Business Process Analysis
and Design – Importance of
Having a Common Language
Between Business and IT
Alan McSweeney
Objectives
•
Provide an introduction to process design/specification
and the potential benefits of using a visual process design
approach such as BPMN to enable business and IT users
understand how process should operate
March 25, 2011
2
Business Process Analysis/Design
•
•
•
•
•
There is a continuum from business process analysis and design to
business process development and implementation to business
process operation and management
Processes exist to implement requirements
Processes define the functionality to be provided by systems
Processes also link the functionality of the systems to external
manual operational components
Processes govern the development and implementation work
Business
Requirements
March 25, 2011
Processes
Deliver on
Business
Requirements
Processes Define
How Systems
Should Operate
Processes
Govern Solution
Design,
Development.
Implementation
3
Process
•
A process describes a sequence or flow of activities within
an organisation with the objective of performing work
•
Process best depicted graphically containing flow elements
- set of activities, events, gateways and sequence flows that define the execution of the process
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4
Complete View of Systems and Processes
External
Manual
Interaction
Extended Application
External
Component
Core
Application
System
Component
External
Manual
Interaction
External
Component
System
Component
System
Component
External
Manual
Interaction
March 25, 2011
External
Component
External
Manual
Interaction
5
Complete View of Systems and Processes
External
Manual
Interaction
External
Manual
Interaction
Manual
Process
Automated
Process
External
Component
System
Component
Manual
Process
External
Manual
Interaction
March 25, 2011
Automated
Process
External
Component
Manual
Process
System
Component
System
Component
External
Component
Automated
Process
Manual
Process
External
Manual
Interaction
6
Combination of Automated and Manual Processes
Extended Application
Automated
Process
Manual
Process
Manual
Process
March 25, 2011
Manual
Process
Core
Application
Automated
Process
Automated
Process
Manual
Process
7
Complete View of Systems and Processes
•
Overall solution operates with a mix of automated and
manual processes in a structured or ad-hoc manner o
deliver the required results
•
Understanding the overall set of processes and their
operation is crucial to successful results
•
Need to see the entire picture to understand how a
solution should operate
− Systems/applications are just one part of this universe
•
Unambiguous definition of processes is required
•
Processes that are to be automated define the scope of
the development and implementation work
March 25, 2011
8
Solution Design and Implementation Sequence
Defines where the business
wants to go
Business Plan
Business need identifies
solutions that will allow
delivery of plan
Business Need
Business Benefits
Defines the benefits to be
achieved by the solution
Defines the detailed requirements
of the solution
Requirements
Definition
Process Design
Defines the processes that will be
implemented by the solution
Defines the solution design to
implement the processes
Solution Architecture
and Design
Technical and Detailed
Design
Creates a detailed technical design
for implementation
Implementation
Implements the detailed design
March 25, 2011
9
Solution Design and Implementation Sequence
Business Plan
Business Need
Y
Thr ou Ca
Mu oug n It
l ti p h T e r a
h
Det le Tim ese S te
t
ail
e
Eac s, Re eps
h S fini
tag ng
e
Business Benefits
Requirements
Definition
Process Design
Solution Architecture
and Design
Technical and
Detailed Design
Implementation
March 25, 2011
10
Need a Single Language – Avoid the Tower of Babel
and Project Failure
Business
User
!?
?
Business/
Technical
Solution
Developer
Architect/
Process
Architect
Team
Analyst
Designer
?
?
March 25, 2011
?
?
?
