business information and process modeling for e-commerce forum 2004 - patrick... · business...

Business Information and Process Modeling for E-Commerce

Patrick YeePatrick Yee

Center for ECenter for E--Commerce Infrastructure DevelopmentCommerce Infrastructure DevelopmentThe University of Hong KongThe University of Hong Kong

22 Sep 2004 CECID . HKU 2

Agenda

About CECIDAbout CECIDLayers of ELayers of E--Commerce InteractionsCommerce InteractionsBusiness Information ModelingBusiness Information ModelingBusiness Process ModelingBusiness Process ModelingQ&AQ&A


Who Are We?Center for ECenter for E--Commerce Infrastructure DevelopmentCommerce Infrastructure Development

R&D R&D centercenter established in Jan 2002 at The University of Hong established in Jan 2002 at The University of Hong KongKong

MissionMissionWe create the infrastructure and environment that allows We create the infrastructure and environment that allows electronic commerce to pervade large and small businesses electronic commerce to pervade large and small businesses through technology innovation, industry collaboration, and through technology innovation, industry collaboration, and knowledge cultivation.knowledge cultivation.

ActivitiesActivitiesEE--commerce technology R&Dcommerce technology R&DLocal and international eLocal and international e--commerce standardizationcommerce standardizationTechnology transfer…Technology transfer…


R&D AreasB2B interoperability technologyB2B interoperability technology

reliable and secure data exchange on Internet based on XMLreliable and secure data exchange on Internet based on XMLbusiness process and information business process and information modellingmodellingintegrate and automate businessintegrate and automate business--toto--business (B2B) processesbusiness (B2B) processes

Open standards: adoption and contributionOpen standards: adoption and contributionWeb Services, Web Services, ebXMLebXML, , RosettaNetRosettaNettrading partners may use different software platforms to do etrading partners may use different software platforms to do e--businessbusiness

Open source softwareOpen source softwareestablished established FreebXML.orgFreebXML.org international initiative in 2002international initiative in 2002key driver for global B2B ekey driver for global B2B e--commercecommerce


Layers of E-Commerce Interactions

Data/Message

Transport

Business Process

Standardization enables Standardization enables iinteroperability in large scale nteroperability in large scale

XML is a tool for standardizationXML is a tool for standardization


Case Study: RosettaNet

RosettaNetRosettaNet defines open edefines open e--business standardsbusiness standardsA common A common languagelanguage for automated efor automated e--business business exchange:exchange:

RosettaNetRosettaNet DictionariesDictionaries –– the wordsthe wordsRosettaNetRosettaNet Implementation Framework (RNIF)Implementation Framework (RNIF) –– the the grammergrammerRosettaNetRosettaNet Partner Interface Processes (Partner Interface Processes (PIPsPIPs)) –– the the dialogdialog


The Easy Shot…

TransportTransport is easier to achieve interoperabilityis easier to achieve interoperabilityClearer specificationsClearer specificationsPayload agnostic, and so backend Payload agnostic, and so backend datadata source source agnosticagnosticFoundation for the Foundation for the processprocess layer to operatelayer to operate


The Easy Shot…?

May not as easy as it looks likeMay not as easy as it looks like……Many specifications:Many specifications:

ebXMLebXML Messaging Services, Web Services, WSRM, RNIF, AS2, Messaging Services, Web Services, WSRM, RNIF, AS2, HTTP, etc.HTTP, etc.

Interoperability initiatives:Interoperability initiatives:WSWS--I, I, ebXMLebXML Asia Committee Asia Committee InteropInterop Task Group, Task Group, Drummond Group, Drummond Group, KorBITKorBIT, NIST, etc., NIST, etc.

We are developing a messaging platform which We are developing a messaging platform which supports multisupports multi--protocols protocols –– Project Project CorvusCorvus


Business Information Modeling

Who: Business partners (both sides)Who: Business partners (both sides)What: To define a message schema for What: To define a message schema for information exchangeinformation exchangeWhy: Why:

Generality: To Generality: To reuse reuse as many components in the as many components in the message schema as possiblemessage schema as possibleSpecificity: To produce Specificity: To produce specificspecific schema under schema under different scenariosdifferent scenarios


TechnologiesISO 11179 Data ModelsISO 11179 Data Models

Object inheritanceObject inheritance

Core Component Technical Specification (CCTS)Core Component Technical Specification (CCTS)Harmonization & ContextualizationHarmonization & ContextualizationBased on ISO 11179Based on ISO 11179

Universal Data Element Framework (UDEF)Universal Data Element Framework (UDEF)Complements CCTS by providing an ID to each component for Complements CCTS by providing an ID to each component for semantic identificationsemantic identification

Universal Business Language (UBL) 1.0Universal Business Language (UBL) 1.0Based on CCTS and defines message formats for OrderBased on CCTS and defines message formats for Order--toto--Invoice business scenariosInvoice business scenarios


Universally Applicable?

UN/CEFACT TBG17UN/CEFACT TBG17UBLUBLUDEFUDEF

It may take years to harmonize!


Challenges on BI ModelingComponent reusabilityComponent reusability

Reuse by reference? Reuse by value?Reuse by reference? Reuse by value?

Message validationMessage validationE.g. XML Schemas? E.g. XML Schemas? SchematronSchematron? Programs? Etc.? Programs? Etc.

