Declarative task-based user interfaces

A computer system programmed to perform a method comprising:

• identifying a collection of metadata associated with a business task, wherein
• the collection of metadata defines the steps to be executed for the business task and an execution order of the steps;
• presenting a set of wizard-style user interfaces (UIs) pertaining to the business task, wherein
• the set of wizard-style UIs are presented on a display of the computer system,
• the presenting comprises
• processing the collection of metadata at run time,
• the processing is performed by a processor of the computing system,
• the set of wizard-style UIs comprises a sequence of task-specific UI views
• the sequence of UI views is based on the execution order of the steps,
• each UI view in the sequence of UI views provides a visible division of the business task into corresponding one or more steps to be executed for the business task, and
• each UI view in the sequence of UI views allows the business task to be processed through by executing the corresponding one or more steps as per the execution order of the steps;
• pausing the processing, wherein
• the processing is paused at a currently-displayed UI view;
• transferring the processing to another computer system;
• and
• resuming the processing, wherein
• the processing is resumed by the another computer system, and
• the processing is resumed at the currently-displayed UI view.

A computer system comprising:

• a metadata repository to store a collection of metadata associated with a business task, wherein
• the collection of metadata defines the steps to be executed for the business task and an execution order of the steps;
• and
• a runtime engine to present a set of wizard-style user interfaces (UIs) pertaining to the business task, wherein
• the set of wizard-style UIs are presented on a display of the computer system,
• the presenting comprises
• processing the collection of metadata at run time,
• the processing is performed by a processor of the computing system,
• the set of wizard-style UIs comprises a sequence of task-specific UI views
• the sequence of UI views is based on the execution order of the steps,
• each UI view in the sequence of UI views provides a visible division of the business task into corresponding one or more steps to be executed for the business task,
• each UI view in the sequence of UI views allows the business task to be processed through by executing the corresponding one or more steps as per the execution order of the steps, and
• said runtime engine is configured to:
• pause the processing, wherein
• the processing is paused at a currently-displayed UI view,
• transfer the processing to another computer system, and
• resume the processing, wherein
• the processing is resumed by the another computer system, and
• the processing is resumed at the currently-displayed UI.