Study On Visual Modeling Tool For Instance-Aspect Of Workflow

Workflow is developed in the 1990s, and it is a computerized business processes model which can be executed by process management systems. The aim of workflow is to achieve business process integration and automation with the support of advanced computer systems. Workflow technology has a wide range of research and application in commercial, scientific computing, grid computing and other industry fields. With the application and development of workflow technology, people have found that traditional workflow models and their visual modeling tools only support business progress definition and modeling in a static situation and horizontal direction. It can not be realized in vertical direction by the running situation of many workflow instances, so that we can execute and modify the workflow configuration, control and data information dynamically. To tackle the problem, we advance an Instance-based workflow extension model inspired by the thought from aspect-oriented programming idea. This model is good for the description of the combination problem of many workflow activities in the same type, so that we can have a vertical modeling and make an implementation of dynamic optimization to those workflow activities which are executed separately in execution layer, and it will not influence the user view and dynamic running monitor view.Workflow visual modeling tool makes the use of GUI, and establishes the visual expression of workflow by manually dragging and dropping icons, and finally generate Workflow Definition Language. By using graphical method, the user could use less time to design or modify their business processes and that will improve their efficiency. There are a lot of tools for traditional visual workflow modeling, but no one can support vertical modeling about instance-aspect. This paper makes a research on the principles, methods and implementation of Instance-based visual modeling tool based on open source workflow management system Shark's visual modeling tool, Together Workflow Editor.The main work and innovation of this paper are as follows:1. Analysis of visual modeling tool of Together Workflow Editor.2. The design of Instance-based workflow visual modeling tool which is based on Together Workflow Editor.3. The visualization of Instance-based workflow pattern.4. The realization of Instance-based workflow visual modeling tool which is based on Aspect-oriented idea.