A workflow management system based on intelligent collaborative objects

Abstract This paper describes an architecture for workflow management systems based on Workflow Intelligent Business Objects (WIBOs). The design of WIBOs is based on principles of intelligence, autonomy, collaboration and co-operation. Using WIBOs that carry out tasks on users’ behalf, it is possible to build workflow systems that bring further improvements in process automation and dynamic management, and achieve dynamic (re)allocation of resources to Actors. A WIBO prototype architecture has been implemented using Java. A Java Remote Method Invocation (RMI) has been used to enable WIBOs to communicate over an Intranet or Internet.