designing workflow user interfaces with usixml

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UsiXML project #080262009-2012

A Methodology for Developing User Interfaces

to Workflow Information SystemsJosefina Guerrero-Garcia, Jean Vanderdonckt

UsiXML Workshop EICS,

Berlin, 20 June 2010

Université Catholique de Louvain

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ITEA UsiXML project #08026, 2009-20122

Business Domain

IT Domain

Workflow

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What is the workflow for?

1. To identify how tasks are structured, who performs them, what their relative order

is, how they are synchronized, how information flows to support the tasks, and how tasks are being tracked.

2. By automating many of the processes unnecessary steps are eliminated, and every member of the team is fully aware of his or her responsibilities.

3. Makes it easier to track employee and machine performance.

4. Determines the right person for the right task at the right time.


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Why user interfaces to workflow information systems?

UIs are means to execute interactive-work

To reduce the gap between IT development and the organization needs in a co-evolutionary way

The closest the UI is to the workflow design, the more you keep traceability on the IS designed

When defining a workflow, software rarely supports designers in developing the UIs corresponding to this workflow.

Data flow

Workflow design

Workflow management


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Agenda

1. Context

2. Methodology1. Language

2. Models

3. Method and software

3. Conclusions


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UsiXML structureMethodology : models

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Methodology : method and software

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Scenario (running example)

Phlebology domain Internet order system for

personalized support stockings

Calculate a 3D model of the customer's legs

Send pictures to the manufacturing department

Three sites: the shop, the servers of the corpus, the production site

Deutsche Post (optional)


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Identification criteria and guidance


Model elicitation tool

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Task spreadsheet


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Job editor Job Associated tasksCustomer Handling A Customer identification

Picture taking

Uploading pictures

Choice of model

Entering data and sending

Order management Comparison with catalogue and sending

Encoding in databaseProducer A Preparation of machine

Dyeing of stockings

Producer B Sewing of toehold

Logistic A Packaging

Logistic B Delivery A

Postman A Transport post

Transport

Delivery BCustomer Handling B Notification customer

Fitting of stockings

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User editor User AttributesShop employee A Task experience 4

System experience 4

Motivation 3Bauerfeind production employee A

Task experience 2-5

System experience 2

Motivation 2-4Bauerfeind production employee B

Task experience 2-5

System experience 1

Motivation 1-4Bauerfeind logistics employee

Task experience 1-5

System experience 1-5

Motivation 2-4Bauerfeind driver

A driver for the Bauerfeind company

Task experience 3-5

System experience 1

Motivation 2-4Deutsche post employee A

Task experience 3-5

System experience 2

Motivation 2-5

Shop employee B Task experience 4-5

System experience 2-4

Motivation 4-5

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Modeling workflowPetri Nets Organizational units

Jobs and users

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Modeling tasks

IdealXML plug-in

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Workflow resource patterns

To allocate tasks to resources [Russell, 2005]

Whom? Applying

workflow resource

patterns

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Workflow resource patterns handler

Task Pattern

Picture taking Role based

Uploading pictures Case-handling

Planning Direct allocation

Sewing of toehold Deferred allocation

Packing Direct allocation

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Workflow manager


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Agenda

1. Context

2. State of the Art


2. Models


4. Conclusions


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Conclusions


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Contributions


Expanded task model.

Expanded mapping model.

Task life cycle.

Colored concepts.

Stylistics for workflow

concepts.

Agendas.

Workflow user interface patterns.

Identification criteria.

User interface flow.

Methodological steps.

Workflow editor

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Spare Slides


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Methodology : models

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29

Process modelWhat to do?


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Task model

PreconditionPost-condition

Cooperation. Inclusive choice. Disabling with information passing.

How to do it?


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31

Organizational modelWhere to do it? Who will carry out it?

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Mapping model

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Agenda

1. Context

2. State of the Art


2. Models


4. Validation5. Conclusions


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External validation


Taxonomy used to classify empirical validation methods

[Zelkowitz, 2008]

Literature search.

Lessons learned.

Field study.

Synthetic.

Case study.

Validation

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Elaborating case studies


35

Validation

2 3 40 1Months

Teaching theoryValidating the case study proposedSupervising

Proposing case studyDeveloping case studyPresenting case study

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Case studies


Title Subject Tasks Org. units

Jobs Relations Patterns

Organization of a Triathlon

It explains all the steps needed to organize a sport event 72 14 28 6 12

Organization of ‘24h vélos de Louvain-la-Neuve ’

It deals with the organization of a cycle race 55 7 18 6 9

Replenishing shelves at Carrefour, Belgium

It manages the way to replenish shelves in a supermarket

25 6 10 3 10

Airport passenger workflow

It illustrates the steps that a passenger need to follow in order to do the check-in at airport

20 4 5 6 6

How to get my driving license

It shows the steps to follow in order to get a driving license type “B” in Belgium

25 3 8 6 4

Requesting a credit to buy car

It details the process to get a credit to buy a car. 16 5 5 3 4

Order personalized compression stockings

It deals with an Internet order system, allowing the ordering of personalized support stockings.

