RE: [xml-dev] RE: Keep business-process-specific data separate?

["Paul Spencer" <xml-dev-list@boynings.co.uk>]

Hi Roger,

The response from your colleague is what I tend to do in these
circumstances. It is basically the concept of an envelope. Sometime last
century, I worked on the envelope for the UK Government Gateway. Here, all
information that was peripheral to the processing of the data was put into
the envelope. This includes information such as the timestamp for receipt of
the data by the Gateway. This is relevant in terms of whether you get fined
for late submission of a tax return, but not for processing the return
itself. Since many document types go through the same Gateway business
process, they all share a common envelope structure.

It is this last point that seems most relevant to you. Your transportation
request gets timestamped, possibly by two departments. If other document
types may go through the same business process, keep the business process
data in a separate place from the request itself. Since you might add other
document types later, it might be a good idea to use the envelope anyway. It
is a trade-off between flexibility and slightly more verbose XML.

Paul

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Costello, Roger L. [mailto:costello@mitre.org]
> Sent: 28 January 2009 17:10
> To: 'xml-dev@lists.xml.org'
> Subject: [xml-dev] RE: Keep business-process-specific data separate?
>
>
>
> Hi Folks,
>
> Here is an interesting response from a colleague:
>
> The way I like to think of the problem is that the business
> process will have its own XML data format, which includes the
> task-specific format...
>
> <Transportation-Office-Request>
>    <Submission-Datetime>2009-01-28T12:07:00Z</Submission-Datetime>
>    <Transportation-Request>
>         <!-- your transportation request data, here -->
>    <Transportation-Request>
> </Transportation-Office-Request>
>
> HR might have its own format:
>
> <HR-Transportation-Request>
>    <name>Costello, Roger L.</name>
>    <Transportation-Request>
>         <!-- your transportation request data, here -->
>    <Transportation-Request>
> </HR-Transportation-Request>
>
> What do you think about my colleague's solution?
>
> /Roger
>
>
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Costello, Roger L.
> > Sent: Wednesday, January 28, 2009 11:12 AM
> > To: 'xml-dev@lists.xml.org'
> > Subject: Keep business-process-specific data separate?
> >
> >
> > Hi Folks,
> >
> > Suppose I create an XML vocabulary for a "Transportation Task
> > Request." Here's an example:
> >
> > In the following instance document I am expressing the desire
> > to be picked up from my home on January 29 at 7 am and
> > dropped off at Logan airport. On my return trip I desire to
> > be picked up at Logan airport on February 4 at 6 pm and
> > dropped off at home:
> >
> > <Transportation-Request>
> >     <Departure>
> >         <Starting-Point>home</Starting-Point>
> >         <Finishing-Point>Logan airport</Finishing-Point>
> >         <Datetime>2009-01-29T07:00:00</Datetime>
> >     </Departure>
> >     <Return>
> >         <Starting-Point>Logan airport</Starting-Point>
> >         <Finishing-Point>home</Finishing-Point>
> >         <Datetime>2009-02-04T18:00:00</Datetime>
> >     </Return>
> > </Transportation-Request>
> >
> > I create this document then walk it over to my company's
> > transportation office and give it to them. The first thing
> > they do with it is stamp on it the date and time of submission.
> >
> >
> > QUESTION
> >
> > When I create my Transportation Task Request XML vocabulary,
> > should it include a <Submission-Datetime> element? Thus, when
> > I create my instance document, I include an empty
> > <Submission-Datetime> element:
> >
> > <Transportation-Request>
> >     <Submission-Datetime></Submission-DateTime>
> >     <Departure>
> >         <Starting-Point>home</Starting-Point>
> >         <Finishing-Point>Logan airport</Finishing-Point>
> >         <Datetime>2009-01-29T07:00:00</Datetime>
> >     </Departure>
> >     <Return>
> >         <Starting-Point>Logan airport</Starting-Point>
> >         <Finishing-Point>home</Finishing-Point>
> >         <Datetime>2009-02-04T18:00:00</Datetime>
> >     </Return>
> > </Transportation-Request>
> >
> > When the transportation office receives the instance
> > document, they fill in the element.
> >
> > Is this a smart thing to do - include a <Submission-Datetime>
> > element in my Transportation Task Request XML vocabulary?
> >
> >
> > BUSINESS-PROCESS-SPECIFIC DATA
> >
> > Recall my objective: create "an XML vocabulary for expressing
> > a transportation task that I want accomplished."
> >
> > The <Submission-Datetime> element is not really relevant to
> > my objective. The <Submission-Datetime> element only comes
> > into play when I hand my travel request document to the
> > person at the travel office. That is, the
> > <Submission-Datetime> element is only relevant in this
> > particular business process.
> >
> > The <Submission-Datetime> element is business process-specific data.
> >
> >
> > AVOID BUSINESS-PROCESS-SPECIFIC DATA
> >
> > I think that it's bad to put business-process-specific data
> > with my XML vocabulary.
> >
> > Do you agree?
> >
> > My rationale is that in another business process the
> > <Submission-Datetime> element may not be relevant.
> >
> > For example, in addition to dropping my document off at the
> > travel office, I also drop a copy off at human resources. The
> > first thing the human resources office does is stamp my name
> > on it. Thus, in this business process, the
> > <Submission-Datetime> element is not needed; rather, a <name>
> > element is needed.
> >
> > By keeping business-process-specific data decoupled from my
> > XML vocabulary it gives me flexibility to use my XML
> > vocabulary in a variety of business processes.
> >
> > Do you agree?
> >
> >
> > WHERE TO PUT THE BUSINESS-PROCESS-SPECIFIC DATA
> >
> > If I don't put the business-process-specific data with my
> > Transportation Task Request data, where do I put it?
> >
> >
> > /Roger
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
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