Behavioural Models

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This textbook introduces the fundamentals of modeling and analyzing discrete dynamic systems, including computer programs, hardware systems, and business processes. It covers essential concepts and concrete modeling techniques such as finite automata, state machines, and Petri nets, with a strong emphasis on business processes. The book is structured in three parts. The first part lays the groundwork for behavioral modeling, presenting transition systems as a formalism for representing discrete dynamic system behavior and discussing causality, a key concept for modeling and reasoning about behavior. Part II, the core of the book, focuses on behavior models, detailing sequential and concurrent systems, and introducing finite automata, state machines, and various types of Petri nets. A dedicated chapter discusses business process models, workflow patterns, and BPMN, the industry standard for business process modeling. Finally, Part III explores system behavior analysis, introducing state spaces and covering behavior comparison, as well as formal analysis and verification of behavioral models. This book is designed for computer science and software engineering students, as well as programmers and system analysts interested in understanding system behavior, guiding readers from basic concepts to advanced modeling and analysis techniques applicable to real-world scenarios.