From workflow to interworkflow

Workflow management systems are being introduced in many organizations to automate the business process. The initial emphasis of introducing a workflow management system is on its application to the workflow in a given organization. The next step is to interconnect the workflow across organizations. We call it interworkflow, and the total support technologies, which are necessary for its realization, interworkflow management mechanism. Interworkflow is being expected as a supporting mechanism for Business-to-Business Electronic Commerce. We had proposed this management mechanism and confirmed its realization with the prototype. At the same time, the interface and the protocol for interconnecting heterogeneous workflow management systems has been standardized by the WfMC. So, we advance the project of the implementation of interworkflow management system for the practical use and its experimental proof.