1. Enabling Ad-Hoc Changes to Object-aware Processes
Kevin Andrews, Sebastian Steinau, Manfred Reichert
Institute of Databases and Information Systems
Ulm University
EDOC 2018

2. What are Ad-Hoc Changes?

3. What are Ad-Hoc Changes?
Clerk Must Approve Transfer
>10000
Determine Transfer Amount
≤10000

4. What are Ad-Hoc Changes?
Clerk Must Approve Transfer
Manager Must Approve Transfer
>10000
Determine Transfer Amount
≤10000

5. How can Object-aware Processes support Ad-Hoc Changes?

6. What are Object-aware Processes?

7. What are object-aware processes?
From: Date
Until: Date
Approved: Bool
Initialized
Decision Pending
Approved
Rejected
From
Until
Comment: String
Comment
Approved == true
Approved == false
Vacation Request
Lifecycle
Attributes
Assignment: Employee
Assignment: Manager
Vacation Request Form
(real-world business object)
Vacation Request Process
[1] Künzle, Vera and Reichert, Manfred PHILharmonicFlows: towards a framework for object-aware process management
Journal of Software Maintenance and Evolution: Research and Practice
[2] Künzle, Vera
Object-Aware Process Management
PhD thesis, University of Ulm.

8. What are object-aware processes?
Vacation Request
Approved
Initialized
Decision Pending
Approved
From
Until
Comment
Approved == true
Rejected
Approved == false
Assignment: Employee
Assignment: Manager
Lifecycle
Attributes
From: Date
Until: Date
Approved: Bool
Comment: String
Vacation Request –
Decision
From
Until
Approved
Submit
Comment
Vacation Request –
Init
From
Until
Submit
true
Ok. Fine with me.

9. What are object-aware processes?

10. What are object-aware processes?

11. What are object-aware processes?

21. How can Object-aware Processes support Ad-Hoc Changes?

22. How can Object-aware Processes support Ad-Hoc Changes?
Hoc changes to
individual object instances

23. How can Object-aware Processes support Ad-Hoc Changes?
Hoc changes to
individual object instances
How can Object-aware Processes support Ad-Hoc Changes?

24. How can Object-aware Processes support Ad-Hoc Changes?
Hoc changes to
individual object instances
How can Object-aware Processes support Ad-Hoc Changes?
Amount :
Integer
Date
Approved:
Bool
Initialized
Decision Pending
Approved
Rejected
Comment:
String
Approved == true
Approved == false
Transfer With Comment
Lifecycle
Attributes
Assignment:
Customer
Assignment: Checking
Account Manager
Comment

25. How can Object-aware Processes support Ad-Hoc Changes?
Hoc changes evolve
all object instances
Apply to all Ad -
Hoc changes to
individual object instances

26. How can Object-aware Processes support Ad-Hoc Changes?
Hoc changes evolve
all object instances
How can Object-aware Processes support Ad-Hoc Changes?
Data Model
Employee
Customer
Checking
Savings
Stock Depot
Account
Account
Transfer

27. How can Object-aware Processes support Ad-Hoc Changes?
Hoc changes evolve
all object instances
How can Object-aware Processes support Ad-Hoc Changes?
Data Model Instance
Data Model
Employee
Employee 1
Customer
Checking
Savings
Stock Depot
Account
Account
Customer 1
Customer 2
Transfer
Checking
Checking
Checking
Account 1
Account 2
Account 3
Transfer 2
Transfer 1
Transfer 3

28. How can Object-aware Processes support Ad-Hoc Changes?
Hoc changes evolve
all object instances
How can Object-aware Processes support Ad-Hoc Changes?
Data Model Instance
Data Model
Employee
Employee 1
Customer
Checking
Savings
Stock Depot
Account
Account
Customer 1
Customer 2
Transfer
Insert new Attribute
“Comment”
Checking
Checking
Checking
Account 1
Account 2
Account 3
Transfer 2
Transfer 1
Transfer 3

