BPMN Formalization and Verification using Maude

Abstract

OMG's Business Process Model and Notation (BPMN) standard provides an informal specification of a technology independent modelling language for designing business processes. However, BPMN models may include structural issues that hinder their design. In this paper, we propose a formal characterization and semantics specification of wellformed BPMN processes in rewriting logic using Maude with a focus on data-based decision gateways and data objects semantics. Our formal specification adheres to the BPMN standards, verified with respect to the classical workflow soundness definition, and automatically verified using the verification toolkit that Maude includes.

Computing the Parallelism Degree of Timed BPMN Processes

“…In this paper, we assume that BPMN processes are syntactically correct. This can be enforced using existing works, e.g., [8], or using a BPMN engine, e.g., the Activiti BPM platform, Bonita BPM, or the Eclipse BPMN Designer. The informal semantics of BPMN is described in official documents [10,18] and some attempts have been made to formalize it (e.g., [5,16,19,21]).…”

“…Several research contributions have used rewriting logic and Maude to formalyze and analyze BPMN processes. El-Saber and Boronat [8] propose a translation of BPMN into rewriting logic with a special focus on data-based decision gateways. They provide mechanisms to avoid structural issues in workflows such as flow divergence by introducing the notion of "well-formed" BPMN process.…”

Automated analysis of industrial workflow-based models

“…As far as data-based analysis is concerned, in [9], the authors propose a translation of BPMN into logic with a special focus on data objects and data-based decision gateways. They provide new mechanisms to avoid structural issues in workflows such as flow divergence by introducing the notion of well-formed BPMN process.…”

BProVe: A formal verification framework for business process models

“…El-Saber and Boronat proposed in [42] a formal characterisation of well-formed BPMN processes in terms of rewriting logic, using MAUDE as supporting tool. They discuss soundness of the well-formed BPMN models without introducing verification into practice, which is postponed as future work.…”