11
Weaknesses in Business Analysis Capabilities and
Competencies at the Root of Many Project Failures
Poor
Requirements
Poor Analysis
Practices
Business Requirements
Not Captured
Size/Capacity/
Complexity
Large Project,
Complex, Difficult
Changes and Processes
Poor Strategic
Alignment
Inadequate Business
Case, Undefined
Problem/Need
Large Project Team and
Multiple Stakeholders
Business Benefits
Not Measured
Business Needs
Not Met
Opportunities
Lost
Inadequate Resource
Allocation and
Prioritisation
Inadequate Business
Involvement
Dynamic, Changing
Environment
Poor Focus on
Business Needs
March 25, 2011
Inadequately Explored
Solution Options
Unproven Technology
Investment
Wasted
Solution Design Not
Aligned to Business Needs
Uncertainly/
Ambiguity
Poor Solution
Design
12
Analysis-Related Causes of Failures
Poor
Requirements
Poor Analysis
Practices
Business Requirements
Not Captured
Size/Capacity/
Complexity
Large Project,
Complex, Difficult
Changes and Processes
Poor Strategic
Alignment
Inadequate Business
Case, Undefined
Problem/Need
Large Project Team and
Multiple Stakeholders
Business Benefits
Not Measured
Business Needs
Not Met
Opportunities
Lost
Inadequate Resource
Allocation and
Prioritisation
Inadequate Business
Involvement
Dynamic, Changing
Environment
Poor Focus on
Business Needs
March 25, 2011
Inadequately Explored
Solution Options
Unproven Technology
Investment
Wasted
Solution Design Not
Aligned to Business Needs
Uncertainly/
Ambiguity
Poor Solution
Design
13
Smooth Flow From Requirements to Processes to
Design and Implementation
Business
User
This is What I
Want The
System to Do
I Understand
The Processes
You Have
Described
Business/
Technical
Solution
Developer
Architect/
Process
Architect
Team
Analyst
Designer
The Solution Being
Developed Delivers
the Required
Processes
I Understand. These
Are The Processes
Needed to Meet the
Requirements
March 25, 2011
The
Solution is
What I
Want
This is The
Design of The
Overall
System
This is The
Detail of The
Implementation
of The Solution
This is The
Solution Being
Developed
14
Who Designs Processes?
•
There can be multiple inconsistent approaches to
designing processes, done by
− End users
− Business unit managers
− Business analysts
− Process analysts
− System analysts
− Technical team leads
− Developers
March 25, 2011
15
What Can Go Wrong With Process Design?
•
Inconsistent or ambiguous process design notation/
language
•
Uncertainty/lack of specificity
•
Branching/decision points not identified
•
Complexity missing/not captured
•
Too much inappropriate detail
•
Using tool or approach that does not work
•
Lack of understanding by business users
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16
Ensuring Process Design/Specification Works
•
Convince skeptical business and IT users that it can deliver
real benefits
•
Adopt an integrated approach to using process
design/specification including a set of internal organisation
standards
•
Training and mentoring
•
Active involvement, monitoring, management
March 25, 2011
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Need to Balance Process Design/Specification
Complexity
Simplicity – Easy for
Business Users to
Understand
•
Complexity –
Unambiguous Detail for
Implementation and
Operation
Consider maintaining two levels of process design/ specification
− High-level for business users
− Detailed low-level for development/implementation
•
Graphics are better than pure text
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18
Problems with Process Design/Specification
Absence of recognition of the importance of process
design/specification within solution design lifecycle
• Focus on just information technology aspects of process
design and operation rather than the entire process
landscape
• Focus on just IT doing the process design
• Absence of structured consistent approach to process
design
• Absence of process representation graphical approach
• Absence of skills, experience or training
• Absence of partnership between business and IT function
•
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19
Business Process Analysis/Design
Business needs to
understand what
processes it is
agreeing to, how
these processes will
deliver requirements,
how the processes
will operate, who will
be responsible and
what resources will be
required
March 25, 2011
Need to have a
process definition
and representation
approach and
language that fulfils
both requirements
at the same time
IT needs to
understand what is to
be developed,
delivered and
implemented
unambiguously
20
Business Processes
•
Business process design defines what is to be done and
who is to do it
− IT can translate this into system details, the “how”
•
Delivery of an overall process can be a mix of automated,
system lead and manual activities and tasks
•
Process design is a key element of overall solution design
