[Fwd: [ebxml-bp] [ebBP] 11/6/2003: Defintions for Discussion -Comments Please]

["Monica J. Martin" <Monica.Martin@Sun.COM>]

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: 	[ebxml-bp] [ebBP] 11/6/2003: Defintions for Discussion - 
Comments Please
Date: 	Thu, 06 Nov 2003 21:20:25 -0700
From: 	Monica J. Martin <Monica.Martin@Sun.COM>
To: 	ebxml-bp@lists.oasis-open.org



I was asked in Monday's meeting to provide definitions for BUSINESS 
PROCESS, BUSINESS COLLABORATION and BUSINESS TRANSACTION. We also had a 
request by Jean-Jacques for definitions for CHOREOGRAPHY and 
ORCHESTRATION (outside of the purview of BPSS).  I'd like to encourage 
your comments (and additions/corrections) so we have a common baseline 
of definitions as we look at them in the context of BPSS:

Business Process is a set of activities that are accomplished in 
operating business practices to achieve a business goal. A Business 
Process might be either an intra-organizational process or a 
collaborative business process conducted by two or more parties.   A 
collaborative process can occur across domains of control.

Business Process Activity is a unit of work conducted by one (or more 
parties in case of a collaborative business process) for the purpose of 
achieving a business objective and can be conducted with time as a 
constraint or business rule. Business Process Activities are intended to 
capture existing or planned business practices.  Business process 
activities are included in a business process.

Business Collaboration is a special type of business process or activity 
that is conducted by two or more parties to achieve a commonly defined 
goal or outcome. Accordingly, a business collaboration is a synonym for 
collaborative business process.  At a high level a business 
collaboration consists of a set of roles collaborating through a set of 
choreographed transactions by exchanging business documents.: A business 
collaboration typically occurs across domains of control. When a 
business collaboration occurs between business partners, each plays one 
or more roles in the collaboration.

A Business Transaction represents an atomic unit of work in a trading 
arrangement between two business partners. A business transaction 
includes a set of business information and business signal exchanges 
amongst two business partners that must occur in an agreed format, 
sequence and time period. In this interaction, the two parties playing 
opposite roles in the transaction.  

A Business Transaction Activity occurs when the Business Transaction and 
roles are defined for a specific purpose.

The Business Collaboration Choreography describes the ordering and 
transitions between business transactions or sub collaborations within a 
binary collaboration (sequencing rules and dependencies). 

An Orchestration can be a choreography definition seen from a single 
party point of view (for example, by a conductor) or where the 
defiinition is executed by the service requester and provider as planned 
(where centralized control applies).