A Workflow Model for Multi-Channel Applications

Design methodologies for Web applications usually specify the functionality using some kind of workflow model, since the processes supported by Web sites such as those used for e-commerce and information dissemination can be expressed in terms of the flow of information through the process. We are building a methodology based on a comprehensive and fully integrated model for the specification of multi-channel internet applications, i.e. ones which uses a variety of networked devices to capture and disseminate information. The model encompasses all aspects of the application including not only information management, capture and presentation, but also the implementation and deployment decisions. The part of the model which describes application functionality uses a workflow model in which the workflow process co-ordinates activities by linking presentation containers to presentation components and by linking presentation components by events such as button presses. The paper describes our workflow model and how it fits with the rest of the model.