Composite application modeling

• US 20070234282A1
• Filed: 03/31/2006
• Published: 10/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Prigge, Uta, Kaetker, Stefan, Freund, Jens
• Granted Patent: US 8,321,832 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/107
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/00 Arrangements for software engineering testing or debugging G06F11/36; administrative, planning or organisation aspects of software project management G06Q10/06
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, to realize a software model are described. A user-centric modeling component is defined, the user-centric modeling component modeling an interactive software system and including a plurality of process steps, the plurality of process steps defining a business scenario. For each process step in the plurality of process steps one or more service requirements are identified, where a service requirement represents functionality necessary to accomplish a step. For each service requirement a process component capable of providing the service requirement is identified, the process component modeling software implementing a business process and defining a service operation for providing the service requirement and for interacting with other process components.

Claims

1. A method of defining an application, comprising:

defining a user-centric modeling component, the user-centric modeling component modeling an interactive software system and including a plurality of process steps, the plurality of process steps defining a business scenario;

identifying for each process step in the plurality of process steps one or more service requirements, where a service requirement represents functionality necessary to accomplish a step; and

identifying for each service requirement a process component capable of providing the service requirement, the process component modeling software implementing a business process and defining a service operation for providing the service requirement and for interacting with other process components.

2. The method of claim 1, where:

the plurality of process steps are defined by a composite pattern.

3. The method of claim 1, where:

the one or more service requirements are defined by a service pattern.

4. The method of claim 1, where:

the plurality of services are defined by a service pattern

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

defining a new process component to provide a service requirement.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

modifying an existing process component to provide a service requirement.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

defining a detailed process step model, the detailed process step model including one or more decision points.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

defining a detailed process step model, the detailed process step model including one or more user interface screens, one or more user roles, and one or more departments.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

defining a detailed process step model, the detailed process step model including one or tasks to be accomplished by a department or user role.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating one or more process component interaction models with a plurality of identified process components.

11. The method of claim 1, where:

a process component models software implementing a distinct business process.

12. The method of claim 1, where:

the user-centric modeling component is part of a composite integration scenario; and

the composite integration scenario comprises a plurality of logically associated process components to realize a business scenario.

13. The method of claim 1, where:

each process component belongs to exactly one deployment unit; and

a deployment unit characterizes independently operable software deployable on a separate computer hardware platform.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

defining a detailed process step model, the detailed process step model including one or more of;

a decision point, an event, a workflow, an assigned department or a role.

15. A method of defining an application, comprising:

defining a user-centric modeling component including a plurality of process steps, the plurality of process steps defining a business scenario;

identifying for each process step in the plurality of process steps one or more service requirements for each step;

identifying for each service requirement a process component capable of providing the service requirement, the process component defining a service interface for providing the service requirement and for interacting with other process components; and

defining a detailed process step model, the detailed process step model including one or more decision points.

16. A method comprising

displaying, in a first view, a composite catalog illustrating composite integration scenarios, each of the composite integration scenarios characterizing software implementing a respective and distinct business scenario;

displaying, in a second view, a composite integration scenario illustrating a user-centric component and one or more process components, where a process component characterizes software implementing a respective and distinct business process; and

displaying, in a third view, a process step model corresponding to the user-centric component, the process step model illustrating one or more process steps in a business scenario.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

receiving a user-initiated selection of a first graphical user interface associated with a single composite integration scenario in the first view, and wherein the second view is displayed in response to the selection of the first graphical user interface element.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

receiving a user-initiated selection of a second graphical user interface associated with the user-centric component in the second view, and wherein the third view is displayed in response to the selection of the second graphical user interface element.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

displaying, in a fourth view, a process component model illustrating one or more process interfaces and a business object.

20. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

receiving a user-initiated selection of a third graphical user interface associated with a process component in the second view, and wherein the fourth view is displayed in response to the selection of the third graphical user interface element.

23. The computer program product of claim 18, operation to cause the data processing apparatus to perform further operations comprising:

receiving a user-initiated selection of a first graphical user interface associated with a single composite integration scenario in the first view, and wherein the second view is displayed in response to the selection of the first graphical user interface element.

24. The computer program product of claim 18, operation to cause the data processing apparatus to perform further operations comprising:

receiving a user-initiated selection of a second graphical user interface associated with the user-centric component in the second view, and wherein the third view is displayed in response to the selection of the second graphical user interface element.

21. A system, comprising:

a user interface; and

a model design component coupled to the user interface and configured to perform operations comprising;

displaying, in a first view, a composite integration scenario catalog illustrating one or more composite integration scenarios, each of the composite integration scenarios characterizing software implementing a respective and distinct business scenario;

displaying, in a second view, a composite integration scenario illustrating a user-centric component and one or more process components, where a process component characterizes software implementing a respective and distinct business process; and

displaying, in a third view, a process step model corresponding to the user-centric component, the process step model illustrating one or more process steps in a business scenario.

22. A computer program product, encoded on a computer-readable medium, operable to cause data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising:

displaying, in a first view, a composite integration scenario catalog illustrating one or more composite integration scenarios, each of the composite integration scenarios characterizing software implementing a respective and distinct business scenario;

displaying, in a second view, a composite integration scenario illustrating a user-centric component and one or more process components, where a process component characterizes software implementing a respective and distinct business process; and

displaying, in a third view, a process step model corresponding to the user-centric component, the process step model illustrating one or more process steps in a business scenario.