Master Theses

In their master thesis, students demonstrate their ability to independently solve problems in the area of their specialization using state-of-the-art scientific methods. The following list of master theses reflects a variety of different topics and projects to work on. Students are encouraged to propose further topics suiting their personal professional interest. In any case, please contact the advisor in due course.

Open Master Theses

In the Area of ‘Time management in Business processes’

Managing time in business processes requires, in the design phase, defining temporal aspects and verifying the temporal correctness of process models. Established temporal aspects include different types of durations for tasks, process deadlines, and various types of temporal constraints. To define temporal correctness, several notions exist: satisfiability, strong controllability, and dynamic controllability are the most widely adopted. A number of algorithms are available for verifying these types of temporal correctness. Since many years, our team contributes to advancing the research in the field, and we have a number of open projects, which may result in new scientific publications.

Checking controllability of processes with temporal control structures

With this thesis, we are interested in verifying the temporal correctness of processes which include advanced temporal control structures (temporal XOR, temporal loop). These advanced temporal control structures expand the set of modeling constructs available to process designers, enabling time-based control flow decisions. This project requires the implementation of a process model including advanced temporal control structures, and the design and evaluation of algorithms for checking temporal correctness (building on existing procedures developed for Temporal Constraint Networks), in particular dynamic controllability.

Contact: Dr. Marco Franceschetti

Computing schedules with different strategies for slack distribution

With this thesis, we focus on supporting the scheduling of tasks in business processes. In particular, we are interested in identifying possible alternative strategies for distributing the slack time that becomes available during the execution of a process. Possible strategies include, but are not limited to, assign more time to cheaper tasks, or more time to tasks requiring less resources. Slack distribution should be realized in a way that the remaining part of the process that needs to complete can be executed without violating any existing temporal constraints. This project requires designing and implementing different strategies, and comparing the results of their application to a number of process models.

Contact: Dr. Marco Franceschetti

Computing deadlines when a task is assigned to a worklist

With this thesis, we focus on the run-time support to a dynamic scheduling of tasks in business processes. The goal is to enable an agent executing a process to know, at the time when a task is accepted for execution, when the task should be completed at the latest, given the current state of execution. Such a dynamic scheduling should be done in a way that guarantees the dynamic controllability of the process instance. The project requires designing algorithms (possibly based on Temporal Constraint Networks) that are efficient for a run-time execution, and the evaluation of these algorithms against time-constrained process models.

Contact: Dr. Marco Franceschetti

Computing the probability of a time failure for a temporally constrained business process

With this thesis, we are interested in developing algorithms to compute the probability that a given process model with temporal constraints will suffer from the violation of some temporal constraint. The assumptions are that each process task is associated to a distribution function indicating the probability of a given duration for the task, and that branching probabilities for conditional executions are known. This project requires the implementation of a process model including temporal constraints and distribution functions, and the design and evaluation of algorithms for computing probabilities of time failures.

Contact: Dr. Marco Franceschetti

Current Master Theses

Dardagan, Nađa: Implementing Privity Requirements of Business Processes Using Hyperledger Fabrics. 2021.

Slajchó, Bence: Metadata Model Development for Medical Research Purposes. 2021.

Brdanin, Adnan: Implementing Enforceability Requirements of Business Processes Using Hyperledger Fabrics. 2021.

Trattnig, Sebastian: Generating ON-Chain and OFF-Chain Models for Multi-party Blockchain Based Business Process Execution. 2021.

Nečemer, Michael: Balancing Privity and Enforceability of BPM-based Smart Contracts on Blockchains. 2019.

Davidović, Milan: Optimization of Encrypted Key-Exchanges between Participants on a Blockchain-Executed Business Process while Maintaining Privity Sphere Requirements. 2019.

Finished Master Theses

Lubas, Josef: The Sudden Death Problem in Business Process Modelling. 2020.

Schmoliner, Lorenz: Kostenoptimierung in zeit- und ortsbasierter Terminplanung. 2017.

Ebner, Manuel: Temporal Control Structures. 2017.

Oberrauner, Anja: Temporal Workflows mit Start/End Events, non-contingent Activities und upper-bound Constraints. 2017.

Bleiweiß, Petra: Workload-based Workitem Selection Strategies in Workflow Management Systems. 2016.

Franceschetti, Marco: Data flow optimization in interorganizational workflows. 2015.

Huber, Raphaela: Sequence Data Cube A Generic Meta Model for Sequence Generation and Storage. 2015.

Joham, Dominik: Path-based Semantic Annotation of Web Service Descriptions for Improved Web Service Discovery. 2014.

Künstner, Markus: Partitioning of Inter-Organizational Workflows. 2014.

Bandaru, Mahidhar: Evaluation of Top-k Query Answering Techniques. 2013.

Ciglic, Margareta: Privacy in Biobanks. 2013.

Grafenauer, Michael: Kriterien für die Interoperabilität zwischen verteilten Systemen der Prozessautomatisierung am Beispiel Infineon Technologies AG. 2012.

Hannig, Hannes: Data Exchange using XML and Ontologies (Evaluation of the Lifting and Lowering Approach). 2012.

Korak, Thomas: Correctness and Compatibility Analysis of Executable Process Views. 2012.

Letz, Florian: Alternatives for Data Manipulation, Retrieval and Storage Possibilities for Federated Biobanks. 2012.

Reci, Elisa: Structural Revalidation and Repair of Annotation Path Expressions. 2012.

Taurer, Alexander: Kooperation von CSCW-Systemen. 2012.

Wanschou, Peter: View-Coordinator for Interorganizational Workflows. 2011.

Zakes, Marcin: A view proxy for inter-organizational worflows. 2011.

