API and Component Based Customization of an Open Source Business Process Management System: uEngine

There is no doubt that business process management (BPM) has added tremendous value to organizations in virtually every industry. By utilizing business process management systems (BPMS), organizations can streamline and automate tasks, reduce turnaround time, and help ensure regulatory compliance. The foremost considerations when enterprises deploy BPM solutions involve supportive system functions, friendly graphical user interfaces (GUI) and maximal return on investment (ROI), based on the specific processes required, organizational management, and working style of their particular business environment. In order to address the problems associated with BPMS customization, for the flexible coverage of various requirements, this paper takes a three step approach. First, limited customization support of commercial and academic BPMS is reviewed in favor of open source BPMS. Then, advantageous features of uEngine, an open source BPMS which supports flexible customization, are introduced. Finally, API-based and component-based customization in building a BPM application utilizing uEngine is introduced with illustrative examples.