29. How can Object-aware Processes support Ad-Hoc Changes?
Hoc changes evolve
all object instances
How can Object-aware Processes support Ad-Hoc Changes?
Data Model Instance
Data Model
Employee
Employee 1
Customer
Checking
Savings
Stock Depot
Account
Account
Customer 1
Customer 2
Transfer
Checking
Checking
Checking
Account 1
Account 2
Account 3
Insert new Attribute
“Comment”
Transfer 2
Transfer 1
Transfer 3

30. How can Object-aware Processes support Ad-Hoc Changes?
Hoc changes evolve
all object instances
How can Object-aware Processes support Ad-Hoc Changes?
Transfer 1
Transfer 2
Transfer 3

31. How can Object-aware Processes support Ad-Hoc Changes?
Hoc changes evolve
all object instances
How can Object-aware Processes support Ad-Hoc Changes?
Transfer 1
Approved
Initialized
Decision Pending
Approved
Amount
Date
Approved == true
Rejected
Approved == false
Assignment:
Customer
Assignment: Checking
Account Manager
Lifecycle
Attributes
Amount :
Integer
Date
: Date
Approved: Bool
Insert new Attribute
“Comment”
Transfer 2
Transfer 3
Approved
Approved
Initialized
Decision Pending
Initialized
Decision Pending
Approved
Approved
Amount
Date
Amount
Date
Approved == true
Approved == true
Rejected
Approved == false
Rejected
Approved == false
Assignment:
Customer
Assignment: Checking
Account Manager
Assignment:
Customer
Assignment: Checking
Account Manager
Lifecycle
Lifecycle
Attributes
Attributes
Amount :
Integer
Date
: Date
Approved: Bool
Amount :
Integer
Date
: Date
Approved: Bool
Insert new Attribute
“Comment”
Insert new Attribute
“Comment”

32. How can Object-aware Processes support Ad-Hoc Changes?
Hoc changes evolve
all object instances
How can Object-aware Processes support Ad-Hoc Changes?
Transfer 1
Approved
Initialized
Decision Pending
Approved
Amount
Date
Comment
Approved == true
Rejected
Approved == false
Assignment:
Customer
Assignment: Checking
Account Manager
Lifecycle
Attributes
Comment:
String
Amount :
Integer
Date
: Date
Approved: Bool
Transfer 2
Transfer 3
Approved
Approved
Initialized
Decision Pending
Initialized
Decision Pending
Approved
Approved
Amount
Date
Comment
Approved == true
Amount
Date
Comment
Approved == true
Rejected
Approved == false
Rejected
Approved == false
Assignment:
Customer
Assignment: Checking
Account Manager
Assignment:
Customer
Assignment: Checking
Account Manager
Lifecycle
Lifecycle
Attributes
Comment:
String
Attributes
Amount :
Integer
Date
: Date
Approved: Bool
Amount :
Integer
Date
: Date
Approved: Bool
Comment:
String

33. How can we implement support for such Ad-Hoc Changes?

34. Object Instance Level Changes
Transfer
Lifecycle
Attributes
Approved
Initialized
Decision Pending
Approved
Amount
Date
Approved == true
Rejected
Approved == false
Amount :
Integer
Date
: Date
Approved: Bool
Graphical Representation

35. Object Instance Level Changes
Transfer
Lifecycle
Attributes
Approved
Initialized
Decision Pending
Approved
Amount
Date
Approved == true
Rejected
Approved == false
Amount :
Integer
Date
: Date
Approved: Bool
Graphical Representation
Log of Modeling Operations

36. Object Instance Level Changes
+Object (“Transfer”)
+Attribute (“Amount”, Integer)
+Attribute (“Date”, Date)
+Attribute (“Approved”, Bool)
+State (“Initialized”)
+Step (Amount, Initialized)
+Step (Date, Initialized)
+Transition (Amount, Date)
+State “DecisionPending”
+Step (Approved, DecisionPending)
+Predicate (Approved, Approved=T)
+Predicate (Approved, Approved=F)
+Transition (Date, Approved)
+State (“Approved”)
+State (“Rejected”)
+Transition (Approved=T, Approved)
+Transition (Approved=F, Rejected)
Transfer
Lifecycle
Attributes
Approved
Initialized
Decision Pending
Approved
Amount
Date
Approved == true
Rejected
Approved == false
Amount :
Integer
Date
: Date
Approved: Bool
Graphical Representation
Log of Modeling Operations

