Simulation of multi-perspective declarative process models

Abstract

Flexible business processes can often be represented more easily using a declarative process modeling language (DPML) rather than an imperative language. Process mining techniques can be used to automate the discovery of process models. One way to evaluate process mining techniques is to synthesize event logs from a source model via simulation techniques and to compare the discovered model with the source model. Though there are several declarative process mining techniques, there is a lack of simulation approaches. Process models also involve multiple aspects, like the flow of activities and resource assignment constraints. The simulation approach at hand automatically synthesizes event logs that conform to a given model specified in the multi-perspective, declarative language DPIL. Our technique translates DPIL constraints to a logic language called Alloy. A formula-analysis step is the actual log generation. We evaluate our technique with a concise example and describe an alternative configuration to simulate event logs based on an assumed partial execution as well as on properties that are intended to be checked. We complement the quality evaluation by a performance analysis.