Towards a General Framework for Business Process Modeling

Abstract

This paper proposes grounding for the business process modeling (BPM) based on general time theory providing axiomatic system. First order logic is used to give a clear definition of abstract business process and corresponding temporal relations including derived relations using a single “Meets” relation. Temporal logic used here treats time interval and time point on equal footing. We use model theoretic approach, in which abstract business process is represented as a formal system and mapped to an instance/concrete realization. Also, we used resolution theorem to provide its soundness and completeness properties. Business Process Temporal Graph (BPTG) described as a directed graph is introduced with graphical notation defined to represent the temporal knowledge. Arcs representing time elements, vertex representing the ‘Meets’ relation and also allows expression of both logical AND and OR. However, a real world realization of the corresponding graph is considered an instance of an abstract business process. R eachability analysis is conducted to provide its soundness and completeness properties. The formal system provided is general enough to subsume the main BPM tools such as Business Process Modeling Notation (BPMN), Unified Modeling Language Activity Diagram (UML AD) and main charts i.e. flow charts used to model a business process.