Abstract:
In traditional Workflow Management Systems (WFMSs), agents are usually
automated processes within a single organization. However,
with the
application of workflow technologies in the Internet for E-commerce
and
E-services, agents for WFMS can be intelligent or even human, and can
be
distributed in different organizations. Advanced WFMSs are now
web-enabled and can provide many flexible functions to support agents.
WFMSs themselves can be considered as meta-agents, which is a novel
concept, because a WMFS can act as various interface agents to help
coordinating other distributed agents, instantiate task agents to carry
out specific tasks and instantiate information agents (as workflow
instances) to compile information. WFMSs also helps in coordination,
interfacing, process repository, process (workflow) adaptation and
evolution, match-making, exception handling, data and rule bases, etc,
to other agents, with many opportunities for reuse. This article
presents an architecture and various mechanisms of a advanced WFMS
to
demonstrate the contribution of contemporary workflow technology to
agents technology, with reference to the ADOME-WFMS, with its E-ADOME
extension for agent interface.
Keywords: meta-agents, workflow management, agents, web-interface