Defining a Virtual Machine for Executing MVP-L

The Multi-View Process Modeling Project (MVP) focuses on the representation, enaction, analysis, and execution of process models. The process modeling language MVP--L is used to represent process models. Process models are enacted in the context of a project plan, which in turn can be analyzed and executed. From an execution perspective, a project plan defines a number of inherently independent processes, constrained solely through their explicitly specified dependencies on other product, process, or resource objects. These dependencies are specified in terms of input/output products and entry/exit criteria. This document defines a virtual machine in terms of the operations necessary to support the enaction, execution, and analysis of MVP--L project plans. Alternatives for implementation of the virtual machine are discussed. One attempt at implementation, which involved translation of MVP--L plan into an imperative language, is discussed in detail