users. To address this need, a knowledge-based approach for design workflow user interfaces is defined according to the model-driven engineering principles. First, ontology is defined to represent knowledge of the organizational structure, workflow, process, and tasks. Then, a set of mapping rules is defined to specify respectively: complex and dynamic users' interaction within the organization, using workflow patterns based on high-level Petri nets; workflow models, a set of routing rules; task models, with a set of interdependencies rules for the tasks. These specifications need user interfaces to perform work and coordinate communication. User Interface generation is possible using a model-driven engineering approach, which is not limited to but uses task models as input to derive the user interfaces. The workflow specification uses task models to detail user's performance. In addition, a set of agendas is defined to handle coordination within the organization.