Re: Notation to support BPSS

[Maarten Steen <M.Steen@telin.nl>]

I felt compelled to react to this thread, because we at the Dutch Telematics
Institute have been working on a graphical language for modelling networked
enterprises for the last three years. It has a theoretical foundation and has
been succesfully applied by Dutch standardisation organisations for specifying
procurement processes in various sectors.

Attached is a document in which I have illustrated how this notation could be
used for specifying ebXML collaborations and transactions. It may not be a
standardised consensus notation (yet), such as the UML, but I think it does
exactly what you need to support the ebXML BPSS.

Kind regards,
Maarten W.A. Steen

ps.1. I have been following developments around the RM-ODP since 1994. Although
it offers a very solid framework of abstractions and very relevant concept
definitions, it does not define a notation. Many people have proposed mappings
(called architectural semantics) from the ODP concepts to existing language,
amongst which UML. Unfortunately, none of these mappings can deal completely
with the conceptual richness of the RM-ODP.

ps.2. I am very impressed with the outcome of the OMG-EDOC work. This is by far
the best and most complete proposal for a language to support the RM-ODP
Viewpoints. It's a pity, however, that the concepts of protocol and choreography
are not defined as a process that is shared between two entities, because that
is what a collaboration is.

ps.3. I think Antoine is on the right track with his extended notations. You
will find a considerable similarity with our notation.

--
Dr. ir. Maarten W.A. Steen - Scientific Researcher
Telematica Instituut, Postbus 589, 7500 AN  Enschede, The Netherlands
http://www.telin.nl/
phone: +31(0)53 4850 321
fax: +31(0)53 4850 400

Notation for ebXML Business Process Specifications.doc