Work-flow management with systems approach: anticipated and ad-hoc workflow for scientific applications

While workflow management has mostly been considered in business applicatio ns so far, the focus of the Workflow Management with Systems Approach (WOMA SA) is on scientific applications such as geoprocessing, molecular biology, or laboratory environments. In particular, WOMASA aims at flexible and pla tform-indepented workflow support, with respect to both specification and e xecution of workflows. It turns out that the modeling and execution of work flows in traditional and in scientific applications exhibit significant dif ferences. In particular, the need for dynamic modifications of workflow mod els while workflows are running is an important feature in scientific appli cations. The conceptual design and functionality of a WOMASA prototype is o utlined, in particular that of its core workflow engine, and it is shown ho w the requirements of flexibility in modeling and executing workflows, impo sed by scientific applications, are met. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.