Workflows: talking about a paradigm shift

We were introduced to the Workflows paradigm on an insurance-based project for a company called Riskclick, and we were imediately sold. The simplicity and abstraction it provided makes it a perfect framework for many business applications, and we have used it for projects ranging from AI thought processes to eCommerce.

In Riskclick Lior led the creation and the implementation of a proprietary workflow engine, which featured process spawning, BizTalk -based gateway, and web services integration. Using a visual process editor, this newly created workflow language was used to build an underwriting application for the FICOH insurance company of Hawaii.

In 2005 we took the workflow concept and put it to use in games AI for the latest version of NOKs. Turned out Workflows can be applied easily to reach decisions for computerized entities, as we realized that this is a classic state-based process. We wrote a C++ workflows engine, with which a whole set of AIs were written.

More than all, workflows change the ways one thinks about problems. We used the concept for the Devix Commerce suite. By using a Workflows-inspired process, Lior designed the system's infrastructure so that every functional task would be exposed as an API to external applications with no extra development effort.

When Microsoft launched their Windows Workflow Foundation, it got even better. While we still maintain our propiatory workflows engine, we can now combine it with the strength of C# and with a built-in visual editor. This makes it a great tool to use, for programmers, users and managers alike.