and implementation
•
Processes turn the requirements into operational facts
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21
Process Design
•
•
•
•
Need to have a process design language and approach that fulfils the
requirements of both IT and the business at the same time
Need a process design language and approach that can be
understood by the business and provides the rigour required of the
IT
Process design can be as simple as a narrative, flowchart or some
other graphical representation
Need to balance the requirements of the business and IT
− Simplicity and ease of use promotes ease of understanding
− Ambiguity/lack of detail leads to misunderstanding
•
•
Too much complexity - takes time, alienates the business, loses
momentum, costs a lot, delays decisions, induces analysis paralysis
To little complexity - causes doubt, can lead to a disconnect between
what the business thinks it is getting and what IT delivers
March 25, 2011
22
Business Process Landscape
•
Business process design is one element of the business process
landscape
− Design
− Implementation and operation
− Management
•
Continuum from business process analysis and design to business
process development and implementation to business process
operation and management
− Can look for a solution that crosses entire continuum
− However, it is very, very difficult to go to fully automated BPM in one step
− Substantial investment with diminishing returns
•
Need to select an approach that delivers most benefits and need to
approach delivery incrementally
March 25, 2011
23
Spectrum of Process Design, Implementation and
Operation Options
Consistent Use of a
Standardised Approach
and Language to
Unambiguously Describe
and Define Business
Processes
Consistent
Approach to
Business Process
Analysis and
Description
Execution, Measurement,
Monitoring and Control of Both
Automated and Non-automated
Business Processes to Achieve
Consistent, Targeted Results
Aligned With The Organisation’s
Strategic Goals
Complete
Automated
Business Process
Management
Incremental Set of Steps To Achieve:
March 25, 2011
•Maintenance of Reusable Process Library
•Linkage from Process design to Publication and Implementation
•Process Management
•Operational Process Measurement
•Process Reporting and Optimisation
24
Process Design/Specification Options
•
Spectrum of options from simple to complex
− Paper/whiteboards/flip-charts/Post-It notes
− PowerPoint/Word/Excel/other tool
− Visio (flow charting)
− Visio Using BPMN Add-on
− BPA tool
− BPMS tool
March 25, 2011
25
Process Design, Implementation and Operation
Before You Can
Journey
End Here
You Have to
Start Here
Complete
Automated
Business Process
Management
Consistent
Approach to
Business Process
Analysis and
Description
Low
March 25, 2011
Implementation Time, Cost, Resource Requirements, Complexity, Difficulty, Risks
High
26
Process Design, Implementation and Operation
Journey
•
Moving to a state of Complete Automated Business
Process Management is very, very hard
•
You need to start with a structured approach to describing
processes that works and that is accepted and used by all
participants and stakeholders
− Essential building block and foundation for success
− Start small to deliver benefits in a short period of time and build
on success
− Focus on creating understanding and approach
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27
Elements of a Process Design/Documentation
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Process Triggers – what initiates the
process
Process Outcomes – what are the
expected outcomes of the process
Pre-Conditions – what must have
happened before the process can
start
Pre-Requisites – what must be in
place before the process can start
Inputs – what the process needs to
operate
Processing – what the process does
Dependencies – what the process is
dependent on
Outputs – what the process generates
Timelines – what are the expected
process times
March 25, 2011
•
•
•
•
•
•
Reporting
Requirements/Performance
Measures – how the process should
be measured and what measures
should be generated
Roles and Responsibilities – who is
involved in the process
Skills and Capabilities – what skills are
required of the process participants
Requirements Being Delivered
(Traceability) – what business
requirements are being fulfilled by the
process
Issues Identified/Outstanding – any
issues not clarified
Assumptions – any assumptions made
in the process design
28
Business Process Management, Governance,
Implementation and Operational Framework – Landscape
Process KPI
Definition
Process Strategy
Design and
Development
Process Library
Operational
Process Usage
Data
Business
Process 1
Process
Templates
Business Process
Design and
Development
Process
Publication
Business
Process 2
Business
Process 3
Business Process
Modification
March 25, 2011
Process
Usage
