PlanProjU: A BPMN-to-HDDL HTN Planning Approach for University Project Execution

This study aims to automate the generation of execution plans for university projects by transforming BPMN-based process models into hierarchical planning representations that can be executed by HTN planners. Effective implementation of university extension projects requires explicit management of objectives, dependencies, and operational constraints, yet this process is often carried out manually and without formal planning support. To address this problem, the paper proposes PlanProjU, a web-based platform that captures project knowledge through BPMN and translates it into HDDL domain and problem files for execution with SHOP2 and PyHOP. The system was evaluated through real university project cases and a comparative analysis of alternative generated plans. The results show that BPMN-based project knowledge can be operationalized into executable hierarchical planning structures and that different planners may produce distinct plan alternatives depending on project characteristics. The originality of the study lies in the design of a traceable BPMN-to-HDDL workflow for university project planning, implemented in an integrated platform that connects business process modeling with HTN automated planning the originality of the study lies in the design of a traceable BPMN-to-HDDL workflow for university project planning, implemented in an integrated platform that connects business process modeling with HTN automated planning in a domain that has received limited attention in prior research. In this sense, the proposal serves both as an innovative research contribution and as a practical alternative for structuring implementation decisions in institutional settings.