COVA- COURSE VALIDATION ARRANGER - CETIS Wiki

COVA- COURSE VALIDATION
ARRANGER
Evaluating BPM Toolsets For Higher
Education
Balbir Barn, Barn Samia Oussena
THAMES VALLEY UNIVERSITY
{balbir.barn, { , samia.oussena}@tvu.ac.uk }@
CETIS Enterprise SIG Meeting April 4 th 2008

Agenda
Introduction to the project
Background, COVARM Scenarios
COVA Project Aims and Objectives
Approach Taken
A very brief introduction to BPMN 1.0
Current Results
Video Demonstration
Final comments

Introduction to the project
CCourse Validation ld Arranger A (COVA) (CO A) builds b ld on the h
outcomes from the COVARM project
Th The COVARM project j (http://covarm.tvu.ac.uk/covarm)
(h // k/ )
key relevant outcomes were:
A (large) synthesised business process model describing
course validation activities
An approach pp to managing g g large g complex p processes p using g a
decomposition approach based on events and sub-processes
Two sub-processes or scenarios were implemented using
WSDL Services implemented in JAVA, executed using BPEL and
ORACLE BPEL Process Manager

Two sub-processes sub processes / Scenarios
End to End process is large, complex and has
multiple stop – start points (event entry points)
Technical feasibility limited to developing sub- subsections
of the process – scenarios
1. Prepare programme proposal
To get the initial approval to develop the new programme
2. R Run Validation V lid i EEvent
To arrange the setting up of an event

Scenario 1: Set up Validation Event
Notification
ValidationDocSpecificationSet
«Report» Validation Event Minute
Convene Panel
Constraint::Panel i l Membership b hi
Issue Documentation to
Panel Members
Get Feedback db k
Event Logistics
Run Validation Event
Review i All ll Documentation i
Produce Event Minute

BPEL Process Definition from Domain
Sub-processes
Narrative Description
1-1
Calendar_Port
ValDoc_Port
Timetabling_Port
BPEL Process
Definition
ECows_Port
Notification_Port
Choreography
constraints
LearningProductSpecfica
tion_Port
ProcessParticipatio
n_Port
Sample operation details
For one service

Emerging issues and evaluation
BPEL Modelling Toolsets
BPELWSDL Links: Problems with complex p data types yp
in message flows
Have to break down complex types into simple types on
message flows
Work arounds available
WSDL t to Code Cd generation ti
New methods added to wsdl require full re-generation
of code leading g to cut and paste p of old business logic g
BPEL Modelling Toolsets
7

8
Model Transformations
Single
transformation
IBM Rational XDE
Issues:
Operation Specs
IBM Rational Software
Architect
Model
changes
Multiple transforms
XSD Schemas
Multiple toolsets and notations
Multiple toolsets and notations
Multiple training requirments
JDeveloper
Scenarios
BPEL specs
BPEL Process
Manager
Manual WSDL
production

COVa – Course Validation Arranger
Key Drivers
Technical demands of using bespoke process implementation
technology (COVARM example)
Multiple toolsets and notations
Wid Widespread d adoption d i of f the h OMG standard d d for f process
modelling – BPMN 1.0
Emerging implementations of BPM toolsets
Open source and Commercial products
Increasing importance of role of process modelling within
Higher Education
Elaboration of process p modelling g
needs in the e-Framework

COVA: Aims and Objectives
Ai Aims:
To explore the potential of open source business process
management g solutions as viable approach pp for the support pp of
common administrative processes in HE
Objectives
A demonstration implementation of the two COVARM
scenarios using a BPM toolset such as Intalio Designer.
An evaluation of a BPM toolset an all encompassing
environment
Workshop collatoral on Process modelling and BPMN 1.0
C b h k(
Contributions to the e-Framework (services, process
modelling concepts)

Approach Taken

BPMN 1.0 on 4 slides
What is BPMN?
The BPM lifecycle y
A sample business process in BPMN
Th The BPMN 1.0 1 0 notation t ti
Most toolsets have not implemented all aspects of the
notation
i

13
What is BPMN?
M N MN
Business Process Modelling Notation –BPMN
A flowchart based notation for defining business
processes
An agreement between many modelling tool
vendors to use a single unified notation
Benefits to end users in terms of training
Enables generation of an executable business
process from business level understanding

