Nondeterministic events in business processes

Abstract

In this article we describe how Complex Event Processing (CEP) can be smoothly integrated into Subject-oriented Business Process Management (S-BPM). This approach is grounded on communication patterns between acting systems (i.e. subjects), such as people and software systems. The integration is done twofold. Firstly, complex event processing units can be seen as one way to instantiate a process. Secondly, CEP units can be integrated into subjects as internal functions. Based on evaluating various data patterns the subject containing the CEP function can inform other subjects by sending corresponding messages. In this way, nondeterministic (since not predictable) events can be dealt with at runtime. An informed subject may actively influence further system behavior by delegating further observation tasks to the subject containing the complex event processing unit. Based on the introduced concepts and their straightforward implementation actual business operations can not only be represented, but also processed more accurately. © 2013 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.