Integrating document and workflow management tools using XML and web technologies: a case study

A critical point for developing successful information systems for distributed organisations is the need for integrating heterogeneous technologies and tools. This paper reports a case study of integrating two key enabling technologies, namely workflow and document management. Integration is achieved by combining several approaches, including software engineering and hypertexts. In this way, we raise the integration problem from the level of a purely technical issue to a level of conceptual modelling: integration is not focused solely on the information/software systems but involves, and is driven by, the related business processes and the documents they deal with.

1. Introduction

Convergence between telecommunications and computing and the explosion of the Internet have opened the way to new ways of conceiving, designing, and running businesses and enterprises. More and more companies are moving towards distributed or even virtual organisation models, where independent institutions, departments, and groups of specialised individuals converge in a temporary network with the aim of utilising a competitive advantage or solving a specific problem. Information and communication technology (ICT) is a primary enabler of virtual organisations, as peoples and institutions in a network make substantially more use of computer-mediated channels than physical presence to interact and cooperate in order to achieve their objectives.