Extension du formalisme des flux opérationnels par une algèbre temporelle
This work addresses a specific limitation in process modeling for researchers and practitioners in knowledge representation, though it appears incremental as it builds on existing formalisms.
The paper tackles the problem of limited temporal expressiveness in workflows by defining a common model-theoretical semantics that integrates workflows with qualitative interval algebras, enabling interoperability and new inferences in an extended formalism.
Workflows constitute an important language to represent knowledge about processes, but also increasingly to reason on such knowledge. On the other hand, there is a limit to which time constraints between activities can be expressed. Qualitative interval algebras can model processes using finer temporal relations, but they cannot reproduce all workflow patterns. This paper defines a common ground model-theoretical semantics for both workflows and interval algebras, making it possible for reasoning systems working with either to interoperate. Thanks to this, interesting properties and inferences can be defined, both on workflows and on an extended formalism combining workflows with interval algebras. Finally, similar formalisms proposing a sound formal basis for workflows and extending them are discussed.