Backend integrationBackend integrationEAIEAIMessage composing/parsing libraryMessage composing/parsing libraryData structure/Schema transformationData structure/Schema transformation

Availability of modeling toolAvailability of modeling toolProductivity toolProductivity toolDesign aiding toolDesign aiding toolWe are developing a BI Modeler for helping this partWe are developing a BI Modeler for helping this part


Business Process Modeling

What is a business process?What is a business process?““A set of all the separate steps toward the final A set of all the separate steps toward the final business goalbusiness goal”” –– WebopediaWebopedia

What are the essential elements in a business What are the essential elements in a business process?process?

Steps (Transactions) Steps (Transactions) –– YesYesRelationship of steps Relationship of steps –– YesYesRoles who involved in steps Roles who involved in steps –– YesYesTransport parameters Transport parameters –– NoNoMessages to be exchanged Messages to be exchanged –– ????


B2B and Enterprise Application Integration (EAI)

B2B and EAI are complementary to each othersB2B and EAI are complementary to each othersEAI will facilitate the generation of messages to EAI will facilitate the generation of messages to be exchanged in B2B business processesbe exchanged in B2B business processesThe business processes in EAI will drive the The business processes in EAI will drive the business processes in B2B, and vice versabusiness processes in B2B, and vice versaConclusion: We need to integrate the business Conclusion: We need to integrate the business processes in B2B and EAIprocesses in B2B and EAI


Example: RosettaNet PIP – 3A1


Example: RosettaNet PIP – 3A1

B2B

EAI


Representation of Business Processes

ebXMLebXML Business Process Specification Schema Business Process Specification Schema (BPSS)(BPSS)

Focuses on collaboration between rolesFocuses on collaboration between rolesFor B2B business processesFor B2B business processes

Business Process Execution Language for Web Business Process Execution Language for Web Services (BPEL4WS)Services (BPEL4WS)

Focuses on declaring coordination between systemsFocuses on declaring coordination between systemsFor EAI business processesFor EAI business processes

Others: BPML, BPMN, WSCL, etc.Others: BPML, BPMN, WSCL, etc.


Execution of Business Processes

We developed We developed TranXnetTranXnet, which is an execution engine , which is an execution engine for for ““runningrunning”” business processesbusiness processesWe believe that it is possible to represent both BPSS and We believe that it is possible to represent both BPSS and BPEL4WS using a lower level language devised by us BPEL4WS using a lower level language devised by us ––TranXnetTranXnet Execution Language (TEL)Execution Language (TEL)

BPSS BPSS --> TEL> TELBPEL4WS BPEL4WS --> TEL> TEL

Then, the problem of BPSS/BPEL4WS integration Then, the problem of BPSS/BPEL4WS integration reduces to TEL/TEL interreduces to TEL/TEL inter--process communicationprocess communication


Abstraction of Transport Parameters

Our experience:Our experience:In most of the cases, a business process in an enterprise, once In most of the cases, a business process in an enterprise, once deployed, is seldom changeddeployed, is seldom changedHowever, the transport parameters and message schema may However, the transport parameters and message schema may be updated more frequentlybe updated more frequently

E.g. relocation of servers, adding fields in messages, etc.E.g. relocation of servers, adding fields in messages, etc.

Therefore, Therefore, TranXnetTranXnet promotes abstraction of transport promotes abstraction of transport parameters, so that any changes in those parameters parameters, so that any changes in those parameters will not affect the logic in the running business processwill not affect the logic in the running business process

The The ““essentialessential”” part of a BP remains unchangedpart of a BP remains unchanged


Reusable Patterns

In BI modeling, we promote reusability of data In BI modeling, we promote reusability of data componentscomponentsSimilarly, in BP modeling, the Similarly, in BP modeling, the ““essentialessential”” part of a BP part of a BP could be generalized and be reused as patternscould be generalized and be reused as patternsRosettaNetRosettaNet PIPsPIPs are good starting pointsare good starting pointsPossible underlying methodology: UMM, BCFPossible underlying methodology: UMM, BCFWe plan to develop a BP modeler for the business We plan to develop a BP modeler for the business analysts to design the analysts to design the ““essentialessential”” part of part of BPsBPs using using patternspatterns


Any Other Layers?

In Supply Chain Management (SCM)In Supply Chain Management (SCM)Information flow Information flow –– transport, data, processtransport, data, processProduct flow Product flow –– material, goodsmaterial, goodsFinance flow Finance flow –– $$$$

EAI/CRM prepares data for information flowEAI/CRM prepares data for information flowRadio Frequency Identification (RFID) is an Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) is an emerging technology to track product flowemerging technology to track product flow


Conclusion

Business information and business process Business information and business process modeling are 2 important dimensions for emodeling are 2 important dimensions for e--commerce interoperabilitycommerce interoperabilityRelevant standards are emerging and getting Relevant standards are emerging and getting maturematureUseful tools should be developed to promote Useful tools should be developed to promote adoption of standards and modeling techniquesadoption of standards and modeling techniques

Questions?

Thank You!Thank [email protected]@cecid.hku.hk

http://www.cecid.hku.hkhttp://www.cecid.hku.hkhttp://http://www.freebxml.orgwww.freebxml.org

business information and process modeling for e-commerce forum 2004 - patrick... · business...

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