life events revisited: conceptualization and representation using generic workflows

OneStopGovEGOV/DEXA, Krakow, 4-7 September 2006

LIFE EVENTS REVISITED: LIFE EVENTS REVISITED: CONCEPTUALIZATION AND CONCEPTUALIZATION AND

REPRESENTATION USING REPRESENTATION USING GENERIC WORKFLOWSGENERIC WORKFLOWS

Efthimios Tambouris and Konstantinos Tarabanis CERTH/ITI & University of

Macedonia Wojciech Izdebski and Mariusz Momotko

Rodan Systems SA

OneStopGov

EGOV/DEXA, Krakow, 4-7 September 2006

Preamble Preamble

One of the aims of the IST OneStopGov project is to propose a number of reference models for life-events

For that purpose, it was essential that a definition of life-events was adapted and used

Our research however identified that in the literature the exact meaning of life-events is not clear

We therefore revisited life-events in an attempt to clarify the concept

OneStopGov


Table of ContentsTable of Contents

Rationale: One-Stop Government and life-events

Defining life-eventsAnalysis of life-eventsModeling of life-eventsRepresentation of life-events using

workflowsConclusions and Future WorkThe OneStopGov project

OneStopGov


RationaleRationale

Online one-stop government enables 24 hour, single point access to public services that are integrated around citizens needs (usually life-events - LE).

Currently however, online one-stop government projects do not care about citizens needs and do not provide integrated services from different back-offices.

OneStopGov






OneStopGov


LE definitionLE definition

The concept seems intuitive … … however no widely accepted definition exists In fact definitions are sometimes significantly

different• life events “describe situations of human

beings where public services may be required” (IST eGov project)

• “the term life event refers to the government services needed at specific stages in life” (European Commission The Role of eGovernment for Europe's Future, COM(2003) 567, Sept 2003)

OneStopGov






OneStopGov


Citizens domain, PA domain Citizens domain, PA domain and LEand LE

LE are related to citizens lives and Public Services (PSs) but this relationship is not clear

The analysis is complicated as there is no widely accepted model of a PS

OneStopGov


Some basicsSome basics

LE should be around citizens: “obtaining a driving license” in not a LE, it is a public service; “driving a car” is a LE

In the context of eGovernment, the Public Administration only cares for those life-events where public services are invoked

OneStopGov


Four Considerations Four Considerations

Citizens profile (e.g. “driving a car” may not trigger any PS if the user owns a driving license)

Some LE do not involve public services (e.g. “driving a car” in the case the user own a driving license)

Many public services have versions (e.g. “issuing a driving license” in the case of user with vision problems)

LE may have a conditional dimension (e.g. “getting thirsty” in the case of water shortage)

OneStopGov






OneStopGov


Modeling LEModeling LE

For analysis purposes we suggest that a life-event is a profile-based (personalised) set of actions, including at least one public service, which, when executed in its appropriate workflow, fulfils a need of a citizen arising from a new life situation

OneStopGov


LE Conceptual modelLE Conceptual model

Relationship between citizen’s needs, citizen’s profile, life events, and public services

OneStopGov


ExampleExample

“I want to drive a car” is a citizen’s need. We assume that the relevant citizen’s

profile includes the following information: • I have a car, • I do not have a driving license, • I live in Thessaloniki, Greece • I am short-sighted.

OneStopGov


What is expected? - 1 What is expected? - 1

“In order to drive a car, you should have access to a car and a valid driving license. Since you already own a car but not a driving license, you will need to invoke the public service “issuing a driving license”. This service is provided by prefectures and since you live in Thessaloniki then the appropriate service provider is the prefecture of Thessaloniki. Since you are facing vision problems we will need to wear eyeglasses or contact lenses and obtain the relevant doctor certificate in order to invoke this service. You should note that driving with glasses will be mandatory once you obtain your driving license. Finally, you should take into account that the steps to be performed are as following: first you resolve your vision problem with a doctor and second you invoke the “issuing a driving license” public service at the prefecture of Thessaloniki”

