@conference {D{\textquoteright}Ambrogio2016, title = {Towards performance-oriented perfective evolution of BPMN models}, booktitle = {Proceedings of the 2016 Spring Simulation Multiconference - TMS/DEVS Symposium on Theory of Modeling and Simulation, TMS/DEVS 2016}, year = {2016}, note = {cited By 0}, publisher = {The Society for Modeling and Simulation International}, organization = {The Society for Modeling and Simulation International}, abstract = {

Simulation techniques are successfully applied to analyze and validate the performance of a business process (BP) since the early phases of its lifecycle, when the BP representation is commonly specified in BPMN. The BP simulation model is first to be built from the BPMN model, then implemented and finally executed to yield the performance indices of interest. The model building activity includes a parameterization task that is carried out either by use of tool-specific facilities or through standardized languages for specifying simulation model parameters. In both cases, the parameters have to be externally linked to the BPMN model. A similar reasoning applies to the simulation results. This paper introduces a BPMN extension to annotate BPMN models with both the input parameters and the results provided by the BP analysis, so as to include in a single BPMN model all the data associated to the simulation-based analysis of a given BP. The paper also outlines an architecture that exploits the proposed extension to realize the performance-oriented perfective evolution of BPMN models, or the ability to introduce a feedback chain that makes use of simulation results to automatically refactor a BP model in order to better meet the BP performance objectives. {\textcopyright}2016 Society for Modeling \& Simulation International (SCS).

}, keywords = {BPMN, Business Process, Circuit simulation, Performance indices, Performance objective, Performance-oriented, Simulation, Simulation technique, Simulation-based analysis, Software architecture, Software engineering}, url = {https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84978142027\&partnerID=40\&md5=d9a565c888c8c352dcbe3e6d0a81d2ac}, author = {Andrea D{\textquoteright}Ambrogio and Paglia, E. and Bocciarelli, P. and Giglio, A.}, editor = {Barros F., Hu X., Denil J., Prahofer H.} } @conference {Bocciarelli20153012, title = {Simulation-based performance and reliability analysis of business processes}, booktitle = {Proceedings - Winter Simulation Conference}, volume = {2015-January}, year = {2015}, note = {cited By 2}, pages = {3012-3023}, publisher = {Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.}, organization = {Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.}, abstract = {

The use of process modeling combined with the use of simulation-based analysis provides a valuable way to analyze business processes (BPs) and to evaluate design alternatives before committing resources and effort. The simulation-based analysis of BPs usually addresses performance in terms of efficiency, i.e., focusing on time-related properties (e.g., throughput or execution time). Differently, this paper proposes an automated method for the analysis of BPs in terms of both efficiency-related performance and reliability. In addition, the method allows business analysts to carry out a joint performance and reliability analysis by introducing a so-called performability attribute. The proposed method is illustrated by use of a running example dealing with a conventional e-commerce scenario. {\textcopyright} 2014 IEEE.

}, keywords = {Automated methods, Business analysts, Business Process, Design alternatives, Joint performance, Performance and reliabilities, Process Modeling, Reliability, Reliability analysis, Simulation-based analysis}, isbn = {9781479974863}, issn = {08917736}, doi = {10.1109/WSC.2014.7020140}, url = {https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84940521933\&partnerID=40\&md5=04c0407c66dbcda5756df2c96a686040}, author = {Bocciarelli, P. and Andrea D{\textquoteright}Ambrogio and Giglio, A. and Paglia, E.}, editor = {Tolk A., Diallo S.Y., Ryzhov I.O., Yilmaz L.} } @conference {Bocciarelli2014325, title = {A language for enabling model-driven analysis of business processes}, booktitle = {MODELSWARD 2014 - Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Model-Driven Engineering and Software Development}, year = {2014}, note = {cited By 5}, pages = {325-332}, publisher = {SciTePress}, organization = {SciTePress}, abstract = {

The use of simulation-based approaches for the analysis of business processes enables the design-time prediction of the process behavior and/or the operation-time process reconfiguration. However, the effectiveness of BP simulation is still limited for several reasons (e.g., lack of simulation know-how of BP analysts, simulation model parameters that can be hard to gather, large semantic gap between the business process model and the simulation model). To overcome such limitations, this paper introduces a modeldriven method to automatically build the executable simulation code of a business process from its abstract definition in BPMN, the standard language for specifying business processes. The simulation code is specified in eBPMN, a novel domain-specific language that has been designed and implemented according to the BPMN execution semantics. Copyright {\textcopyright} 2014 SCITEPRESS - Science and Technology Publications. All rights reserved.

