Workflow Technology and Human-Computer Interaction

Abstract

The purpose of this chapter is to characterize workflow-intensive systems from a human-computer interaction viewpoint, i.e., it explains how a typical ITapplication is experienced by a user. It explains how a typical IT application structures the work of its user. Therefore the notion of worklist is explained and how current workflow technology orchestrates applications and programs that implement system dialogues on the basis of a worklist paradigm. As an important by-product the chapter contributes to the understanding of the gap between workflow definition and application programming. The chapter also discusses how workflow technologies can support the assignment of actors to tasks. Again, we try to conduct the discussion as product-independent as possible. What interests us are the basic concepts behind concrete role models found in today’s workflow technologies.