Process-driven application
Encyclopedia
A process-driven application is a software application that is driven by an underlying process engine where the process can be exposed and reused. In effect all applications are process-driven and the logic of any application can be extrapolated into a flowchart
to represent the logical process of execution. Process-driven applications are a growing trend in enterprise solutions involving humans, systems or both.
Recently, Microsoft
introduced the Windows Workflow Foundation
(“WF”) which provides developers with the ability to separate application flow from application execution. A Microsoft product to use this approach is BizTalk Server, where orchestrations represent the order of execution. Both technologies provide graphical tools to manipulate processes and can form part of a process-driven application. They provide the process engine required to drive the application.
The term process-driven application was popularized by K2 in 2008 when describing applications driven by processes, and originally referred to applications driven by their business process management
("BPM") software known as K2 blackpearl. The term has now gained wider acceptance and refers to any application driven by a process engine.
were considered procedural
in that they were composed of multiple procedures that were called in a predefined order. This predefined order could be static, such as in applications not requiring input, or dynamic based on input either from humans or other sources. In effect, the entire execution path could be directly mapped onto a flowchart which would take into account all path changes based on input. In those days, it was the norm for all applications to start out as a flowchart and then move forward from there although this has now changed as organizations move towards Rapid Application Development
("RAD") methodologies.
Even today's applications using today's techniques of object-oriented programming
can have their execution logic represented using a flowchart. Now consider that the humble flowchart forms the basis of all processes in use today. Whether it's accounting, business, engineering, etc, the humble flowchart was the first, so to speak. All process models attribute their roots to the flowchart.
Taking the above into account, it was only a matter of time before technologists realized this gap and started to look for tooling to support the ongoing design and maintenance of these processes.
as it usually comprises data transformation and complex routing scenarios.
Separating processes into the above categories allows organizations to better understand their requirements and in turn to select software best suited to those requirements. Once the process engine is selected, applications are built around these processes to provide the organization with a solution which is in fact a process-driven application.
Flowchart
A flowchart is a type of diagram that represents an algorithm or process, showing the steps as boxes of various kinds, and their order by connecting these with arrows. This diagrammatic representation can give a step-by-step solution to a given problem. Process operations are represented in these...
to represent the logical process of execution. Process-driven applications are a growing trend in enterprise solutions involving humans, systems or both.
Recently, Microsoft
Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation is an American public multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of products and services predominantly related to computing through its various product divisions...
introduced the Windows Workflow Foundation
Windows Workflow Foundation
Windows Workflow Foundation is a Microsoft technology that provides an API, an in-process workflow engine, and a rehostable designer to implement long-running processes as workflows within .NET applications...
(“WF”) which provides developers with the ability to separate application flow from application execution. A Microsoft product to use this approach is BizTalk Server, where orchestrations represent the order of execution. Both technologies provide graphical tools to manipulate processes and can form part of a process-driven application. They provide the process engine required to drive the application.
The term process-driven application was popularized by K2 in 2008 when describing applications driven by processes, and originally referred to applications driven by their business process management
Business process management
Business process management is a holistic management approach focused on aligning all aspects of an organization with the wants and needs of clients. It promotes business effectiveness and efficiency while striving for innovation, flexibility, and integration with technology. BPM attempts to...
("BPM") software known as K2 blackpearl. The term has now gained wider acceptance and refers to any application driven by a process engine.
History
The first software applicationsApplication software
Application software, also known as an application or an "app", is computer software designed to help the user to perform specific tasks. Examples include enterprise software, accounting software, office suites, graphics software and media players. Many application programs deal principally with...
were considered procedural
Procedural programming
Procedural programming can sometimes be used as a synonym for imperative programming , but can also refer to a programming paradigm, derived from structured programming, based upon the concept of the procedure call...
in that they were composed of multiple procedures that were called in a predefined order. This predefined order could be static, such as in applications not requiring input, or dynamic based on input either from humans or other sources. In effect, the entire execution path could be directly mapped onto a flowchart which would take into account all path changes based on input. In those days, it was the norm for all applications to start out as a flowchart and then move forward from there although this has now changed as organizations move towards Rapid Application Development
Rapid application development
Rapid application development is a software development methodology that uses minimal planning in favor of rapid prototyping. The "planning" of software developed using RAD is interleaved with writing the software itself...
