Using Event-Driven Process Chains for Model-Driven Development of Business Applications Daniel Lübke, Tim Lüecke, Kurt Schneider and Jorge Marx-Gómez University Hannover, Software Engineering

2Daniel Lübke: Using EPCs for Model-Driven Development of Business Applications Outline Motivation Task Model Description Client/Server Interaction Example Conclusions & Outlook

3Daniel Lübke: Using EPCs for Model-Driven Development of Business Applications Distributed ERP Scenario Enterprise (SME) Clients Application Server Service Provider A Service Provider B Service Provider C Service Provider D Local Data Storage

4Daniel Lübke: Using EPCs for Model-Driven Development of Business Applications Being Flexible using Web Services? Web Service Composition is (comparably) easy: –Standard Languages (BPEL, YAWL, …) –Workflow Updates are easy to do –Functionality can flexibly composed out of services However: –The workflows have to be used! –User Interaction is required –User Interfaces are time-consuming to develop (, test and maintain …) Therefore, this paper concentrates on the user interface

5Daniel Lübke: Using EPCs for Model-Driven Development of Business Applications Necessities for Development SMEs are highly competitive due to their flexibility –Processes need to be as flexible That requires –Inexpensive Changes Otherwise process changes are too costly –Easy changes Not top-personnel

6Daniel Lübke: Using EPCs for Model-Driven Development of Business Applications Composition Architecture Task which needs user interaction

7Daniel Lübke: Using EPCs for Model-Driven Development of Business Applications Model Based User Interface Generation MB-UI has been a research field for many years –Often resulted in heavy-weight attempts –Breakthrough hindered by high effort compared to low advantages –Light-weight approaches are more likely to succeed Common to most approaches: Task Model –Describes the activities a user can do –Like: edit, show, decide, …

8Daniel Lübke: Using EPCs for Model-Driven Development of Business Applications Task Model in EPCs EPCs mainly consist of Events, Functions and Connectors Those are extended with markers representing common task model elements Invocation Reception

9Daniel Lübke: Using EPCs for Model-Driven Development of Business Applications User Interface Generation Data Schema is represented using XML Schema Hierarchical structure of primitive and complex types Data to be shown or edited is decomposed via a matching editor hierarchy

10Daniel Lübke: Using EPCs for Model-Driven Development of Business Applications Client/Server-Interaction CLIENTCLIENT CLIENTCLIENT SERVERSERVER Process Model Login Handle Event Retrieve EPC/TM User Interface Evoke Event Process User Interface End Subprocess End Process

11Daniel Lübke: Using EPCs for Model-Driven Development of Business Applications Example

12Daniel Lübke: Using EPCs for Model-Driven Development of Business Applications Advantages Application Development –Our approach reduces development/maintenance efforts –Unified User Interfaces –On-the-fly generation Generation of UI-code –Code can be edited –Development efforts are reduced Prototyping –Interviews with Stakeholders Interactive Process/UI Feedback –Prototype Applications/Feasibility Studies

13Daniel Lübke: Using EPCs for Model-Driven Development of Business Applications Conclusions and Outlook User Interface Generation can save much development effort –Allows easy changes of process and workflow models MB-UI extensions integrate seamlessly into EPCs –Standard EPC hierarchical refinement –Easy annotation –Few new elements Approach adaptable to other Models/UIs as well –BPEL, YAWL, … –Portlets, Web Applications, … Thank you for your attention! Any questions? Daniel Lübke