Babes-Bolyai University of Cluj-Napoca
Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science
Study Cycle: Master
SUBJECT

Code	Subject	
MID1008	Workflow Systems	

Section	Sem.	Hours: C+S+L	Category	Type	
Component-Based Programming	3	2+1+0	speciality	optional	

Teaching Staff in Charge	Prof. PÂRV Bazil, Ph.D., bparv@cs.ubbcluj.ro	
Aims	&#8226; To introduce the notions of &#8216;workflow&#8217;, and workflow system.
&#8226; To analyze several workflow case studies in order to emphasize the advantages of separation of workflow from business logic.
&#8226; To emphasize the relation between workflow technology and business processes management
&#8226; To present the workflow reference model BPR / BPEL
&#8226; To presents the most important workflow patterns.
&#8226; To present several concrete solutions for workflow modeling.  	
Content	1. Introduction.
1.1 Terminology. 
1.2 Definitions.
1.3 Workflow concept evolution
1.4 Primitive elements: object, task, transfer, resource, attribute, rule, route
2. Workflow classifications
2.1 Document-centric / object-centric /  solution-centric
2.2 Ad-Hoc / Production / Administrative
2.3 Horizontal vs. Vertical
2.4 Embedded/ Stand Alone
3. Workflow basic building block structures
3.1 Sequential
3.2 Forked
3.3 Iterative
3.4 Asynchronous
4. The workflow reference model
4.1 Workflow Reference Model Diagram
4.2 Workflow Enactment Services
4.3 Process Definition 
4.4 Workflow Client Functions
4.5 Invoked Application Functions
4.6 Workflow Interoperability
4.7 System Administration & Monitoring 
4.8 WAPI Structure, Protocol, and Conformance
5 Business Process Management
5.1 Business Process Modeling Notation (BPMN)
5.2 Business Process Execution Language (BPML)
6. Workflow patterns
6.1. Basic Control Patterns
6.2. Advanced Branching and Synchronization Patterns
6.3. Structural Patterns
6.4. Multiple Instances (MI)
6.5. State-based patterns
6.6. Cancellation Patterns
7. Workflow systems modeling 
7.1 Activity diagrams
7.2 Petri nets
8. Case studies	
Bibliography	1. Wil van der Aalst, Kees van Hee: Workflow Management: Models, Methods, and Systems, B&T, ISBN 0-262-72046-9
2. van Der Aalst, Hofstede, Arthur H.M.; Kiepuszewski, Bartek; Barros, Alistair P. (2003). $Workflow Patterns$. Distributed and Parallel Databases 14: 5--51. 
3. Layna Fischer: Workflow Handbook 2005, Future Strategies, ISBN 0-9703509-8-8 
4. BPMN Specification http://www.bpmn.org/ 
5. Stephen A. White, Introduction to BPMN - IBM May 2004
6. Workflow Reference Model http://www.wfmc.org/standards/referencemodel.htm
7. UML specification, http://www.omg.org/technology/documents/formal/uml.htm
8. Peterson, James L. (1977). $Petri Nets$. ACM Computing Surveys 9 (3): 223&#8211;252. 
9. T. Murata, Petri Nets: Properties, Analysis and Applications Proceedings of the IEEE, Vol. 77, No 4, April, 1989, pp. 541-580.
	
Assessment	The final mark will cover lab work (i.e. completing a project) and research work (preparing a research paper), as well as the written exam results. It is computed as follows, on a 10-point scale, 1pt by default:
&#8226; 10% attendance
&#8226; 20% the project
&#8226; 20% the paper
&#8226; 40% the written exam.