Customizable Workflow Monitoring

Abstract

We have considered the customization of monitoring services in Workflow Management System (WFMS). WFMS is a software tool to manage business processes effectively and efficiently. An important function of WFMS is monitoring, and WFMS usually involves many monitoring users having different responsibilities, roles, and preferences. The purpose of this paper is to develop a framework of customization for workflow monitoring that can produce a monitoring environment fitted to each user’s requirements. We have identified four components in customizing the workflow monitoring: data objects, analysis methods, presentation styles, and audit events. We have also developed a customization model, called monitoring template, to combine the components. A participant can specify each of the components on a template based on the participant’s own preference, which will then be used to provide workflow monitoring services that are automatically customized for the user. A prototype system has been implemented on top of a commercial WFMS to demonstrate the effectiveness of the customizable workflow monitoring.