This section provides definitions of words, terms, phases and acronyms, frequently used or referenced in the business process change community. As the business process change market evolves, these terms evolve and change, as well. Formal business process languages like BPML have semantic definitions that are enforced by the language standard. Other groups, such as the Workflow Management Coalition (WfMC), publish formal glossaries. Still other groups define terms in ways specific to their particular community. Most of these communities use or define these terms in slightly different ways. Old terms take on new and varied meanings, new terms emerge, and it is often confusing to business managers trying to communicate across the various business process change communities. This glossary recognizes these differences, seeks to provide generic definitions and suggests a common language. In cases where we know that communities use these terms in ways significantly different from those we provide, we note the fact. We hope our members and visitors find this glossary helpful and we pledge to work hard to keep it current.

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W

W3C (World Wide Web Consortium)

A standards consortium that develops and published Internet and Web languages and protocols. For more information, check www.w3c.org

WSFL (Web Services Flow Language)

Early IBM XML business process language. See BPEL4WS.

Web Services

A vague term that refers to distributed or virtual applications or processes that use the Internet to link activities or software components. A travel Web site that takes a reservation from a customer, and then sends a message to a hotel application, accessed via the Web, to determine if a room is available, books it, and tells the customer he or she has a reservation is an example of a Web Services application.

Workflow

Generic term for a process or for the movement of information or material from one activity (worksite) to another.

Workflow Management Coalition (WfMC)

A consortium of vendors and users of workflow systems that work together on standards and to share information. For more information, check www.wfmc.org

Workflow Model

Another name for a process diagram. Often includes both a diagram and rules that define the flow of information from one activity to the next. If used in conjunction with a workflow system or engine, a software-based process diagram that becomes the program for a workflow system that will move information from a database to one computer terminal after another.

Workflow Reference Model

Model created by the Workflow Management Coalition to define a workflow management system and to identify the most important system interfaces. Other WfMC standards make reference to this model.

Workflow System or Engine

A software tool or program that helps analysts define a process and the rules governing process decisions, and then manages the actual distribution of information related to specific instances or cases to terminals and databases. Most vendors and major users of workflow systems are members of the Workflow Management Collation (WfMC).