Analysis
29
Business Process Management, Governance,
Implementation and Operational Framework – Landscape
Process KPI
Definition
Process Strategy
Design and
Development
Process Library
Operational
Process Usage
Data
Business
Process 1
Process
Templates
Business Process
Design and
Development
Process
Publication
Business
Process 2
Business
Process 3
Business Process
Modification
March 25, 2011
Process
Usage
Analysis
30
Business Process Management, Governance,
Implementation and Operational Framework – Logical
Components
Optimisation
Strategy,
Management
and
Governance
Operation and
Measurement
Design and
Implementation
Technology
Infrastructure
March 25, 2011
31
Business Process Management, Governance,
Implementation and Operational Framework
Optimisation
Strategy,
Management
and
Governance
Start With
Realistically
Achievable
Objectives …
Operation and
Measurement
Design and
Implementation
Technology
Infrastructure
Complete
Automated
Business Process
Management
… Before Trying to
Move to an Allencompassing
Solution
Consistent
Approach to
Business Process
Analysis and
Description
Low
March 25, 2011
Implementation Time, Cost, Resource Requirements, Complexity, Risks
High
32
Focus on the Objective …
•
… Which is to develop an approach to process design and
specification that meets both business and technology
stakeholder requirements
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33
Process Representation Diagrams, Maps and Models
•
Diagrams
− Process diagram often depicts simple notation of the basic workflow of a
process
− Depicts the major elements of a process flow, but omits the minor details
which are not necessary for understanding the overall flow of work
•
Maps
− More precision than a diagram
− More detail about process and important relationships to other elements such
as performers (actors), events, results
− Provide a comprehensive view of all of the major components of the process
•
Models
− Represents the performance of what is being modelled
− Needs greater precision, data about the process and about the factors that
affect its performance
− Often done using tools that provide simulation and reporting capability to
analyse and understand the process
March 25, 2011
34
Process Attributes and Characteristics
•
Attributes and characteristics that describe the properties, behaviour, purpose
and other elements of the process
•
Process attributes are captured in a tool in order to organise, analyse and manage
an organisation’s portfolio of processes
•
Inputs/Outputs
Events/Results)
Value Add
Roles/Organisations
Data/Information
Probabilities
Queuing
Transmission Time
Wait Time
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
March 25, 2011
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Arrival Patterns/Distributions
Costs (indirect and direct
Entry Rules
Exit Rules
Branching Rules
Join Rules
Work/Handling Time
Batching
Servers (number of people available
to perform tasks)
35
Purpose of Process Modelling
•
A model is rarely a complete and full representation of the actual
process
− Focus on representing those attributes of the process that support continued
analysis from one or more perspectives
•
Objective is to create a representation of the process that describes
it accurately and sufficiently for the task at hand
− Understanding the business process through the creation of the model
− Creating a visible representation and establishing a commonly shared
perspective
− Analysing process performance and defining and validating changes
•
“To Be” model is an expression of the target process state and
specifies the requirements for the supporting resources that enable
effective business operations
March 25, 2011
36
Purpose of Process Representation Models
Models are simplified representations that facilitate
understanding of that which is being studied and making
decisions about it
• Mechanism for understanding, documenting, analysing,
designing, automating and measuring business activity as
well as measuring the resources that support the activity
and the interactions between the business activity and its
environment
• For process managed business, process models are the
primary means for
•
− Measuring performance against standards
− Determining opportunities for change
− Expressing the desired end state preceding a change effort
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37
Reasons for Process Design and Modelling
•
To document an existing process clearly
•
To use as a training aide
•
To use as an assessment against standards and compliance
requirements
•
To understand how a process will perform under varying loads or in
response to some anticipated change
•
As the basis for analysis in identifying opportunities for improvement
•
To design a new process or new approach for an existing process
•
To provide a basis for communication and discussion
