Resource-Constrained and Decision Support Workflow Modeling

In our previous work, we introduced WIFA approach for incident command systems workflow modeling and analysis. In this paper, we extend WIFA to take resources into account when modeling and enacting workflows. Resources can become important decision factors when combined with control flow information. In many situations, business processes are constrained by scarce resources. The lack of resources can cause contention, the need for some tasks to wait for others to complete, and the slowing down of the accomplishment of larger goals. This is particularly true in an emergency response system where large quantity of resources, including emergency responders, ambulances, fire trucks, medications, food, clothing, etc., are required. Often potential delays can be avoided or reduced by using resource analysis to identify ways in which tasks can be executed in parallel, in the most efficient way. Currently, during a time of crisis, a decision maker often concentrates on a single criterion in order to simplify, speed up or control the decision process itself. A resource-constrained workflow model can support the decision process by analyzing multiple criteria. It can keep track of resources availability, disable the path that is not executable, and present all executable paths, allowing the emergency responders to make decisions and implement them more confidently.