Process Diagram Technique
for Business Processes Modeling
Vaclav Repa
University of Economics,
Prague, Czech Republic
ISD2000 Conference, Kristiansand, Norway, August 2000
V.Repa: Process Diagram Technique for BPM, ISD2000 Conference,
Kristiansand, Norway, August 2000
1
Agenda
• The Scope
• The Technique
• Diagram Elements
• Process Meta-Model
• Different Levels of the Technique
• Important Topics
• Events, Activities, and States from the Object
vs. Process Point of View (Consistency Rules)
• Process Memory (Simple/Complex Processes)
V.Repa: Process Diagram Technique for BPM, ISD2000 Conference,
Kristiansand, Norway, August 2000
2
The Scope
Model of the system of business processes which:
• respects basic objectives and goals, current state and
specific characteristics of the organization
• respects objective circumstances (those which are given
outside the organization and are independent of the
organization) which can play a significant role in the behavior
of the organization
• is "optimal" in the sense of economic efficiency of the
processes
• is "optimal" in the sense of maximum simplicity together
with whole functionality
• is prepared for later optimization, implementation and
installation of the system of processes which respect
characteristics described above
V.Repa: Process Diagram Technique for BPM, ISD2000 Conference,
Kristiansand, Norway, August 2000
3
The Scope
Convergence of BPE, WfM, and ISD
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V.Repa: Process Diagram Technique for BPM, ISD2000 Conference,
Kristiansand, Norway, August 2000
4
The Scope
Objects and processes as a basis for IS development
Actors
Conceptual Business Processes Model
Business
Activities
Products
Conceptual Business Objects Model
Actors
Business
Objects
Products
* I/O functions
* Dialogue functions
* Interface functions
etc.
Interface Functions Structure
* Objects
* Attributes
* Life history
Real World Structure
Conceptual IS Model
Real World Structure (static view)
Usability Requirements
* buffering needs
* user views
* data sets extent
etc.
Real World Behaviour
(Object Life Histories)
Top-Down Function
Structure
Transition Techniques
(Design Rules)
Logical Database
Structure
Technology Constraints and Requirements
and
Database Design Rules
ProgramModules
Structure
Technology Constraints and Requirements
and
Program Design Rules
Technological IS Model
V.Repa: Process Diagram Technique for BPM, ISD2000 Conference,
Kristiansand, Norway, August 2000
5
Back
The Technique
Process modeling diagram elements - basic set
Diagram
Element
Activity
Symbol
Activity
Decision
Explanation
Basic element of the process - input(s) to output(s)
processing.
Activity is decomposable on principle, i.e. it can be
always regarded as the process (on the deeper level of
detail).
Elementary (i.e. undecomposable) activity. Decision on
the particular follow-up of the process.
Decision
Event
Event
State
External stimulus for the activity. Information about the
event outside of the process and independent of it.
Internal stimulus for the activity. Result of the preceding
activity.
State
Logical
Connector
AND
V.Repa: Process Diagram Technique for BPM, ISD2000 Conference,
Kristiansand, Norway, August 2000
Primitive decision without any information at the input
(predefined decision). The only AND and OR (XOR)
connectors are allowable.
6
Back
The Technique
Process modeling diagram elements - external elements
Diagram
Element
Information Set
Symbol
Information Set
Material Set
Material Set
Mixed Set
Mixed Set
Actor
Actor
Problem
Explanation
Set of the information for process control. Examples:
manufacturing plan, strategic investment intention, delivery
note etc.
Set of the subjects of processing. I.e. raw material (at the
input) or product (at the output), no matter whether it is
material or data. Examples: engine component, car (final
product) in the case of car manufacturing. Stock list,
investment advice (final product) in the case of broker's
business (information plays the role of the material here).
Set of the combination of the subjects of processing as well as
the information for controlling it.
Example: delivery together with the delivery note
Abstract person - all kinds of the attendee of the process
(person, organization unit, system, position, profession, role,
entity etc.).
Problem related to the process in the particular point.
Problem
Organization
Unit
Unit of the organization where the process runs.