•
To describe requirements for a new business operation
March 25, 2011
38
Benefits of Process Design and Modelling
•
Models are relatively fast, easy and inexpensive to
complete
•
Models are easy to understand (when compared to other
forms of documentation)
•
Models provide a baseline for measurement
•
Models facilitate process simulation and impact analysis
•
Models leverage various standards and a common set of
techniques
March 25, 2011
39
Process Design and Modelling Standards and
Notations
•
Range of number of process design, modelling and
notational standards and techniques
•
Models provide a language for describing and
communicating as-is and to-be process information
− Like all new languages must be learned
•
Benefits of using a standards based approach
− A common symbology, language and technique which facilitate
communication and understanding
− Standards-based models provide common and consistently
defined processes definitions which eases the process of design,
analysis and measurement and facilitates model reuse
− An ability to leverage modelling tools based on common
standards and notations
− An ability to import and export models created in various tools for
March 25, 2011
40
Process Representation Standards and Notations
•
Some commonly or less commonly used approaches
− Business Process Modelling Notation (BPMN)
− Flow Charting
− Swim Lanes
− Event Process Chain (EPC)
− Value Chain
− Unified Modelling Language (UML)
− IDEF-0
− LOVEM-E
− SIPOC
− Systems Dynamics
− Value Stream Mapping
March 25, 2011
41
Business Process Modelling Notation (BPMN)
•
Widely used and supported standard for business process
modelling
•
Provides a graphical notation for specifying business
processes in a Business Process Diagram (BPD)
•
Uses a flowcharting technique similar to activity diagrams
from Unified Modelling Language (UML)
•
Can output BPMN to Business Process Execution Language
(BPEL - BPEL4WS)
− Standard executable language for specifying interactions with
Web Services
•
Emerging standard
March 25, 2011
42
Flow Charting
•
Simple type of diagram that represents a process, showing
the steps as boxes of various kinds and their order by
connecting these with arrows
•
Widely used
March 25, 2011
43
Swim Lanes
•
Swim lanes are an addition to the boxes and arrows
process flow view of flow-charting that show how the
work flows across organisational units or is handed-off
from one role to another
•
Overall process is divided into lanes, with one lane for
each person, group or subprocess
•
Processes and decisions are grouped by placing them in
lanes
•
Arranged horizontally or vertically and are used for
grouping the sub-processes according to the
responsibilities of those swim lanes
March 25, 2011
44
Event Process Chain (EPC)
•
•
•
•
•
An EPC is an ordered graph of events and functions
Provides various connectors that allow alternative and parallel execution of processes
Tasks (activities) are followed by outcomes (events) of the task, developing a process model
EPC method was developed within the framework of ARIS (BPM toolset)
EPC elements
− Event - describe under what circumstances a function or a process works or which state a function
or a process results in
− Function - model the tasks or activities
− Organisation Unit - determine which person or organisation within the structure of an enterprise is
responsible for a specific function
− Information, Material or Resource Object - portray objects in the real world
− Logical Connector - logical relationships between elements in the control flow
− Logical Relationships - Branch/Merge, Fork/Join and OR
− Control Flow - connects events with functions, process paths or logical connectors creating
chronological sequence and logical interdependencies between them
− Information Flow - show the connection between functions and input or output data
− Organisation Unit Assignment - show the connection between an organisation unit and the
function it is responsible for
− Process Path - show the connection from or to other processes
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45
Value Chain
•
Value chain notation is used to demonstrate a single
continuous flow from left to right of the sub-processes
that directly contribute to producing value for the
organisation’s customers (clients/constituents)
•
Value chain is a chain of activities for a firm operating in a
specific industry
•
Chain of activities gives the products more added value
than the sum of added values of all activities
March 25, 2011
46
Unified Modelling Language (UML)
•
UML provides a standard set of diagramming techniques
and notations primarily for describing information systems
requirements
•
Primarily used for systems analysis and design
•
Can use UML activity diagrams for business process
modelling
•
UML can be very verbose
•
Very development and system oriented and not aimed at
