Press

Berlin, in May 2002

Formal language: excellent tool for building secure workflow systems Workflow description language (WDL)
	The formal WDL is a development of Sefirot; it is particularly useful for describing completely the states and sequences of an Online Arbitration or Mediation i.e. its SW- intense computer image.
	The potential of this language is not restricted to mapping of Online Arbitration Court procedures. The WDL is for instance superbly qualified to create an image of Internet-based transactions of public administrations. For applications of a norm individual one can represent the submission event and processing carried out by organizational elements; subsequently the decision and mailing events of electronic administrational documentation are designed. Beyond that - as a further example - the WDL permits to create an image of processes of the juridical world over the Internet, like concluding of legally binding contracts and their execution processes.
	The WDL may be made use of whenever confidential electronic documents shall formally be processed or shall securely be communicated over electronic networks (with protection against manipulation and a high degree of evidential strength), whenever automated schedule control and supervision is to be constructed, etc.
	Formal file- and document exchange is governed by firm regulations; it must be law-compliant and it must be protected against manipulations and illegal access by third parties; the WDL will recognize such aspects. What could be named security elements - secure encryption of documents, legally binding qualified electronic signatures according to the signature act, etc. - can be described and will later be adhered to with all sensitive procedures e.g. the mailing of electronic documents.
	WDL- defined phrasing will support and mostly enforce a complete and perfected design of sequential processes finally to be executed by the system. E.g.: if a WDL statement asks for sending an electronic document, then the WDL language will indicate errors, as long as the security elements mentioned above are not contained as an attribute. The attributes required here by the WDL are named "crypto level" and "signature act conformance"; they must be stated for the document. Further down the road the syntax has accomplished that sending is permitted only if crypto- and signature conditions have been met. The language can quickly be learned and applied by IT inexperienced individuals. The syntax rules are a helpful guide in formulating the proper statement, like with "crypto level" and "signature" attributes.
	WDL texts will be processed by special Code generators; SQL and JAVA code as well as XML documents can be generated. SQL code is helpful in modeling data types and -interactions; Java is used for describing the system logic. XML documents will show the functionality of the web pages on the basis of which the web design will be carried out (XML style sheets). Once the texts are formulated in the WDL rapid translation to operational SW will be achieved.
	Parser- and semantics checks will help eliminating errors with the WDL-generated statements.
	Procedural and law changes cannot be excluded. The WDL will allow swift adaptation of Online Arbitration Court processes. WDL use reduces the workload connected with change requests.
	Legal systems vary from country to country. The WDL will be a helpful instrument for conversion efforts.
	Extensions of scale for operational systems are not excluded and within the scope of the powerful WDL; the overall effort is reduced compared with other strategies.