Separating decision modelling from the processes modelling concern recently gained significant support in literature, as incorporating both concerns into a single model impairs the scalability, maintainability, flexibility, and understandability of both processes and decisions. Most notably the introduction of the Decision Model and Notation (DMN) standard by the Object Management Group provides a suitable solution for externalising decisions from processes and automating decision enactments for processes. This article introduces a systematic way of tackling the separation of the decision modelling concern from process modelling by providing a Decision as a Service (DaaS) layered Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA) which approaches decisions as automated and externalised services that processes need to invoke on demand to obtain the decision outcome. The DaaS mechanism is elucidated by a formalisation of DMN constructs and the relevant layer elements. Furthermore, DaaS is evaluated against the fundamental characteristics of the SOA paradigm, proving its contribution in terms of abstraction, reusability, loose coupling, and other pertinent SOA principles. Additionally, the benefits of the DaaS design on process-decision modelling and mining are discussed. Finally, the DaaS design is illustrated on a real-life event log of a bank loan application and approval process, and the SOA maturity of DaaS is assessed.

The Internet of Things (IoT) has seen a vast surge in recent years, both in academia and in industry. Business processes are starting to take advantage of IoT to interact with the increasingly connected and dynamic physical environment. Recent literature has focused on analysing how this interaction between processes and IoT devices can be modelled, i.e. how the process can be described for discussion purposes. However, little attention is given to configuring the execution of these IoT-based processes. IoT-enhanced processes should indeed be able to incorporate IoT devices in the endeavour of process execution. This paper discusses research challenges in IoT process configuration and execution using the executable Business Process Model and Notation 2.0 (BPMN 2.0) standard. As such, we constitute an agenda for future research.