business users or overall set of processes needed to
operate a system
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47
IDEF-0 (Integration Definition for Function
Modelling)
Function modelling methodology for describing
manufacturing functions
• Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) that was
developed by the US Air Force for documenting
manufacturing processes
• Part of the IDEF family of modelling languages in software
engineering
•
− IDEF0 produces a function model that is structured
representation of the functions, activities or processes
− IDEF1 produces an information model that represents structure
and semantics of information
− IDEF2 produces a dynamics model that represents time-varying
behavioural characteristics
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48
LOVEM-E (Line of Visibility Engineering Method Enhanced)
•
Notation set and a modelling technique that was
developed as part of IBM’s Business Process Reengineering
Methodology
•
Based on the process path management concept
•
Introduces concepts of the customer encounter and the
collaborative nature of work between external and
internal parties and the supporting information systems
•
Not widely used
March 25, 2011
49
SIPOC (Supplier, Input, Process, Output and
Customer)
•
Style of process documentation used in Six Sigma
March 25, 2011
50
Systems Dynamics
•
Approach to understanding the behaviour of complex
systems over time
•
Deals with internal feedback loops and time delays that
affect the behaviour of the entire system
•
Systems Dynamics models are “activity on arrow”
diagrams rather than “activity on node” diagrams
•
Useful in developing dynamic lifecycle type models that
focus on the overall business system’s performance and
the impact of changing the key variables that affect overall
performance
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51
Value Stream Mapping
•
Technique used in Lean Manufacturing
•
Expresses the physical environment and flow of materials
and products in a manufacturing environment
•
Used to analyse the flow of materials and information
currently required to bring a product or service
March 25, 2011
52
Process Modelling Quality
•
•
•
•
•
•
Most process analysis and design efforts require the use of models
to describe what is happening during the process
Useful to have some standards and measures of quality as it relates
to process modelling
Quality of model defined by its accuracy, amount of detail and
completeness
Can have multiple versions or iterations of models are created over
time to capture more detail and improve the quality of the model
During the modelling of a process, several disconnections,
restrictions and/or barriers may become apparent
Items should also be noted on the model as well as any other
information discovered that will help create a common
understanding of the current state
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53
Requirements of a Process Design Model
•
•
•
•
•
The business environment including the customers, suppliers,
external events or market pressures that effect or interact with the
process
The organisational structure which includes the hierarchical or
functional view of the organisation and how the people work
together (this information helps understand who the key decision
makers are within the process)
The functional or departmental structure of the organisation which
explains how the functions or departments work together in the
process
The business rules which control the decisions that are made during
the process and workflow
The activities or actions that take place within the process and who
does those actions
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54
Process Design and Definition Language
•
BPMN offers the most effective approach to process
analysis, design and definition
March 25, 2011
55
BPMN as a Common Process Language
•
Two layers of complexity for business process design
− Core set of BPMN process representation diagram elements
− Extended set of BPMN process representation diagram elements
•
What BPMN is not:
− Organisation structure design language
− Data model and data flow design language – does contain some data modelling
elements
− System functional flow design language
•
BPMN diagrams can be complex
−
−
−
−
−
BPMN V2.0 (latest version) has a lot of elements
Keep it simple and easy to understand
Add appropriate complexity through refinement and drill-down
Focus on getting the process description right
Complexity and rigour of BPMN is related to the ability to create Business
Process Execution Language (BPEL - BPEL4WS) – you probably do not intend to
use this feature
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56
Types of Process
•
Standard Process (Orchestration Process) defines the flow
of activities between participants
•
