BLUEPRINT: WORKFLOW SUPPORT

Introduction

The Blueprint outlines the development of Workflow Support for Sahana Eden.

Description

Workflow Support includes developing two functionality for Sahana Eden -

Workflow Engine

It includes development of a Engine which can act on some given data and can generate robust wizard out of the given data.
The wizard thus generated can be used by users and can help them understanding Sahana Eden dexterously and expeditiously.
It will also help developers to make robust wizards for different modules of Sahana Eden.

Morphing workflow for mobile interface

It includes splitting bigger forms into smaller part.
Ex. Morphing one wizard screen into three for small mobile devices

Target Problem

Workflow Support aims to solve two conspicuous problems -

• First - Sometimes for new users of Sahana Eden it gets a bit abstruse to understand the workflow of different modules quickly

• Second - In Sahana Eden currently the various forms are mostly separated except for navigation links. so users have to maneuver from one place to another to complete related tasks.

This is where need of workflow support comes in action.

Benefit To Sahana Eden

Workflow support smartly increases the usability of Sahana Eden by making it convenient, easy to use and more agile as it guides the user through the different processes of sahana eden step by step and helps the user understand Eden .

Stakeholders

• End Users - Users of Sahana Eden will be benefited the most with Workflow Support as it will help them understand Sahana Eden quickly and easily. [BR]

• Developers - With the help of Workflow Engine, developers of sahana eden can easily create a wizard for new modules.

• Sys Admin

User Stories

• As an end user, I want a wizard to guide me and help me through different resources available in Sahana Eden.
• As a developer, I want a workflow engine that can easily generate a robust workflow for me by accepting some simple data.
• As a mobile user, I want a portable workflow i.e one that works on my mobile devices also.

Requirements

Functional

• Workflow Engine should generate robust workflow wizards by processing the given data.
• Workflow Engine should accept simple data, data can be as simple as resource name and list of field names.
• Workflow thus generated should have the ability to adapt changes as the data given to workflow engine changes.
• Workflow should also adapt to structural changes if the structure of the given data changes.
• Workflow should provide full access control to the user, they can go back, skip steps and quit at any point.
• Workflow should track the audit trails i.e keeping the record of the running processes as they unfold, so that users can come back to the same point where they left off.
• Workflow Wizard should have a simple and user-friendly user interface.

Non-functional

• The most common operations streamlined to be performed quickly.
• The wizard should be easily available and accessible to the user after successful login.

Interoperability

Standards

System Constraints

Use-Cases

Design

Data Model

Workflows

As Developer

• Developers will have to provide data to the workflow engine.
• Data possibly will be a resource name along with fields list which makes up an activity.
• These will be followed by control edges (Ex. whether node will be optional,required or not allowed).
• Workflow engine will convert the given data into desired wizard template.

As User

• To take a wizard for any resource user will have to click on the wizard button on the homepage.
• Then users will have to select from different options shown on the screen which will link them to different wizards for different resources.
• After choosing one option users will enter the wizard like interface with their progress(steps) shown on the top of the page.
• Each node in a wizard will be a collection of fields which users will have to fill in order to proceed to the next step.
• User can click on the back button to go back one step.
• User sometimes might have multiple ways to proceed further.
• User can also skip optional steps.
• After completing the wizard user will be redirected back to the page where a list of wizards will be displayed.

Site Map

Wireframes

Technologies

Implementation

(Prospective)

• The workflow engine will reuse S3SQLCustomForm where possible.

• The idea is to define a S3WorkflowForm which will be defined as S3SQLCustomForm.

• It will accept resource name and list of fields along with the description of corresponding edge i.e is the node optional or required.

• All the data will be linked and will be converted into a wizard template.

• User id and his progress will be stored on in the database.

Future Implementation

• Making a UI for the Workflow Engine , So that not only developer but sys admin can easily make wizards for different resources or new modules.

References

• ​http://micro-workflow.com/PDF/WorkflowEngineEvaluation.pdf
• http://eden.sahanafoundation.org/wiki/S3SQLForm

Discussions

• ​https://groups.google.com/forum/?fromgroups=#!topic/sahana-eden/CEws1XSNgs4
• ​http://logs.sahanafoundation.org/sahana-eden/2013-03-28.txt
• ​http://logs.sahanafoundation.org/sahana-eden/2013-04-19.txt
• ​http://logs.sahanafoundation.org/sahana-eden/2013-04-21.txt

---

BluePrint