22 4 7 3 5

Tech. Support for Copy Machines

It is about the way that a copy machine gets maintenance

17 3 7 3 3

A collection of 17 different detailed projects was obtained

Validation

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Case studies


Title Subject Tasks Org. units

Jobs Relations Patterns

Container transport by ships, trains and trucks

It shows how an organization gives the service of transporting container from an A point to a B point

41 3 5 4 13

Manufacture of adhesives

It is about the manner in which an organization deals with a buying order

38 8 14 5 8

Creating a collaborative blog

It deals with the problem of creating a blog for a research group working at same university but in different departments

11 5 4 2 3

Workflow of MDC Group It focuses in the Consulting part about several fields: Logistics and events, Design and development of product, Industrial Processes, Sub hiring of staff, Payroll Management, Recruitment and Selection, Evaluation of Human Talent.

20 4 5 6 6

Buying process in a company

This case study is about the manner in which an organization deals with a buying order

16 5 8 3 9

Credit card request It details the process to get a credit card 36 10 13 6 10

Managing a private hospital

This case study presents how a private clinic is managed 20 5 9 4 3

Organizing conferences This case study analyzes how people organize the program of small conferences by using a review tool

22 3 3 3 7

Installing hardware at Allianz group

This case study presents how an organization deals with the acquisition of hardware

36 5 8 4 8

Validation

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Internal validation Evaluation of the requirements

Model

Language

Method

Software


Validation

1) Strict separation between the description of the organization and workflow process specification.

Comment: One of the characterizing aspects of this method is the separation of concerns between modeling the organization and modeling the workflow processes within a given organization.

2) Support carrying out group tasks.

Comment: This requirement is partially cover with the task model for representing the individual level, and the workflow model considering group requirements.

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Evaluation of the graphical notation

It offers hints to improve the notation

We use the cognitive dimension framework (14 aspects)

We evaluated FlowiXML aspects (notation, environment,

medium) based on feedbacks of users (students and the

interviewee) and self interpretation

Getting requirements to improve FlowiXML


Validation

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+ - + -Closeness of mappingA notation close to the domain of application . Workflows using the Petri Nets notation have a common understanding in the workflow community. So as the task modeling notation used in HCI communities.

ConsistencyHarmony of parts or features to one another.Task model editor (click to add) has different interaction style compared to the process editor (drag and drop). Thus the designer might be confused.

DiffusenessExpresses the verboseness of a notation. - Using wf patterns demands to keep in mind their descriptions thus limiting users to implement them easily.+ Petri Nets is composed of simple, limited and focused notation.

Evaluation of the graphical notationValidation

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Agenda

1. Context

2. State of the Art3. Methodology

1. Language

2. Models


4. Validation5. Conclusions


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Organizational model

The enterprise ontology

The agent-oriented enterprise meta-model

Structure in five


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Workflow

Notations:

Petri Nets

Statechart Diagrams

Business Process Modeling Notation

UML Activity Diagrams


Software support:

Microsoft Windows Workflow Foundation

Web Sphere MQ Workflow

Business Process Visual Architect

Workflow patterns:

Control-flow Patterns

Workflow Data Patterns

Workflow Resource Patterns

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Task model


Notations:

AMBOSS

ANSI/CEA

CTT

Diane +

GOMS

GTA

HTA

TOOD

Software support:

AMBOSS

Dtask

CTTE

TAMOT

GLEAN3

EUTERPE

HTA Win

ETOOD

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User interfaces


UIDL:

UIML

UsiXML

XICL

XIML

Software support:

UIML.net, VoiceXML renderer, WML renderer, VB2UMIL

SketchiXML, GraphiXML, FlasiXML, IdealXML, InterpiXML

XICL STUDIO

XIML Schema

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Dissemination


Journals

Book chapters

Conference proceedings

Posters

2007 2008 2009 2010

Doctoral Consortium

JUCS

JWE

IGI Global

IGI Global

HCIS

HCIS

DSV-IS

INTERACCION

CADUI

BDDI

ICAS

IWWOST

CLIHC

CLIHC

USIXML

Doctoral Consortium

Conceptual modeling

Method

designing workflow user interfaces with usixml

Technology