Getting Started

Studyflow is a visual language for defining research workflows and scientific experiments. It builds on BPMN and adds research-focused components to make it accessible to scientists.

BPMN: Business Process Model and Notation. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BPMN

Here is a quick, streamlined path to creating your first studyflow diagram. Once you’ve completed this, you can explore more advanced features in the reference section.

Requirements

• Studyflow Modeler (available as a webapp)

Basic elements

To get started, it’s important to understand its core elements:

For a detailed overview of the studyflow language, please refer to the specification.

  Event: circles represent the start and end of a study, as well as intermediate events that can trigger actions.

  activities: rectangles represent activities or steps in the study, such as cognitive tests, questionnaires, or instructions.

  Gateway: diamonds represent decision points that can alter the flow of the study based on conditions or randomization.

  DataObject: file-like shapes represent transient data produced or consumed by other elements.

  DataStore: cylinders represent persistent data storage, such as databases. Unlike data objects, data stores retain information beyond the scope of a single study instance.

  SequenceFlow: arrows connect events, activities, and gateways to define the order of elements.

Here is an example diagram:

 

A simple studyflow diagram showing the experimental design of a study as a series of activities, events, and gateways.

 

Graphical notation

Studyflow uses a specific graphical notation to convey the semantics of each element. Different types of activities, for example, can have different icons to indicate their type:

 

Icons representing different types of activities

 

These icons extends the standard BPMN icons. For a complete list, see Reference › Elements.