37. Object Instance Level Changes
+Object (“Transfer”)
+Attribute (“Amount”, Integer)
+Attribute (“Date”, Date)
+Attribute (“Approved”, Bool)
+State (“Initialized”)
+Step (Amount, Initialized)
+Step (Date, Initialized)
+Transition (Amount, Date)
+State “DecisionPending”
+Step (Approved, DecisionPending)
+Predicate (Approved, Approved=T)
+Predicate (Approved, Approved=F)
+Transition (Date, Approved)
+State (“Approved”)
+State (“Rejected”)
+Transition (Approved=T, Approved)
+Transition (Approved=F, Rejected)
+Attribute (“Comment”, String)
-Transition (Date, Approved)
+Step (Comment, DecisionPending)
+Transition (Date, Comment)
+Transition (Comment, Approved)
Insert new Attribute
“Comment”
Ad-Hoc Change
Delta

38. Object Instance Level Changes
+Attribute (“Comment”, String)
-Transition (Date, Approved)
+Step (Comment, DecisionPending)
+Transition (Date, Comment)
+Transition (Comment, Approved)
Ad-Hoc Change
Delta
Apply to Object
Transfer
Lifecycle
Attributes
Approved
Initialized
Decision Pending
Approved
Amount
Date
Approved == true
Rejected
Approved == false
Amount :
Integer
Date
: Date
Approved: Bool
Comment:
String

39. Object Instance Level Changes
+Attribute (“Comment”, String)
-Transition (Date, Approved)
+Step (Comment, DecisionPending)
+Transition (Date, Comment)
+Transition (Comment, Approved)
Ad-Hoc Change
Delta
Apply to Object
Transfer
Lifecycle
Attributes
Approved
Initialized
Decision Pending
Approved
Amount
Date
Comment
Approved == true
Rejected
Approved == false
Amount :
Integer
Date
: Date
Approved: Bool
Comment:
String

40. Data Model Level Changes
+Attribute (“Comment”, String)
-Transition (Date, Approved)
+Step (Comment, DecisionPending)
+Transition (Date, Comment)
+Transition (Comment, Approved)
Ad-Hoc Change
Delta
Apply to
multiple Objects
Transfer 1
Approved
Initialized
Decision Pending
Approved
Amount
Date
Approved == true
Rejected
Approved == false
Assignment:
Customer
Assignment: Checking
Account Manager
Lifecycle
Attributes
Amount :
Integer
Date
: Date
Approved: Bool
Transfer 2
Transfer 3
Approved
Approved
Initialized
Decision Pending
Initialized
Decision Pending
Approved
Approved
Amount
Date
Amount
Date
Approved == true
Approved == true
Rejected
Rejected
Approved == false
Approved == false
Assignment:
Customer
Assignment: Checking
Account Manager
Assignment:
Customer
Assignment: Checking
Account Manager
Lifecycle
Lifecycle
Attributes
Attributes
Amount :
Integer
Date
: Date
Approved: Bool
Amount :
Integer
Date
: Date
Approved: Bool

