A Framework for Business Process Simulation Based on Multi-Agent Cooperation

Most enterprise information systems can be viewed as discrete event systems (DES). Workflow is the computerized business processes. Workflow technology is one of key techniques in current enterprise information system. As the analyzing tool for workflow model, process simulation can support business process reengineering (BPR) effectively. Defects and bottlenecks of enterprise processes can be found through process simulation before the deployment of business management system. After the simulation, considerable reduction of cost is achieved as the result of improved workflow model. Compared with other workflow research areas, process simulation is still underway. Discrete event simulation is the generic method used in process simulation. Workflow model is the abstract representation of business processes. Some workflow definition languages have been developed, such as WPDL [1], FDL, and PSL [2]. PSL is the abbreviation of Process Specification Language which defines a neutral representation for manufacturing processes. XPDL (XML Process Definition Language), which inherits WPDL, is a standard for “interface I” defined by the Workflow Management Coalition (WfMC). The WfMC has identified five functional interfaces to a workflow service as part of its standardization program. “Interface I” is specified to support Process Definition Import and Export, which includes a common meta-model for describing the process definition and an XML schema for the interchange of process definitions. The meta-model defines the objects and attributes contained within a process definition. One of key elements of XPDL is its extensibility to handle information used by a variety of different tools. To support workflow simulation, we define some XML-based elements containing simulation information or facilitating simulation. These elements, such as (containing information on the distribution of activity’s duration, e.g. beta distribution, standard distribution), (containing information to facilitate utility calculation, used to support activity execution) can be inserted into other XPDL-derived workflow model schema seamlessly. O pe n A cc es s D at ab as e w w w .in te ch w eb .o rg