}, keywords = {BPMN, Business Process, Computer simulation, Computer simulation languages, Domain specific languages, Model transformation, Performance, Problem oriented languages, Semantics, Simulation, Software design, Technology transfer}, isbn = {9789897580079}, url = {https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84906910126\&partnerID=40\&md5=d8853e490341214705bedcb2f8ce2260}, author = {Bocciarelli, P. and Andrea D{\textquoteright}Ambrogio and Paglia, E.} } @article {Bocciarelli2014573, title = {A model-driven method for enacting the design-time QoS analysis of business processes}, journal = {Software and Systems Modeling}, volume = {13}, number = {2}, year = {2014}, note = {cited By 6}, pages = {573-598}, publisher = {Springer Verlag}, abstract = {

Business Process Management (BPM) is a holistic approach for describing, analyzing, executing, managing, and improving large enterprise business processes. A business process can be seen as a flow of tasks that are orchestrated to accomplish well-defined goals such as goods production or services delivery. From an IT perspective, BPM is closely related to a business process automation approach carried out by use of IT standards and technologies, such as service-oriented architectures (SOAs) and Web Services. This paper specifically focuses on fully automated business processes that are defined and executed as orchestrations of software services. In a BPM context, the ability to predict at design time the business process behavior assumes a strategic relevance, both to early assess whether or not the business goals are achieved and to gain a competitive advantage. A business process is typically specified by use of Business Process Modeling Notation (BPMN), the standard language for the high-level description of business processes. Unfortunately, BPMN does not support the characterization of the business process in terms of nonfunctional or QoS properties, such as performance and reliability. To overcome such a limitation, this paper introduces Performability-enabled BPMN (PyBPMN), a lightweight BPMN extension for the specification of performance and reliability properties. PyBPMN enables the design time prediction of the business processes behavior, in terms of performance and reliability properties. Such prediction activity requires the use of models that are to be first built and then evaluated. In this respect, this work introduces a model-driven method that exploits PyBPMN to predict, at design time, the performance and the reliability of a business process, either to select the process configuration that provides the best behavior or to check if a given configuration satisfies the overall requirements. The proposed model-driven method that enacts the automated analysis of a business process behavior embraces the complete business process development cycle, from the specification phase down to the implementation phase. The paper also describes how the proposed model-driven method is implemented. The several model transformations at the core of the method have been implemented by use of QVT, and the standard language for specifying model transformations provided by OMG{\textquoteright}s MDA. The availability of such automated model transformations allows business analysts to predict the process behavior with no extra effort and without being required to own specific skills of performance or reliability theory, as shown by use of an example application. {\textcopyright} 2013 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.

