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Primary Use Case: Workflow Orchestration & Automation

Background Overview

Business processes often span multiple systems and require complex coordination. Without orchestration, processes are manual, error-prone, and slow. This primary use case describes visual workflow design, cross-system integration, and automated execution for efficient business operations.

Goals & Value

  • Low-code Orchestration: Enable business users to design workflows visually.
  • Cross-system Collaboration: Integrate multiple systems seamlessly.
  • Monitoring & Compensation: Track workflow execution and handle failures.
  • Process Efficiency: Automate manual tasks and reduce errors.

Participating Roles

  • Business Analysts: Design and model workflows.
  • Operations: Execute and monitor workflows.
  • IT Teams: Maintain integration infrastructure.
  • System Administrators: Configure workflow engines.
  • End Users: Interact with workflow processes.

Primary Scenario User Story

As a business analyst, I want to design workflows visually and integrate multiple systems, so that I can automate complex business processes without coding.

Sub-scenario Details

Sub-scenario A: Workflow Design & Modeling

  • Roles & Triggers: Need to create automated workflows.
  • Main Process:
    1. Design workflows using visual drag-and-drop interface.
    2. Define workflow steps, conditions, and branching.
    3. Configure system integrations and data flows.
    4. Test workflows in sandbox environment.
  • Success Criteria: Intuitive design; logical flow; proper testing.
  • Exceptions & Risk Control: Design errors; missing integrations; test failures.
  • Metric Suggestions: Design efficiency, test coverage, workflow accuracy.

Sub-scenario B: Workflow Execution & Monitoring

  • Roles & Triggers: Execute automated workflows.
  • Main Process:
    1. Launch workflows based on triggers or manual initiation.
    2. Execute workflow steps in sequence.
    3. Monitor workflow progress and status.
    4. Handle exceptions and errors during execution.
  • Success Criteria: Successful execution; real-time monitoring; error handling.
  • Exceptions & Risk Control: Execution failures; timeout issues; system errors.
  • **Metric Suggestions: Execution success rate, average execution time, error rate.

Sub-scenario C: Cross-system Integration

  • Roles & Triggers: Workflows need to interact with multiple systems.
  • Main Process:
    1. Connect to external systems via APIs and connectors.
    2. Exchange data between systems.
    3. Handle authentication and authorization.
    4. Ensure data consistency across systems.
  • Success Criteria: Reliable integration; data accuracy; proper authentication.
  • Exceptions & Risk Control: Integration failures; data mismatches; auth issues.
  • **Metric Suggestions: Integration success rate, data accuracy, response time.

Sub-scenario D: Exception Handling & Compensation

  • Roles & Triggers: Workflows encounter errors and exceptions.
  • Main Process:
    1. Detect and classify workflow exceptions.
    2. Execute compensation logic to undo actions.
    3. Notify stakeholders of issues.
    4. Implement retry and recovery mechanisms.
  • Success Criteria: Proper exception handling; complete compensation; stakeholder notification.
  • Exceptions & Risk Control: Compensation failures; notification issues; recovery problems.
  • **Metric Suggestions: Exception resolution time, compensation success, notification effectiveness.

Scenario-level Test Case Examples

Test Preparation: Prepare workflow design tool, execution engine, integration connectors, and monitoring dashboard.

Test Case A-1: Customer Onboarding Workflow (Positive)

  • Prerequisites: New customer registration.
  • Steps:
    1. Trigger onboarding workflow.
    2. Execute automated steps.
  • Expected Results:
    • Workflow executes all steps successfully.
    • Customer account created in all systems.
    • Notifications sent to stakeholders.

Test Case B-1: Workflow Failure & Compensation (Negative)

  • Prerequisites: Workflow execution encounters error.
  • Steps:
    1. Workflow fails at integration step.
    2. Compensation triggered.
  • Expected Results:
    • Failure detected and logged.
    • Compensation executed to undo previous steps.
    • Stakeholders notified of failure.

Released under the Apache 2.0 License.