("RAD") methodologies.
Even today's applications using today's techniques of object-oriented programming
Object-oriented programming
Object-oriented programming is a programming paradigm using "objects" – data structures consisting of data fields and methods together with their interactions – to design applications and computer programs. Programming techniques may include features such as data abstraction,...
can have their execution logic represented using a flowchart. Now consider that the humble flowchart forms the basis of all processes in use today. Whether it's accounting, business, engineering, etc, the humble flowchart was the first, so to speak. All process models attribute their roots to the flowchart.
Taking the above into account, it was only a matter of time before technologists realized this gap and started to look for tooling to support the ongoing design and maintenance of these processes.
Process categories
In the context of process-driven applications, three categories of process exist:Human-to-human process
Human-to-Human processes, in this context, refer to processes involving humans only. The process is defined and managed by specific software and this software is responsible for task assignment, tracking and auditing for example. The process software is thus responsible for following the predefined process path and assigning tasks to humans for them to review and complete.Human-to-system process
Human-to-System processes, in this context, refer to processes involving both humans and systems. The process is still defined and managed by relevant process-centric software except that in this scenario, underlying systems may be accessed to store data or initiate transactions on behalf of a human or as a result of choice or design.System-to-system process
System-to-System processes, in this context, refer to process involving systems only. The process in this context is usually referred to as an orchestrationOrchestration (computers)
Orchestration describes the automated arrangement, coordination, and management of complex computer systems, middleware, and services.It is often discussed as having an inherent intelligence or even implicitly autonomic control, but those are largely aspirations or analogies rather than technical...
as it usually comprises data transformation and complex routing scenarios.
Relevance
Today's businesses are process driven, everything done in a business is a process, from making coffee to hiring an employee to auditing financial transactions. Thus it makes sense to extrapolate these processes to reusable definitions which can be controlled by software to ensure that actions are repeatable, auditable, monitored and predictable.Separating processes into the above categories allows organizations to better understand their requirements and in turn to select software best suited to those requirements. Once the process engine is selected, applications are built around these processes to provide the organization with a solution which is in fact a process-driven application.
See also
- Business process automationBusiness process automationBusiness process automation, or BPA, is the strategy a business uses to automate processes in order to contain costs. It consists of integrating applications, restructuring labor resources and using software applications throughout the organization....
- Business process managementBusiness process managementBusiness process management is a holistic management approach focused on aligning all aspects of an organization with the wants and needs of clients. It promotes business effectiveness and efficiency while striving for innovation, flexibility, and integration with technology. BPM attempts to...
- Business process modelingBusiness process modelingBusiness Process Modeling in systems engineering is the activity of representing processes of an enterprise, so that the current process may be analyzed and improved. BPM is typically performed by business analysts and managers who are seeking to improve process efficiency and quality...
- Business-driven developmentBusiness-driven developmentBusiness-driven development is a methodology for developing IT solutions that directly satisfy business requirements. This is achieved by adopting a model-driven approach that starts with the business strategy, requirements and goals and then transforms them into an IT solution. The transformation...
- Computer-supported collaborationComputer-supported collaborationComputer-supported collaboration research focuses on technology that affects groups, organizations, communities and societies, e.g., voice mail and text chat. It grew from cooperative work study of supporting people's work activities and working relationships...
- Enterprise content managementEnterprise content managementEnterprise Content Management is a formalized means of organizing and storing an organization's documents, and other content, that relate to the organization's processes...
- Human interaction managementHuman interaction managementHuman Interaction Management is a set of management principles, patterns and techniques complementary to Business process management...
- Process architectureProcess architectureDualistic Petri nets are a process-class variant of Petri nets.Like Petri nets in general and many related formalisms and notations, they are used to describe and analyze process architecture.-Process Modeling with dPNs :...
- WorkflowWorkflowA workflow consists of a sequence of connected steps. It is a depiction of a sequence of operations, declared as work of a person, a group of persons, an organization of staff, or one or more simple or complex mechanisms. Workflow may be seen as any abstraction of real work...