}, keywords = {Administrative data processing, Automation, Availability, BPMN, Business Process, Competition, Design, Enterprise resource management, Forecasting, High level languages, Information services, LQN, Mathematical models, MDA, Performance, Quality of service, Reliability, Service oriented architecture (SOA), Software architecture, Specifications, Web services}, issn = {16191366}, doi = {10.1007/s10270-013-0345-5}, url = {https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84899754418\&partnerID=40\&md5=ac7ae348f9d39ccb87a9aedb7d7524bd}, author = {Bocciarelli, P. and Andrea D{\textquoteright}Ambrogio} } @conference {Bocciarelli2012266, title = {Automated performance analysis of business processes}, booktitle = {Simulation Series}, volume = {44}, number = {4 BOOK}, year = {2012}, note = {cited By 7}, pages = {266-274}, abstract = {Business processes (BPs) can be seen as flows of tasks that are orchestrated to accomplish well-defined goals. The ability to predict at design time the BP behavior assumes a strategic relevance, both to early assess whether or not the business goals are achieved and to gain a competitive advantage. This paper focuses on the performance prediction of BPs. Specifically, this work introduces a model-driven method that, starting from a performance-enabled description of a BP, first derives a BP performance model of EQN (Extended Queueing Network) type, and then generates and executes the EQN model implementation, thus enacting a fully automated analysis of the business process behavior. The performance model implementation is carried out by use of jEQN, a java-based domain specific language for specifying and executing EQN models. The paper also describes how the proposed model-driven method has been effectively implemented.}, keywords = {BPMN, Business Process, Competition, Computer simulation, EQN, Java programming language, jEQN, MDA, Performance, Software architecture}, isbn = {9781618397867}, issn = {07359276}, url = {https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84876469347\&partnerID=40\&md5=1912c0d789945a9c91c8ebe913ccaddf}, author = {Bocciarelli, P. and Andrea D{\textquoteright}Ambrogio} } @conference {Bocciarelli2012, title = {A model-driven method for building distributed simulation systems from business process models}, booktitle = {Proceedings - Winter Simulation Conference}, year = {2012}, note = {cited By 6}, abstract = {The analysis of modern business processes implemented as orchestration of software services demands for new approaches that explicitly take into account the inherent complexity and distribution characteristics of such processes. In this respect, Distributed Simulation (DS) offers a viable tool to cope with such a demand, due to the aggregation, scalability, representativeness and load balancing properties that it allows to achieve. However, the use of DS is mostly limited by the specialized technical know-how and the extra-development that DS requires with respect to approaches based on conventional local simulation. This paper proposes a model-driven method that enables the DS-based analysis of business processes by introducing the automated transformation of business process models into analysis models that are specified as Extended Queueing Network (EQN) models and executed as distributed simulations. The paper also presents an example application to a business process for an e-commerce scenario. {\textcopyright} 2012 IEEE.}, keywords = {Analysis models, Automated transformations, Business Process, Business process model, Computer simulation, Distributed computer systems, Distributed simulation systems, Distributed simulations, Distribution characteristics, Inherent complexity, Load balancing properties, Model-driven method, New approaches, Software services, Technical know hows, Technology transfer}, isbn = {9781467347792}, issn = {08917736}, doi = {10.1109/WSC.2012.6465106}, url = {https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84874755866\&partnerID=40\&md5=8d358a15fcb545b3725d825b701fc795}, author = {Bocciarelli, P. and Pieroni, A. and Gianni, D. and Andrea D{\textquoteright}Ambrogio} } @conference {Bocciarelli2011160, title = {A BPMN extension for modeling non functional properties of business processes}, booktitle = {Simulation Series}, volume = {43}, number = {1 BOOK 4}, year = {2011}, note = {cited By 27}, pages = {160-168}, abstract = {Business Process Management (BPM) is an holistic approach for describing, analyzing, executing, managing and improving large enterprise business processes, which can be seen as collections of related tasks executed to accomplish well-defined goals. This paper introduces a notation for the description of a business process in terms of both functional and non-functional properties, specifically addressing the performance and reliability characterization of a business process. In the BPM context, the Business Process Modeling Notation (BPMN) is the de-facto standard for the high-level description of business processes. Unfortunately BPMN does not support the characterization of the business process in terms of non-functional properties such as performance and reliability. To overcome such limitation, this paper introduces PyBPMN (Performability-enabled BPMN), a lightweight BPMN extension for the specification of properties that address both performance and reliability. The proposed extension is based on an approach that exploits principles and standards introduced by the Model Driven Architecture (MDA), thus obtaining significant advantages in terms of easy customization and improved automation. The paper also presents an example application of the proposed extension to show how it enables the automated transformation of a business process model into a parameterized performance model whose execution gives insights about the process behavior.}, keywords = {Administrative data processing, BPMN, Business Process, Business process management, Business process model, Business Process Modeling Notation (BPMN), Computer simulation, Enterprise resource management, MDA, Model driven architectures, Performance and reliabilities, Reliability, Software architecture, Systems engineering}, isbn = {9781617828386}, issn = {07359276}, url = {https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84887029950\&partnerID=40\&md5=286bf26106c501019949590c37d312e2}, author = {Bocciarelli, P. and Andrea D{\textquoteright}Ambrogio} }