A One-Pass Tableau-Based Workflow Verification Framework

Workflow management systems (WfMSs) are useful tools for supporting enterprise information systems. Such systems must ensure compliance with guidelines and regulations. While formal verification techniques can be used in the development stages to help ensure behavioral properties of many systems, these techniques are generally not available in workflow tools. We present a framework which models workflows using Petri nets and translates the model to a tableau style model checker. The model checker uses the recently introduced one-pass tableau algorithm and delivers enhanced performance over traditional two-pass strategies in practical applications. A failed tableau will generate a counter model which can aid in debugging. We present a case study involving a health services delivery program, and verify properties written in Computation Tree Logic (CTL). The tableau method can be modified to accommodate other specification languages such as timed CTL, logics of beliefs, desires and intentions, temporal description logic, first order logic, and others.