Rule-based behavioural modelling of information systems

The authors introduce a rule-based object-oriented model and a novel graphical formalism capable of representing the behavior of information systems at the desired level of abstraction The graphical model, called rule-based net (RBN), is based on Petri nets and it can be considered as an abstraction of predicate transition nets (PrT nets). The formality of the RBN model and its graphical and executable nature provide a very good basis for its analysis and validation. RBNs provide a simple net representation of information systems dynamic behavior, showing flow of control. If information flow is desired too, RBNs are mapped to specialized PrT nets. In this way, all the well-developed techniques on PrT nets could be exploited for analytically deriving general properties of an information system