The BPM Life cycle
Technical change is accepted:
14
Human change g
-Assess human capability
-Human implications of process
change
-Human change g management
requirements
g
evaluation
case data
analysis y
design
enactment
monitoring
requirements
Ideally performed in a single
tool or a set of integrated
toolsets
process model
implementation
infrastructure
case data Model based
-The model is the process
-Process is self-documenting
-Design is self-executing

15
A sample business process in BPMN
Start Event
Task
Gateway
Sequence q
Flow
Sub-Process
End Event

Business Process Modelling Notation - BPMN
Adapted from White, S. (2005), Object Management Group. http://www/omg.org

Current Results
BPMN
workshops and
other collateral
IImplementation l t ti
of “Prepare
P
Programme
Proposal”
Methodology gy
Guidance
Process Patterns

BPMN Guidance and Methodology
BPMN workshops
Presentational Workshop material on BPMN and process modelling in
general has been developed and is available on request.
Whole Day workshop | 3 hour workshop | 1.5 hour workshop
Handouts available at:
http://samsa.tvu.ac.uk/cova/Business%20Process%20Modelling-
Workshop.pdf
Guidance Notes on Process Modelling for JISC Domain Maps
Available as draft – currently waiting for JISC to do final editing
Extended abstract-along with readings list available at:
http://samsa.tvu.ac.uk/cova/ProcessModellingGuidanceNotesAbstrac
tt.pdf pdf

UML
Model
Implementation of “Prepare
Programme Proposal”
Analysis
Model
Implementation
Model
Intalio Designer Toolset
Translate COVARM
UML model into
BPMN
Implement BPMN
model using
COVARM Services
Execution of
Scenario in Toolset
TTranslation l into BPMN
Methodology needs
Appropriate selection of
notations
Intalio Implementation of
BPMN
Implementing the scenario
CConsume COVARM CO A M WSDL WS
services
Forms Design in Intalio
Mapping of data from
forms to services

Analysis Models in BPMN - methods
MDA principles:
Computation independent model (CIM)
Platform Independent model (PIM)
Platform Specific model (PSM)
Producing a CIM in Intalio presents methodology
issues:
Full expressive power of BPMN not available
Need to represent joint activities in a single org unit
How do you represent a “Panel” or “Committee”?
Support for exchange of information between Roles in
Support for exchange of information between Roles in
the same org. Unit

Examples of Methodology Issues
CM CIM needs for f TIMER M events

Sequence and Message constraints
BPMN rule: sequences in the same pool; message
(information) flow across pools:
But we need to share information between roles in
the same pool p (University): ( y) E.g. g Computing p g Dept, p ,
Registry.
Use of naming conventions:
University: Registry
Ui i C i D
University: Computing Dept Universi
Coordinating Tasks
Univerrsity:
Comp Dept
Registr
ity:
ry

Intalio Implementation - Services
Existing COVARM WSDL
Services
New XCRI Service
- output XML

Intalio Implementation: - Forms

Consuming Services and mapping data
between forms and services

Execution – video....
Please check the COVA website for video
availability
http://samsa.tvu.ac.uk/cova/

Some Issues in using Intalio
AAutomatic t ti creation ti of f variables i bl (from (f WSDL) t to b be used d in i the th process,
makes any change to WSDL requires re-work of the mapping activity
Intalio makes it difficult to use types from WSDL schema. It will generate 2
imports one for the WSDL and another one when the type is assign to a
variable. And this leads to conflicting schema. The workaround that I used
is to create an equivalent schema and use it for the process variable.
Intalio requires complete specification in gateways – expression for the IF
and the ELSE must be completed even if not required.
Data is often required to be saved in intermediate variables to be used for
a condition or in a sub process (different Context)
The Community Edition for Intalio is shipped with an embedded database
which is not scalable for large processes. (Need to reconfigure the server
for MySQL. y
Intalio does allow you to import a WSDL (service) so you end up cut & past
the WSDL. It does not handle the import of schema in a WSDL. Here as
well you are required to cut&paste.
Minor bugs – updates in data mapper not reflected in the data editor
Usability: resizing sub-processes or lanes; Printing is in-adequate. Debugging
is difficult.

Conclusion
Even when h using BPM M toolsets l implementing l and d
executing HE business processes appears to be TOO
HARD!
BPMN provides a realisable strategy for HE to deliver
a computation independent model of systems
Process modelling needs to be a first order concept in
the e-Framework
e Framework
QUESTIONS?