Chain of Events: Modular Process Models for the Law

Søren Debois, Hugo A. López, Tijs Slaats, Amine Abbad Andaloussi, Thomas T. Hildebrandt

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingArticle in proceedingsResearchpeer-review

4 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

In this paper, we take technical and practical steps towards the modularisation of compliant-by-design executable declarative process models. First, we demonstrate by example how the specific language of timed DCR graphs is capable of modelling complex legislation, with examples from laws regulating the functioning of local governments in Denmark. We then identify examples of law paragraphs that are beyond these modelling capabilities. This incompatibility arises from subtle and—from a computer science perspective—non-standard interactions between distinct paragraphs of the law, which must then become similar interactions between model fragments. To encompass these situations, we propose a notion of networks of processes, where the processes are allowed to interact and regulate their interaction through the novel mechanisms of exclusion and linking. Networks are parametric in the underlying process formalism, allowing interactions between processes specified in arbitrary and possibly distinct trace-language semantics formalisms as the individual models. Technically, we provide a sufficient condition for a good class of network compositions to realise refinement of the constituent processes. Finally, parts of the theoretical framework (networks and exclusion) have been implemented by our industry partners, and we report on a preliminary evaluation suggesting that inter-model synchronisation is indeed both necessary and helpful in practical modelling scenarios.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationIntegrated Formal Methods: 16th International Conference, IFM 2020, Lugano, Switzerland, November 16–20, 2020, Proceedings
Volume12546
PublisherSpringer
Publication date2020
Pages368-386
ISBN (Print)978-3-030-63460-5
ISBN (Electronic)978-3-030-63461-2
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2020
Event16th International Conference on Integrated Formal Methods - IFM 2020 - Lugano, Switzerland
Duration: 16 Nov 202020 Nov 2020

Conference

Conference16th International Conference on Integrated Formal Methods - IFM 2020
Country/TerritorySwitzerland
CityLugano
Period16/11/202020/11/2020
SeriesLecture Notes in Computer Science
Volume12546
ISSN0302-9743

Keywords

  • Faculty of Science
  • Compliance by design
  • Laws and Regulations [DD500]
  • Process modeling
  • Refinement
  • Dynamic Condition Response (DCR) graphs

Cite this