Choreography - exchange of information (Messages)
between participants
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57
BPMN Language Structure
BPMN
Flow Objects
March 25, 2011
Connectors
Artifacts
Swimlanes
Data
Activities
Sequence Flows
Text Annotation
Pool
Data Objects
Events
Message Flows
Group
Lane
Data Inputs
Gateways
Associations
Data Outputs
Data
Associations
Data Stores
58
Swimlanes and Pools
Swim lanes are a visual means for organising and
categorising process activities
• Used to demonstrate hand-offs between
functions/roles/business units
• Show process sequence
• Show cross-functional process flow
•
− Pool – represents major participants in a process with separate
pools for different organisations or major business units
− Lane – contained within pools
• Organise and categorise process activities within a pool according to
function or role
− All other BPMN diagram elements are placed within swimlanes
and pools
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59
Swimlanes and Pools
•
•
•
•
Good at showing who does what, when and in response to what
Adds a dimension not available in standard flow-charting
Shows responsibilities
Allows identification and elimination of duplicate tasks
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60
Flow Objects
Flow Objects
Activities
Events
Gateways
Task
Start
Exclusive
Sub-Process
End
Inclusive
Transaction
Intermediate
Parallel
Complex
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61
Flow Objects
•
Define the flow of the process
− Activities - work performed within a business process
• Task – unit of work
• Sub-Process – a set of self-contained activities collapsed within process
representation for ease of understanding
• Transaction – a sub-process that must be completed or undone if not completed
− Events - something that happens
• Start – acts as a trigger for a process/sub-process and takes an input only
• End – represents the result of a process/sub-process and generates an output only
• Intermediate - represents something that happens between the start and end
events
− Gateways - determine splitting and merging of paths within process depending
on the conditions
• Exclusive – where the sequence slow can take only one of two or more alternative
paths
• Inclusive – where the sequence slow can take one, more than one or all of two or
more alternative paths and results from paths must be subsequently merged
• Parallel – multiple parallel paths are defined
• Complex – complex behaviours can be defined
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Flow Objects - Graphics
Task
Sub-Process
Transaction
Start
End
Intermediate
Exclusive
Inclusive
Parallel
Complex
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Activities – Detailed Specification
•
Classified by
− Task Type
Service – automated application
Send – send a message to an external participant
Receive – wait for a Message to arrive from an external Participant
User – human performs the task with the assistance of an application and scheduled through a
task manager
• Script – executed by a business process engine
• Manual – not managed by any business process engine.
• Business Rule – provide input to a Business Rules Engine and get the output of calculations
•
•
•
•
− Process or Sub-Process
• Embedded – sub-process embedded within a process
• Event – triggered by an event
• Called – pre-defined process that can be called
− Looping
• Simple
• Multiple in Parallel
• Multiple in Sequence
− Calling – External Sub-Process
− Transaction Backout (“Compensation”)
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Activities
Top Left Symbol
Identifies Task
Type
Task Border
Shows if
Called/SubProcess
Looping Symbol
Rewind Symbol Used
to Indicate
Transaction Backout
(“Compensation”)
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Activities – Graphics for Combinations of Task Type
and Loop Type
No Loop
Simple Loop
Multiple in
Parallel
Multiple in
Sequence
Simple/Not Specified
Service
Send
Receive
User
Script
Manual
Business Rule
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Activities – Graphics for Sub-Processes
Embedded SubProcess
Embedded
Embedded Sub- Embedded Called
Transaction Sub- Process Triggered
Sub-Process
Process
by Event
No Event Specified
Message
Error
Escalation
Compensation
(Backout of
Transaction)
Conditional
Signal
Multiple
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Events
•
Simple
− Start
− Intermediate
− End
•
Triggered
− Start
− Intermediate
• Inward Direction “Catching”
• Outward Direction “Throwing”
− End
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•
Triggers (Not All Apply to All
Events)
Message
Timer
Conditional
Signal
Multiple
Multiple in Parallel
Error
Escalation
Compensation (Backout of
Transaction)
− Link
− Cancel
− Terminate
−
−
−
−
−
−
−
−
−
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Events
