Key Concept: Workflow

Topics: Workflow

Workflow

A mere enumeration of all roles, activities and artifacts does not constitute a process; we need a way to describe meaningful sequences of activities that produce some valuable result, and to show interactions between roles. A workflow is a sequence of activities that produces a result of observable value.

In UML terms, a workflow can be expressed as a sequence diagram, a communication diagram, or an activity diagram. We use a form of activity diagrams in the RUP. For each discipline, an activitydiagram is presented. This diagram shows the workflow, expressed in terms of workflow details.

Sample activity diagram, from the requirements discipline, showing workflow details and transitions.

One of the great difficulties of describing the process is that there are many ways to organize the set of activities into workflows. We have organized the RUP using:

• Disciplines
• Workflow details