User centric service composition in service ecosystems

面向服务的体系结构（SOA）使用松散耦合的web服务作为基本构造，以相对低成本和快速的方式组合更大的系统。随着web服务的爆炸式增长，越来越多的用户使用低处理能力和小屏幕的移动设备来访问web服务，而不是使用强大的机器。这在更大的上下文中产生了服务生态系统，其中组合的服务涉及不同的计算平台（例如，智能电话和桌面）。来自业界和学术界的大量工作支持开发人员使用定义良好的业务流程组合服务。然而，为了向最终用户交付动态服务并允许他们与跨异构平台的服务无缝交互，需要付出更多的努力。拟议项目的目标将集中在以下三个方面：1)目标驱动的服务发现：将从用户查询中识别用户目标（例如在预算内计划旅行），并引导用户过滤大量返回的服务以实现其目标；2)动态服务组合：将设计动态搜索和组合服务的技术，以帮助用户实现其期望的目标；3)跨多个平台的集成服务实施：将创建支持跨不同计算平台的信息共享的基础设施，以便用户可以在事务期间在设备之间切换以执行组合服务，而不必在切换后重复先前完成的步骤。通过减少繁琐的日常任务，我们的工作可以简化最终用户对服务组合的参与。我们的工作结果将减少用户在切换设备访问web服务后想要继续工作时的挫败感。简而言之，我们的研究还允许像IBM、SAP和Apple这样的公司加速其软件产品的交付和对最终用户的广泛适应。该项目将在软件工程，特别是SOA软件的重要领域培养9名HQP（2名博士，3名硕士，3名学士和1名ra）。

Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA) uses loosely coupled web services as basic constructs to compose larger systems in a relatively low-cost and rapid fashion. With the explosive growth of web services, more users access web services using mobile devices which have low processing power and small screens instead of using powerful machinery. This gives rise to service ecosystems in a larger context where the composed services involve diverse computing platforms (e.g., smart phones and desktops). A significant amount of effort from industry and academics supports developers in composing services using well-defined business processes. However, more effort is required in order to deliver dynamic services to end users and allow them to seamlessly interact with services across heterogeneous platforms. The goals of the proposed project will focus on the following three aspects: 1) Goal driven service discovery: will identify user goals (such as planning a trip within a budget) from user queries and guide users to filter large volumes of returned services in order to achieve their goals; 2) Dynamic service composition: will devise techniques that dynamically search and compose services to assist a user in fulfilling their desired goals; and 3) Integrated service enactments across multiple platforms: will create an infrastructure that supports information sharing across different computing platforms, so that users can switch between devices during a transaction to carry out composed services without having to repeat previously done steps after the switch. Our work can simplify end users' involvement in the service composition by reducing laborious routine tasks. The result of our work will reduce user's frustration when they want to continue their work after switching devices to access web services. In short, our research also permits companies, like IBM, SAP, and Apple, to expedite the delivery and wide adaption of their software products to end users. This project will train 9 HQP (2 PhD, 3 MSc, 3 BSc and 1RA) in the important area of software engineering, specifically SOA software.