Blockcheck: A consortium blockchain-based conformance checking framework for business processes

In this paper, the problem of distributed, multi-perspective conformance checking for Business Process Model and Notation (BPMN) is addressed. Traditionally, conformance checking has been performed centrally by a trusted entity, however that may not be applicable in the case of collaborative processes between multiple organizations. Consortium Blockchain has been adopted to overcome the need for a trusted entity and foster transparency, accountability, and workflow. Existing blockchain-based conformance checking frameworks focus on translating BPMN models into smart contracts, however they do not support complex BPMN constructs, which limits their applicability in real-life collaborations. In this paper, distributed, multi-perspective conformance checking framework is proposed. This framework supports complex BPMN constructs such as Timers or Boundary processes running on a Consortium blockchain. The proposed framework includes: (1) A process to extract Process Conformance Rules from BPMN models, and (2) A blockchain-based technique to perform checking of the extracted rules to determine process conformance. Furthermore, it can be used by businesses in both after-the-fact checking or during process execution in a transparent and trusted manner. Evaluation of the framework implemented over Quorum conducted with real-life logs proves the effectiveness of the proposed framework in terms of detecting various violation types in a traceable and transparent manner.