41. Data Model Level Changes
+Attribute (“Comment”, String)
-Transition (Date, Approved)
+Step (Comment, DecisionPending)
+Transition (Date, Comment)
+Transition (Comment, Approved)
Ad-Hoc Change
Delta
Apply to
multiple Objects
Transfer 1
Approved
Initialized
Decision Pending
Approved
Amount
Date
Comment
Approved == true
Rejected
Approved == false
Assignment:
Customer
Assignment: Checking
Account Manager
Lifecycle
Attributes
Comment:
String
Amount :
Integer
Date
: Date
Approved: Bool
Transfer 2
Transfer 3
Approved
Approved
Initialized
Decision Pending
Initialized
Decision Pending
Approved
Approved
Amount
Date
Comment
Approved == true
Amount
Date
Comment
Approved == true
Rejected
Approved == false
Rejected
Approved == false
Assignment:
Customer
Assignment: Checking
Account Manager
Assignment:
Customer
Assignment: Checking
Account Manager
Lifecycle
Lifecycle
Attributes
Amount :
Integer
Date
: Date
Approved: Bool
Comment:
String
Attributes
Amount :
Integer
Date
: Date
Approved: Bool
Comment:
String

42. Migrating Running Instance Data
Transfer Instance#776123
Approved
Initialized
Decision Pending
Approved
Amount
Date
Approved == true
27000
03.06.
Rejected
Approved == false
Assignment:
Customer
Assignment: Checking
Account Manager
Lifecycle
Attributes
Amount :
27000
Date :
03.06.
Approved:
true

43. Migrating Running Instance Data
Amount :
27000
Date :
03.06.
Approved:
true
Transfer Instance#776123
Approved
Initialized
Decision Pending
Approved
Amount
Date
Approved == true
Rejected
Approved == false
Assignment:
Customer
Assignment: Checking
Account Manager
Lifecycle
Attributes

44. Migrating Running Instance Data
Amount :
27000
Date :
03.06.
Approved:
true
Transfer Instance#776123
Approved
Initialized
Decision Pending
Approved
Amount
Date
Comment
Approved == true
Rejected
Approved == false
Assignment:
Customer
Assignment: Checking
Account Manager
Lifecycle
Attributes

45. Migrating Running Instance Data
Transfer Instance#776123
Approved
Initialized
Decision Pending
Approved
Amount
Date
Comment
Approved == true
27000
03.06.
Rejected
Approved == false
Assignment:
Customer
Assignment: Checking
Account Manager
Lifecycle
Attributes
Amount :
27000
Date :
03.06.
Approved:
true

46. Migrating Running Instance Data
Transfer Instance#776123
Approved
Initialized
Decision Pending
Approved
Amount
Date
Comment
Approved == true
27000
03.06.
Rejected
Approved == false
Assignment:
Customer
Assignment: Checking
Account Manager
Lifecycle
Attributes
Amount :
27000
Date :
03.06.
Approved:
true
Bank Transfer –
Decision
Amount €
Date
Comment*
Approved
True
Submit

47. Migrating Running Instance Data
Transfer Instance#776123
Approved
Initialized
Decision Pending
Approved
Amount
Date
Comment
Approved == true
27000
03.06.
“Fine”
Rejected
Approved == false
Assignment:
Customer
Assignment: Checking
Account Manager
Lifecycle
Attributes
Amount :
27000
Date :
03.06.
Approved:
true
Comment:
“Fine”
Bank Transfer –
Decision
Amount €
Date
Comment*
Fine.
Approved
True
Submit

48. Migrating Running Instance Data
Transfer Instance#776123
Approved
Initialized
Decision Pending
Approved
Amount
Date
Comment
Approved == true
27000
03.06.
“Fine”
Rejected
Approved == false
Assignment:
Customer
Assignment: Checking
Account Manager
Lifecycle
Attributes
Amount :
27000
Date :
03.06.
Approved:
true
Comment:
“Fine”

49. Summary
Object-aware processes are split into many individual object instances
Data driven logic allows re-executing objects after ad-hoc changes to ensure consistent process state
Changes are applied as modeling action logs, can be applied to all objects of a certain type at once, same logic
Effects on runtime state can be previewed by creating copies of objects and applying the ad-hoc changes to them first, warning users of state changes
Anything that can be modelled can be applied as an ad-hoc change
Outlook: Schema Evolution
More Information => Demo Session!

50. Please feel free to ask your questions and give remarks!
Thank you
for your kind attention!
Please feel free to ask your questions and give remarks!