Pattern 41 (Configurable Allocated Work Item Visibility)

FLASH animation of Configurable Allocated Work Item Visibility pattern

Description

The ability to configure the visibility of allocated work items by process participants.

Example

All site workers can view the allocated work items list for the day.

Motivation

The pattern indicates the ability of a PAIS to limit the visibility of allocated and started work items.

Overview

The ability to view allocated work items is usually implemented as a configurable option on a per-user basis. It provides resources with the ability to view work items in an allocated or started state.

Context

There are no specific context conditions associated with this pattern.

Implementation

Of the offerings examined, only FLOWer provides support for this pattern. It does this by limiting the visibility of allocated work items to those resources that have the same role as the resource to which a work item is allocated.

Issues

None identified.

Solutions

N/A.

Evaluation Criteria

An offering achieves full support if it provides a construct that satisfies the description for the pattern.

Product Evaluation

To achieve a + rating (direct support) or a +/- rating (partial support) the product should satisfy the corresponding evaluation criterion of the pattern. Otherwise a - rating (no support) is assigned.

Product/Language

Version

Score

Motivation
Staffware 9 - Not supported
Websphere MQ Workflow 3.4 - Not supported
FLOWer 3.0 + Supported through use of roles to limit visibility of case activities
COSA 4 - Not supported
iPlanet 3.1 - Not supported
BPMN 1.0 - Not supported
UML 2.0 -

Not supported
Oracle BPEL 10.1.2 - Oracle BPEL PM offers no support for this pattern, since any user can see all allocated work items and there is no option to limit the visibility of allocated items
jBPM 3.1.4 - jBPM does not support this pattern.
OpenWFE 1.7.3 +/- OpenWFE provides limited support for this pattern. When a user is defined, the privileges they have to access different stores are specified. "read" privileges to a user for a store implies that they will be able to see both started (i.e. allocated) and unallocated work items in that store. This configuration can only be done by the workflow administrator. It is not possible to configure the visibility so that only started (and not unallocated) items get visible. Hence the degree of support is considered to be partial.
Enhydra Shark 2 - Enhydra Shark does not support this pattern.

Summary of Evaluation

+ Rating

+/- Rating
  1. The workflow engine provides the ability to configure the extent to which knowledge of allocated work items is accessible to workflow users.
  1. The presence of limited ability to configure the visibility of allocated work items by process participants. (One observed limitation is the ability to configure the visibility of allocated work items among process participants playing the same role in a process.)