Organization
Unit
V.Repa: Process Diagram Technique for BPM, ISD2000 Conference,
Kristiansand, Norway, August 2000
7
Back
The Technique
Process meta-model
Process model
Additional Constraints:
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1. Activity has to be
stimulated by either Stimulus or
Control Activity (Decision or
Logical Connector)
2. Input Set has to be input for
either Processing Activity or
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V.Repa: Process Diagram Technique for BPM, ISD2000 Conference,
Kristiansand, Norway, August 2000
8
The Technique
Three levels of model simplification
Level
level 0
level 1
Description
Full complexity. All elements used.
Model without actors, problems and
organization units.
level 2
Level 1 model without sets (material,
information or mixed).
level 3
Level 2 model without states and control
activities.
V.Repa: Process Diagram Technique for BPM, ISD2000 Conference,
Kristiansand, Norway, August 2000
Purpose of simplification
Description of the process itself without the respect
to the related external aspects (actors, problems and
organization). There is no possibility to analyze
those external aspects (for the purpose of the
information analysis of the legal IS for example).
Description of the process itself without the respect
to the inputs and outputs of the activities. Such a
model describes the succession of the activities
together with the process control (activity stimuli).
It does not describe the substance of the processing.
Description of the process itself without the respect
to the inputs and outputs of the activities. Such a
model describes the succession of the activities
only. No internal control is described.
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Consistency of processes and objects
Outline of the consistency rules requirements concerning external facts (different meanings of the same fact)
Fact
Event
Output
Object Model
Business Process Model
Stimulus for:
Stimulus for:
 object internal state change
 operation execution
 possible communication with other objects  process state change
 output production
(send the message) in the case of the
"common action"
 possible communication with other
processes (processes co-ordination)
Consequence of
Consequence of:
 object action
 operation execution (product)
 object internal state change
 process state change
Outline of the consistency rules requirements concerning internal concepts (different meanings of the same concept)
Concept
Action
State
Object Model
Action executed/allowed by the object
Causes:
 object state change
 possible output production
 possible communication with other objects
(send the message) in the case of the
"common action"
Object life cycle state
 starting point for action processing
 result of action processing
V.Repa: Process Diagram Technique for BPM, ISD2000 Conference,
Kristiansand, Norway, August 2000
Business Process Model
Activity inside the process
Causes:
 process state change
 possible output production
 possible communication with other
processes (co-ordination of processes)
Process course state
 starting point for operation execution
 result of operation execution
10
Illustration
Process Memory
Why:
•The need to store the information about the actual process state in controlling
complex processes (which often have complex relationships to other processes).
•The need to reduce the complexity of the process description.
Process memory includes:
• actual process state identification
• attributes of actual state of the process
• data gathered by the process activities
(once the data are gathered, they exist inside the process and can be used by its
activities without any limitation (global data access))
Consequences:
• criterion for distinguishing between primitive and complex processes.
(process without the need to store the information about the state is so simple
that it is possible to take it (and implement it, as well) as a simple algorithm)
• indicates the possible parallelism inside the process or at least in the
communication with other processes.
V.Repa: Process Diagram Technique for BPM, ISD2000 Conference,
Kristiansand, Norway, August 2000
11
Primitive Process (Order Receiving)
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V.Repa: Process Diagram Technique for BPM, ISD2000 Conference,
Kristiansand, Norway, August 2000
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Primitive Process (Order Receiving) - Aris Notation
Order
Order entry
Formal
correctness
check
Stock
Correct
Satisfiability
check
Incorrect
Unsatisfiable
Order
rejection due
to the formal
incorrectness
Order
rejection due
to the
unsatisfiability
Order
deficiencies
report
Order
rejected
V.Repa: Process Diagram Technique for BPM, ISD2000 Conference,
Kristiansand, Norway, August 2000
Order
rejection
report
Satisfiable
Order
acceptation
Delivery
order
Order
accepted
Invoice
13
Complex Process (Order Transaction)
Order
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V.Repa: Process Diagram Technique for BPM, ISD2000 Conference,
Kristiansand, Norway, August 2000
I
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14