METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR EXPRESSING AND ENFORCING NON-FUNCTIONAL CONCERNS IN BUSINESS PROCESS MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS AND WORKFLOW SYSTEMS

1 . A computing system, comprising:

a profile creator to define a set of annotations in a profile;

an annotation creator to create each of the annotations in the set in the profile, each of the annotations to express a non-functional property of a process;

an enforcement pattern creator to create an enforcement pattern, the enforcement pattern to define the enforcement of the non-functional property on the process at runtime;

a process transformation tool to transform the process according to the enforcement pattern;

a memory module to load the annotation creator, profile creator, enforcement pattern creator, and process transformation tool; and

a processor to perform operations responsive to receiving input from one or more of the annotation creator, profile creator, enforcement pattern creator, and process transformation tool.

2 . The computing system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further to send instructions to a design time environment to display the process.

3 . The computing system of claim 1 , wherein the annotation creator comprises:

a logic to define a name for the annotation; and

a logic to define one or more attributes, the attributes to include key-value pairs specifying parameters for enforcing the property expressed by the annotation.

4 . The computing system of claim 1 , wherein the profile creator comprises:

a logic to define constraints on the applicability of the annotations in the set; and

a logic to define constraints on the interdependencies the annotations in the set.

5 . A computer-implemented method, comprising:

creating a profile, the profile to group a set of annotations;

defining the set of annotations in the profile, the set of annotations to express one or more non-functional properties of a process;

defining constraints for the set of annotations;

defining one or more enforcement patterns to enforce the set of annotations on the process at runtime;

loading the profile in a design time environment;

annotating the process with one or more of the annotations in the profile;

transforming the process to enforce the non-functional properties expressed by the annotations at runtime; and

executing the transformed process.

6 . The computer-implemented method of claim 5 , wherein defining the set of annotations comprises, for each of the annotations in the set:

defining a name for an annotation;

defining one or more attributes of the annotation;

defining constraints on the applicability of the annotation; and

defining constraints on the interdependencies between annotations.

7 . The computer-implemented method of claim 5 , wherein defining the enforcement pattern comprises:

loading a profile;

selecting an annotation in the profile; and

defining a set of process elements to replace a process model element annotated by the selected annotation.

8 . The computer-implemented method of claim 5 , wherein transforming the process comprises:

loading the process;

identifying one or more annotations on process elements;

loading one or more enforcement patterns associated with the identified annotations; and

replacing each process element with an identified annotation with one or more process elements according to the enforcement pattern associated with the identified annotation.

9 . A machine-readable medium having instructions therein that when executed by the machine, cause the machine to:

create a profile, the profile to group a set of annotations;

define the set of annotations in the profile, the set of annotations to express one or more non-functional properties of a process;

define constraints for the set of annotations;

define one or more enforcement patterns to enforce the set of annotations on the process at runtime;

load the profile in a design time environment;

annotate the process with one or more of the annotations in the profile;

transform the process to enforce the non-functional properties expressed by the annotations at runtime; and

executing the transformed process.

10 . The machine-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein instructions causing the machine to define a set of annotations, for each annotation in the set, cause the machine to:

define a name for an annotation;

define one or more attributes of the annotation;

define constraints on the applicability of the annotation; and

define constraints on the interdependencies between annotations.

11 . The machine-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein instructions causing the machine to define an enforcement pattern, cause the machine to:

load a profile;

select an annotation in the profile; and

define a set of process elements to replace a process model element annotated by the selected annotation.

12 . The machine-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein instructions causing the machine to transform the process, cause the machine to:

load the process;

identify one or more annotations on process elements;

load one or more enforcement patterns associated with the identified annotations; and

replace each process element with an identified annotation with one or more process elements according to the enforcement pattern associated with the identified annotation.