Symbol Indicates
Trigger Type
Single Light
Border Indicates
Start Event
Double Light Border and
Hollow Symbol Indicates
Intermediate Inwardly
Directed Event
Single Dark
Border Indicates
End Event
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Double Light Border and
Filled Symbol Indicates
Intermediate Outwardly
Directed Event
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Events - Graphics for Combinations of Type,
Direction and Trigger
Start
Intermediate
(Inward Direction
“Catching”)
Intermediate
(Outward
Direction
“Throwing”)
End
No Trigger
Message
Timer
Conditional
Signal
Multiple
Multiple in Parallel
Error
Escalation
Compensation
(Backout of
Transaction)
Link
Cancel
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Terminate
70
Gateways
•
Control the execution of the process
•
Do not represent work being done
•
Gateways represent decisions/branching (exclusive,
inclusive, and complex), merging, forking and joining
•
Parallel gateways synchronise/combine and create parallel
flows
•
Event-based gateways represents a branching point in the
process where the alternative paths that follow the
gateway are based on events that occur
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Gateways - Graphics for Types
Inclusive (AND)
Exclusive (OR)
or
Complex
Parallel
Exclusive Event
Start Exclusive Event
Start Parallel Event
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Sample Parallel Gateway
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Artifacts
•
Used to add information into the process model/diagram
•
Make the process model/diagram more readable
− Data Object – shows which data is required by or produced in an
activity
− Group – used to group different activities to highlight sections
− Annotation – adds text to a diagram
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Artifacts
Grouping of
Process Elements
Annotation
Comment
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Data
•
One requirement of process design/modelling is to be able
to model the items (physical or information items) that are
created, manipulated, and used during the execution of a
process
− Data inputs
− Data outputs
− Data stores – persistent
− Collections – set of data, input or outputs
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Data
Data
Data Collection
Data Input
Data Collection Input
Data Output
Data Collection Output
Data Store
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Extended BPMN Attributes
•
•
•
•
BPMN diagram elements have many extended attributes that are
not part of the core process definition
These are used when creating a process repository
Used when exporting BPMN process to XML
Activity attributes
−
−
−
−
−
−
−
−
−
−
−
−
isForCompensation
loopCharacteristics
Resources
SequenceFlow
InputOutputSpecification
Properties
BoundaryEventRefs
DataInputAssociations
DataOutputAssociations
StartQuantity
CompletionQuantity
…
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BPMN Usage Options
Basic BPMN
Processing
Diagramming
Allows You to
Start Here
BPMN Can
Grow to Enable
This
Complete
Automated
Business Process
Management
Consistent
Approach to
Business Process
Analysis and
Description
Low
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Implementation Time, Cost, Resource Requirements, Complexity, Difficulty, Risks
High
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Sample Order Processing and Payment
Authorisation Process Definition
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Sample Mortgage Approval Process Definition
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Sample Incident Management Process Definition
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Sample Credit Review and Approval Process
Definition
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Sample Customer Quotation Request Process
Definition
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Sample Order Fulfilment Process Definition
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Sample Bank Account Opening Process Definition
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Summary
•
Process design/specification is a key element of solution design
•
Processes consist of both automated and manual components
working together
•
A graphical process design/specification language is useful to
represent processes and to assist in a common understanding by
both business and IT
•
BPMN is the emerging process design/specification language
•
BPMN offers the rigour to create detailed process
designs/specifications
•
BPMN can be just a process design/specification language or a can
be part of a complete automated Business Process Management
initiative
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More Information
Alan McSweeney
alan@alanmcsweeney.com
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