Domanska, Zofia: Model driven architecture for data integration in a federated environment – data entry and retrieval capabilities. 2010.

Pirker, Gerd: Workflow Reengineering – Generierung von Workflows aus regelbasierten Prozessdefinitionen. 2010.

Schweiger, Martin: An Architecture for Mobile Task and Worklist Management. 2010.

Skibinski, Grzegorz: Aspect-oriented workflow view generator. 2010.

Szymczak, Marcin: Semantic Annotation-based XML Document Transformation. 2010.

Aigner, Thomas: Mobile Daten-Synchronisation in kabellosen, fehleranfälligen Netzwerken. 2009.

Marktl, Bernd: Predictive data-based Workflow Management. 2009.

Merl, Herbert: Analyse von Workflows mit OLAP Repräsentation von Designinformationen in Process-Data-Warehouse. 2009.

Hanschitz, Erich: Konfiguration von Prüffeldern im Bereich Automotive Engineering Architektur – Konzeption – Implementierung. 2008.

Schicho, Michaela: Temporal Web Service Compositions Integration von pro-aktiven Mechanismen. 2008.

Stroj, Marlene: LENI Workflow Client A Universal Web Based Workflow Client. 2008.

Missoni, Matthias: Replacement Ersetzungen im Rahmen des Zeitmanagements zur Laufzeit. 2007.

Eichner, Hannes: Java-Simulationsframework für Zeitmanagement in Workflow-Systemen. 2006.

Hall, Mark: A Semantic Similarity Measure for Formal Ontologies (With an application to ontologies of a geographic kind). 2006.

Lassnig, Mario: Extending The Probabilistic Timed Model For Advanced Workflow Patterns. 2006.

Wernig-Pichler, Johannes: Web Services in Earth Observation. 2006.

Dreier, Christian: Generischer Datenzugriff in XML-gestützten Lightweight Workflow Management Systemen. 2005.

Gräbner, Dietmar: XSL Transformations of XML Schema Based XML Documents. 2005.

Lorber, Wolfgang: XML-basiertes EDI für Standardsoftware in der Reifenbranche. 2005.

Schelander, Peter: Realisierung von probabilistischem Zeitmanagement im Workflow System @enterprise. 2005.

Vielgut, Stefan: Time Management in Web Service Orchestrations. 2005.

Bierbaumer, Martin: Zeitliche Optimierung in probabilistischen Workflow Systemen Minimierung von Verzögerungen. 2004.

Gratzer, Petra: Dynamische Änderung der Organisationsstrukturen in Workflow Umgebungen großer Organisationen. 2004.

Stark, Konrad: High Performance Caching in a Workflow Management System. 2004.

Wiggisser, Karl: Temporale Erweiterung des Common Warehouse Metamodel. 2004.

Fuchs, Simone: Objekt- Relationale Datenbanken: Design for Performance. 2003.

Mitsche, Dieter: Erkennen von Strukturbrüchen in Data Warehouses mit Data Mining-Techniken. 2003.

Kassl, Alexander: Algebraische Optimierung objekt- orientierter Queries mit inversen Methoden. 2002.

Keimel, Bernhard: Einsatz von Ontologien zur Transformation von XML-Dokumenten. 2002.

Kogler, Herbert: Relationale Repräsentation temporaler multidimensionaler Data Warehouses. 2002.

Lugger, Georg: Effiziente Data Mart Realisierung basierend auf dem temporalen Data Warehouse Metamodell COMET. 2002.

Ninaus, Michael: Auslastungsberechnungen in probabilistischen Workflow Systemen. 2002.

Olivotto, Georg: Ein Data Warehouse zur Analyse von Workflows. 2002.

Kolmann, Brigitte: Zeitmanagement in Workflow Systemen. 2001.

Pichler, Horst: Probabilistisches Zeitmanagement in Workflow Systemen. 2001.

Strametz, Walter: Komposition und Spezialisierung für XML Transformationen. 2001.

Buchegger, Bernd: Elektronischer Datenaustausch im Internet auf Basis XML “Prototypische Implementierung einer Datenaustauschkomponente in einer electronic Commerce Umgebung”. 2000.

Burghauser, Karl: Externe Schemata in objekt-relationalen Datenbanksystemen. 2000.

Kerschbaumer, Franz: Generic Workflow Worklist based on Universal Lightweiht Client (ULC) Technique. 2000.

Knapp, Harald: Effizientere Unterstützung von Geschäftsprozessen durch Flexible Workflow-Systeme. 2000.

Krumpholz, Alexander: Self-Maintained Document Hierarchies. 2000.

Saringer, Michael: Workflow Evolution. 2000.

Koncilia, Christian: Fallstudie: Konzeption und Installation eines Data Marts sowie des Zugriffs mittels eines OLAP-Tools. 1999.

Scheiber, Herbert: Change Management mit Workflow Systemen. 1999.

Frank, Heinz: Equivalence of Statecharts. 1998.

Kornfeld, Gerald: Kooperation von Workflow-Management-Systemen durch Austausch von EDIFACT-Dokumenten. 1998.

Matyas, Anna: Bedeutung von Datenqualität – Methoden, Techniken und Massnahmen zur Datenqualitätssicherung. 1998.

Raffler, Erwin: Sicherheit in Workflow-Management-Systemen. 1998.

Tarchini, Gilbert-Patrick: Ressourcenverwaltung in Workflowsystemen. 1998.

Thaller, Horst: Realisierung einer Entwicklerschnittstelle für ein WWW-Basiertes Workflow-Management-System. 1998.

Pirker, Alois: Schema Translation with Spatial Data Models. 1997.

Wurzer, Gerald: Realisierung eines Workflowsystems mit aktiven, objektorientierten Datenbanken. 1997.