Re: WorkList/WorkItem Interfaces

I think the SWAP draft proposal (K. Swenson, August 7, 1998) made a
bold step in the right direction by trying to make WorkItem and
ProcessInstance more like each other.  But it appears that the way
it is presented has caused some confusion.  Rather than saying "a
WorkItem is a kind of ProcessInstance" (highly counterintuitive,
since user WorkItems tend to be simpler and have fewer properties
than workflow ProcessInstances), how about turning it around and
trying "a ProcessInstance is a kind of WorkItem"?  That is, all
requests for service under SWAP, whether to a user or a workflow
system or an application server, are WorkItems which the service
provider is free to implement by whatever means they wish.  Some of
these will actually be workflow processes, i.e., ProcessInstances,
which can have more information associated with them (e.g.,
subactivities) than vanilla WorkItems.  Maybe people can comment on
which way they'd like to see the two things related (possibly
improving on the names), or propose yet another alternative?
    Sunil Sarin

-----Original Message-----
From: Richard Heim <rheim@crusher.jcals.csc.com>
To: 'SWAP LIST' <ietf-swap@w3.org>
Date: Wednesday, October 21, 1998 3:50 PM
Subject: WorkList/WorkItem Interfaces


>Hello all,
> I was hoping someone could help me clear up some confusion I have
>regarding these two SWAP Interfaces.
>It looks to me that a Worklist may be similar to a request for a
"to-do
>list" or a list of workflow tasks assigned to
>a particular user of the workflow system.  Does this sound correct?
>
> WorkItem really confuses me.  The SWAP document mentions that this
>interface is a type of process instance - but one that does not
have any
>preprogrammed activity.  Could anyone expand on this?
>
>
>thanks in advance,
>richard heim
>
>
>
>
>
>
>Richard Heim
>Computer Sciences Corporation
>Integrated Systems Division
>6000 Lincoln Drive
>Marlton, NJ   08053
>(609) 983-4400 x4880
>
>"Whatever joy there is in this world, all comes from wanting others
to be
>happy;
> and whatever suffering there is in this world, all comes from
wanting
>oneself to be happy".
>Shantideva

Received on Wednesday, 2 December 1998 14:27:13 UTC