A lifecycle-based parallel model of workflow management

Workflow management systems (WFMSs) are used to coordinate and streamline business processes. Very large process instances are often running for a long period and the feedback iteration occurs frequently, thus the system is inefficient. To overcome such problems, we studied the issues that process modeling parallelly based on product lifecycle management and proposed a parallel model (LBPYYM: lifecycle-based parallel workflow model). First, the parallel process can be created with the model within a product lifecycle. Meanwhile, the complexity of process definition is reduced also by the parallel model. Second, the adhoc access control policies can be created in each phase of lifecycle to satisfy the access control requirement of the least privilege. Finally, two algorithms, which consist of 2-level role parse algorithm and 3-level role parse algorithm, are introduced. Through these two algorithms the workflow activities´ participant can be defined very easily and flexibly.