OneStopGov


What is expected? - 2What is expected? - 2

OneStopGov






OneStopGov


Generic WorkflowsGeneric Workflows

In a workflow, services are represented as activities ordered by transitions

If we agree that a life event is a composed service, represented as a process and implemented as a workflow then life‑event reference models can be represented using generic workflows

OneStopGov


Definition PhaseDefinition Phase

A workflow definition may be generic in two aspects. • Firstly, it covers all possible scenarios for a given

life event reference model.• Secondly, it refers to the classes of services

rather than concrete services Benefits

• Formal verification of correctness for all possible scenarios

• Validation of legal rules and regulations compliance

• Optimisation and redesign

OneStopGov


Execution PhaseExecution Phase

before execution - generic workflow adjustment that takes place just after the user decides to really carry out his / her life event

during execution – the selection of the service (instances) to be invoked within individual activities should be done by evaluation selection rules

during execution - monitoring will be assured: if deadlines are violated then the citizen and appropriate PA representatives should be informed

OneStopGov






OneStopGov


Conclusions Conclusions

Life-events is a term widely used, which however lack a widely-accepted definition

As a result, life-events are difficult to analyse and model and thus their potential in portal design is yet unexploited

A reason for this is the absence of a clear model for public service

A life-event can be considered as a profile-based (personalised) set of actions, including at least one public service, which, when executed in its appropriate workflow, fulfils a need of a citizen arising from a new life situation

Workflow technology seems suitable for the implementation of LE

More work is needed to model LE

OneStopGov






OneStopGov


Project Fact SheetProject Fact Sheet

Project full title: A life-event oriented framework and platform for one-stop government

Project acronym: OneStopGovStarting date: January 1st, 2006Duration: 30 monthsWeb site: www.onestopgov-project.org

OneStopGov


OneStopGov ApproachOneStopGov Approach

The OneStopGov project aims to specify, develop and evaluate a life-event oriented, integrated, interoperable platform for online one-stop government. This platform will be accompanied by a coherent framework for realising and exploiting online one-stop government at all levels.

The guiding vision, challenge, innovation and unique selling proposition for the OneStopGov platform involve: • the inherent support of life-events (LE); • the active, citizen-centric approach; and • the definition and use of generic models (e.g.

generic workflows, generic reference models).

OneStopGov


Comparison with other Comparison with other approachesapproaches

Portal (info provision) Services back-office integration

Monolithic Passive. LE are lists of topics

Services are hard-coded at the portal.

No.

Loosely-coupled

Passive. Static Info on LE is provided

No services. Citizens are re-directed to other portals.

No.

Hard-coded Passive. Static info on LE is provided

Services are hard-coded and often consist of components.

Yes. Each service is implemented as a static workflow of components that may run in different PAs

Dynamic binding

Dynamic. Info is dynamically fetched (e.g. using metadata)

Services are created as compositions of Web Services. They can be also dynamically created based on their semantics and citizens circumstances.

Yes. Life-events are dynamically created (on-the-fly) as compositions of back-office services.

OneStopGov Active. A dialogue is performed with citizens to identify their needs and circumstances

A complete set of LE reference models is specified and implemented using generic workflow technologies. LE instances are created dynamically.

Yes. Integration follows pre-defined forms (according to LE reference models)

OneStopGov


1. To specify the LE reference models that will enable modeling virtually any life-event.

2. To specify and develop the OneStopGov platform

3. To propose an all-inclusive framework for one-stop government

4. To evaluate and validate the results in four countries (Slovenia, Hungary, Romania and Poland)

5. To exploit and disseminate the project results

Scientific and Scientific and Technological ObjectivesTechnological Objectives

OneStopGov


Thank you for your attention!!

Themis TambourisCERTH/ITI and University of [email protected]

life events revisited: conceptualization and representation using generic workflows

Education

lifeevents analysis

events representation

events modeling of life

different life events

revisited lifeevents

definition of life

term life event

thata lifeevent