Business policy compliance in service-oriented systems

As business policies and environments change constantly, there is a need for service-oriented systems to be compliant, yet adaptive. The solution proposed in this paper is based on a clear architectural separation of policy specification, enforcement strategy and realization. Policy compliance is worked out as a rule transformation process mediating between the business policy language SBVR and Condition-Action (CA) rules. The solution supports adaptation caused by business policy evolution as well as adaptation caused by service evolution. In addition, the paper describes a novel truly service-oriented way of implementing compliance management and enforcement of business policies drawing on Adaptive Service Oriented Architecture (ASOA).     

Formalising natural language specifications using a cognitive linguistic/configuration based approach

This paper addresses the problem of transforming business specifications written in natural language into formal models suitable for use in information systems development. It proposes a method for transforming controlled natural language specifications based on the Semantics of Business Vocabulary and Business Rules standard. This approach is unique in combining techniques from Model-Driven Engineering (MDE), Cognitive Linguistics, and Knowledge-based Configuration, which allows the reliable semantic processing of specifications and integration with existing MDE tools to improve productivity, quality, and time-to-market in software development. The method first learns the vocabulary of the specification from glossary-like definitions then parses the rules of the specification and outputs the resulting formal SBVR model. Both aspects of the method are tested separately, with the system correctly learning 98% of the vocabulary and correctly interpreting 98% of the rules of an SBVR SE based example. Finally, the proposed method is compared to state-of-the-art approaches for creating formal models from natural language specifications, arguing that it meets the criteria necessary to fulfil the three goals of (1) shifting control of specification to non-technical business experts, (2) reducing the manual effort involved in formalising specifications, and (3) supporting business experts in creating well-formed sets of business vocabularies and rules.     

Modeling languages for business processes and business rules: A representational analysis

Process modeling and rule modeling languages are both used to document organizational policies and procedures. To date, their synergies and overlap are under-researched. Understanding the relationship between the two modeling types would allow organizations to maximize synergies, avoid content duplication, and thus reduce their overall modeling effort. In this paper, we use the Bunge–Wand–Weber (BWW) representation theory to compare the representation capabilities of process and rule modeling languages. We perform a representational analysis of four rule modeling specifications: The Simple Rule Markup Language (SRML), the Semantic Web Rules Language (SWRL), the Production Rule Representation (PRR), and the Semantics of Business Vocabulary and Business Rules (SBVR) specification. We compare their BWW representation capabilities with those of four popular conceptual process modeling languages. In our analysis, we focus on the aspects of maximum ontological completeness and minimum ontological overlap. The outcome of this study shows that no single language is internally complete with respect to the BWW representation model. We also show that a combination of two languages, in particular SRML and BPMN, appears to be better suited for combined process and rule modeling than any of these modeling languages used independently.     

From UML/OCL to SBVR specifications: A challenging transformation

UML is currently the most widely used modeling language for the specification of the conceptual schema (CS) of an information system (IS). However, UML falls short when it comes to allow business people to define in their own language (e.g. using their own terms in natural language) the policies and rules by which they run their business. To this purpose, the semantics of business vocabulary and business rules (SBVR) metamodel specification was proposed. SBVR is conceptualized optimally for business people and it is designed to be used for business purposes, independently of information systems designs.