Patent ID: 7289966

Claim:
A method for adapting in real-time a composite route from predefined workflow sub-routes while the composite route is executing in a workflow engine, comprising the steps of: using a route development and editor tool to: define a composite route comprising a sequence of nodes including an initial node, an adaptive node, an adapted sub-process between a first node and a second node, and a final node; wherein the adaptive node is positioned in the route to be executed before the adapted sub-process assigned to a key user, and provides a sub-route selection function to implement the adapted sub-process; define and store the set of predefined workflow sub-routes in a sub-route library prior to execution of the composite route wherein each sub-route comprises a sequence of nodes to perform the adapted sub-process executing the composite route in the workflow engine starting at the initial node; executing the adaptive node in the composite route, wherein the key user selects a sub-route to implement the adapted sub-process from the sub-route library using the sub-route selection function; and adapting the composite route in response to the key user's selection, during execution of the composite route, wherein the workflow engine adapts the composite route by inserting a copy of the selected sub-route into the composite route between the first node and second node; executing the adapted composite route until the composite route's final node is performed.