@article{AwadGoreHouetal.2012,
  author    = {Awad, Ahmed Mahmoud Hany Aly and Gore, Rajeev and Hou, Zhe and Thomson, James and Weidlich, Matthias},
  title     = {An iterative approach to synthesize business process templates from compliance rules},
  series = {INFORMATION SYSTEMS},
  volume    = {37},
  journal   = {INFORMATION SYSTEMS},
  number    = {8},
  publisher = {PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD},
  address   = {OXFORD},
  issn      = {0306-4379},
  doi       = {10.1016/j.is.2012.05.001},
  pages     = {714 -- 736},
  year      = {2012},
  abstract  = {Companies have to adhere to compliance requirements. The compliance analysis of business operations is typically a joint effort of business experts and compliance experts. Those experts need to create a common understanding of business processes to effectively conduct compliance management. In this paper, we present a technique that aims at supporting this process. We argue that process templates generated out of compliance requirements provide a basis for negotiation among business and compliance experts. We introduce a semi-automated and iterative approach to the synthesis of such process templates from compliance requirements expressed in Linear Temporal Logic (LTL). We show how generic constraints related to business process execution are incorporated and present criteria that point at underspecification. Further, we outline how such underspecification may be resolved to iteratively build up a complete specification. For the synthesis, we leverage existing work on process mining and process restructuring. However, our approach is not limited to the control-flow perspective, but also considers direct and indirect data-flow dependencies. Finally, we elaborate on the application of the derived process templates and present an implementation of our approach. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{AwadWeidlichWeske2011,
  author    = {Awad, Ahmed Mahmoud Hany Aly and Weidlich, Matthias and Weske, Mathias},
  title     = {Visually specifying compliance rules and explaining their violations for business processes},
  series = {Journal of visual languages and computing},
  volume    = {22},
  journal   = {Journal of visual languages and computing},
  number    = {1},
  publisher = {Elsevier},
  address   = {London},
  issn      = {1045-926X},
  doi       = {10.1016/j.jvlc.2010.11.002},
  pages     = {30 -- 55},
  year      = {2011},
  abstract  = {A business process is a set of steps designed to be executed in a certain order to achieve a business value. Such processes are often driven by and documented using process models. Nowadays, process models are also applied to drive process execution. Thus, correctness of business process models is a must. Much of the work has been devoted to check general, domain-independent correctness criteria, such as soundness. However, business processes must also adhere to and show compliance with various regulations and constraints, the so-called compliance requirements. These are domain-dependent requirements. In many situations, verifying compliance on a model level is of great value, since violations can be resolved in an early stage prior to execution. However, this calls for using formal verification techniques, e.g., model checking, that are too complex for business experts to apply. In this paper, we utilize a visual language. BPMN-Q to express compliance requirements visually in a way similar to that used by business experts to build process models. Still, using a pattern based approach, each BPMN-Qgraph has a formal temporal logic expression in computational tree logic (CTL). Moreover, the user is able to express constraints, i.e., compliance rules, regarding control flow and data flow aspects. In order to provide valuable feedback to a user in case of violations, we depend on temporal logic querying approaches as well as BPMN-Q to visually highlight paths in a process model whose execution causes violations.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{LaueAwad2011,
  author    = {Laue, Ralf and Awad, Ahmed Mahmoud Hany Aly},
  title     = {Visual suggestions for improvements in business process diagrams},
  series = {Journal of visual languages and computing},
  volume    = {22},
  journal   = {Journal of visual languages and computing},
  number    = {5},
  publisher = {Elsevier},
  address   = {London},
  issn      = {1045-926X},
  doi       = {10.1016/j.jvlc.2011.04.003},
  pages     = {385 -- 399},
  year      = {2011},
  abstract  = {Business processes are commonly modeled using a graphical modeling language. The most widespread notation for this purpose is business process diagrams in the Business Process Modeling Notation (BPMN). In this article, we use the visual query language BPMN-Q for expressing patterns that are related to possible problems in such business process diagrams. We discuss two classes of problems that can be found frequently in real-world models: sequence flow errors and model fragments that can make the model difficult to understand. By using a query processor, a business process modeler is able to identify possible errors in business process diagrams. Moreover, the erroneous parts of the business process diagram can be highlighted when an instance of an error pattern is found. This way, the modeler gets an easy-to-understand feedback in the visual modeling language he or she is familiar with. This is an advantage over current validation methods, which usually lack this kind of intuitive feedback.},
  language  = {en}
}