Building a client-side human service

Build a client-side human service to handle the interaction for process or case instances between the system and users through interactive tasks, dashboards, or user interfaces. Within a client-side human service, you can use coaches, client-side scripts, and services to create a service flow that is run entirely in a web browser. Case management functions are only available if you have IBM BPM Advanced with the Basic Case Management feature installed.

Before you begin

To perform this task, you must be in the IBM® Process Designer desktop editor.

To create services, you must have access to a process application or toolkit in the Process Center repository. Access to process applications and toolkits is controlled by users who have administrative rights to the repository. For more information, see Managing access to the Process Center repository.

About this task

Building a client-side human service is an iterative process in which many of the steps can be done in any order. In general, you create a flow, create the user interface through one or more coaches, and then test and fix problems. The steps in the procedure are in a suggested order but typically you will go back and forth through the steps as you iteratively build the client-side human service implementation. For example, you could create a simple client-side human service that has a couple of coaches and variables and test it in one iteration. After the client-side human service is created, you can then expand it by adding coaches and variables, client-side scripts, decisions, and other details in later iterations. Similarly, you could create some variables immediately and create other variables as you need them.

You can also specify whether you want your client-side human service to be used on multiple device types directly in the creation wizard. If you indicate that your client-side human service is intended for use on multiple devices, only responsive controls will be used for all the new coaches and coach content that are added to that client-side human service.

Remember: IBM BPM also has heritage human services. While client-side human services flow entirely in the web browser, heritage human services instead flow on the server. For more information, see Difference between client-side human services and heritage human services.

Procedure

Open the Process Designer desktop editor.
Open a process application in the Designer view.
In New Service, enter a name for the service and click Finish. IBM Process Designer displays the diagram of the service with the default Start Event and End Event components.
Create the client-side human service artifact. You can do this from the navigation tree or you can do this from the Activity wizard. In the wizard, you can specify whether the new client-side human service is to be used on multiple device types. For more information, see Building a client-side human service and Implementing a BPD task using a client-side human service. Process Designer opens the new client-side human service in a web browser.
Optional: If you want to revisit the selection you made in the wizard, click the Overview tab and select or clear Intended for use on multiple devices to specify the appropriate use of your client-side human service on multiple device types.
In the Variables tab, define the data used by artifacts within the client-side human service. This data consists of data that is passed into the client-side human service, data that is used only within the service, and data that is passed out of the client-side human service. For information, see Declaring variables.
In the Diagram tab, add coaches, client-side scripts, called services, and exclusive gateways to the client-side human service diagram. Connect them to define the flow for the client-side human service.
For each element in the client-side human service diagram, define its properties. For information, see the following topics:
If the client-side human service is within a BPD or a case type activity, map the input and output data. For information, see Mapping input and output data for an activity or step.
If the client-side human service is within a BPD or a case instance and you want users to be able to resume work at a particular point with minimal loss, select a flow line in the diagram and then select to save the execution context. For information, see Saving the execution state.
To validate the data in a coach, add a coach validation pattern to the client-side human service diagram. For information, see Using client-side validation.
To postpone work in a coach, add a postpone pattern to the client-side human service diagram. For information, see Enabling work to be postponed and resumed at run time.
Set how users interact with the client-side human service by setting its exposure. By default, the client-side human service is not exposed, which means that it is contained within a BPD or case type. However, you can also make it available in Process Portal or through a URL. For information, see Exposing client-side human services.
Optimize how users see the coaches by adding HTML meta tags to the client-side human service. For information, see Adding HTML meta tags.
Set what happens after the client-side human service completes. By default, the user sees the default page of the application that launched the client-side human service. For example, if the user started the client-side human service in Process Portal, the user sees the Process Portal home page when the client-side human service is complete. For information, see Navigation options for after service completion.
Run the client-side human service and debug any errors that might occur. For information, see Running and debugging client-side human services.