A Planning Approach to the Automated Synthesis of Template-Based Process Models - Abstract and Introduction

Sep 12, 2026

Upload by Ben

Flexible process design is often time-consuming and error-prone because many tasks interact through context-dependent relationships and shared resources. Such processes can exhibit interference among constituents, producing incorrect outcomes when concurrent tasks operate on the same data. To address these challenges, an automated approach synthesizes a reusable library of template-based process models for dynamic, partially specified environments. A declarative problem definition and partial-order planning generate templates with sound concurrency, validated through a disaster response running example, formal modeling, and experiments.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryPresentations

FormatPDF

Pages28

Reading Time10 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Flexible Processes and Design-Time Challenges

BPM Approaches in Dynamic Knowledge-Intensive Scenarios

Noname manuscript No. (will be inserted by the editor) A Planning Approach to the Automated Synthesis of Template-Based Process Models Andrea Marrella 􀀁 Yves Lesp􀀓erance Received: date / Accepted: date Abstract The design-time speci􀀌cation of 􀀍exible processes can be time-consuming and error-prone, due to the high number of tasks involved and their contextdependent nature. Such processes frequently su􀀋er from potential interference among their constituents, since resources are usually shared by the process participants and it is di􀀎cult to foresee all the potential tasks interactions in advance. Concurrent tasks may not be independent from each other (e.g., they could operate on the same data at the same time), resulting in incorrect outcomes. To tackle these issues, we propose an approach for the automated synthesis of a library of templatebased process models that achieve goals in dynamic and partially speci􀀌ed environments. The approach is based on a declarative problem de􀀌nition and partialorder planning algorithms for template generation. The resulting templates guarantee sound concurrency in the execution of their activities and are reusable in a variety of partially speci􀀌ed contextual environments. As running example, a disaster response scenario is given. The approach is backed by a formal model and has been tested in experiments. Keywords Flexible Processes, Template-based Process Models, Partial-Order Planning, Business Process Management A. Marrella Sapienza-Universit􀀓a di Roma, Italy [E-mail: marrella@diag.uniroma1.it](E-mail: marrella@diag.uniroma1.it) [Y. Lesp](Y. Lesp) 􀀓erance York University, Toronto, Canada E-mail: [lesperan@cse.yorku.ca](lesperan@cse.yorku.ca) 1 Introduction Over the last decade, organizations and companies have started adopting process management methodologies and tools, with the aim of increasing the level of automation support for their operational business processes. Business Process Management (BPM) has, therefore, become a leading research area in the broader 􀀌eld of information systems [2] . Conventional BPM solutions require us to pre-de􀀌nea detailed model of the process which completely prescribes the process execution 􀀍ow and captures every possible process instance to be executed at run-time through a Process Management System (PMS) . These models, typically based on imperative process speci-􀀌cation, allow for a complete prede􀀌ned speci􀀌cation of process logic able to represent procedural process knowledge, capturing the tasks to be executed and their control-􀀍ow, as well as process-related data and organizational perspectives [24] . Examples of traditional business processes include insurance claim processing, order handling, administrative processes, etc. In recent years, the maturity of process management methodologies and of PMSs has lead to the application of BPM approaches in new challenging dynamic and knowledge-intensive scenarios [69,18], such as domotics [33], healthcare [47], projects coordination [19] and emergency management [57] . In these working environments, most business functions involve collaborative features and semi-structured (or unstructured) procedures that do not have the same level of predictability as the routine structured work. This has lead to the de􀀌nition of a new class of 􀀍exible processes [69] . Processes are de􀀌ned as \􀀍exible"when people/agents carry them out with a fair degree of \uncertainty", where the uncertainty may depend on many factors, such as the high number of tasks to be represented, their unpredictable nature, or their dependency on the contextual scenario. In a 􀀍exible process, the sequence of tasks depends heavily on the speci􀀌cs of the context (e.g., which resources are available and what particular options exist at the time), and it is often unpredictable how the process will unfold. While there exist several approaches supporting the enactment and automated adaptation of 􀀍exible processes at r

FAQs

Why is designing flexible processes difficult at design time?

Flexible processes can be time-consuming and error-prone because tasks are numerous, context-dependent, and can interfere due to shared resources, making all possible interactions hard to foresee.

What is the proposed solution for template-based process models?

The approach automatically synthesizes a library of template-based process models using a declarative problem definition and partial-order planning for template generation.

How do the synthesized templates ensure correct concurrent execution?

The templates are constructed so that they guarantee sound concurrency when executing activities, making them reusable across dynamic environments with partial specifications.

Sep 12, 2026

Upload by Ben