Modeling business processes using BPMN

Transcription

1 Metho Engineering Pim e Jong Moeling business processes using BPMN Metho engineering - Assignment D Pim e Jong Utrecht University

2 Metho Engineering Pim e Jong Table of Contents 1. Introuction Example Process Deliverable Diagram Diagram Rationale Activity table Table of concepts Relate work References... 17

3 Metho Engineering Pim e Jong Introuction Processes have been a part of human unertaking an activity since recore history an probably before. Processes can simply be seen as sets of activities to achieve a certain goal. A simple example might be the consecutive steps a tailor takes in orer to sew, or similarly how a farmer sows an reaps. These processes can be seen in context of a business where profit is the main objective. Here, processes are efine an ran in orer to a value. Weske (2012) efines a business process as a set of activities that are performe in coorination in an organization an technical environment. These activities jointly realize a business goal. Each business process is enacte by a single organization, but it may interact with business processes performe by other organizations. In moern times this philosophy has nearly taken on a life of its own, where business process management (BPM) has become a major fiel in business operations. BPM still globally captivates the efforts of practitioners an researchers alike. It is applie in major organizations across the globe an is taught in many universities. It still is the topic of many a conference an seen as a key area for business improvement (Gartner, 2015). Weske (2012) efines business process management (BPM) as the explicit representation of business processes with their activities an the execution constraints between them. Once business processes are efine, they can be subject to analysis, improvement an enactment. This process can be seen in figure 1. Figure 1. The BPM life-cycle (Aalst, Netjes & Reijers) There are many tools available for the support of BPM, the Business Process Moel an Notation (BPMN) being one of them. BPMN has become a stanar () of BPM moelling, among others (Ko & Lee, 2009), an consists of various stanarize elements that together comprise an easily interpretable process. The primary goal of BPMN is to offer a stanarize notation that is easily unerstanable by all users. This scope of users extens from business analysts, technical evelopers an business managers. BPMN is to create a stanarize brige between process esign an implementation (White, 2004).

4 Metho Engineering Pim e Jong Figure 2. BPMN elements (Object Management Group, 2011) In figure 2, the core elements of BPMN are shown. In essence, BPMN provies a graphical notation in orer to support BPM that works like a kin of flowchart (Dijkman, Dumas & Ouyang, 2007). We have events that can trigger or en the process, activities that form the iniviual steps of the process, gateways that form the basis of ecisions an sequence / message flows that control the flow of the process. Akkaoui & Zimányi (2009) acknowlege the issue of there being no stanar with regars to the actual efining of the processes. Also, they mention these moels are often far too etaile ue to the over consieration of implementation issues. Instea, they suggest an approach as to how to esign a BPMN moel. Akkaoui & Zimányi categorize BPMN elements into categories an recommen moelling each step consecutively. Firstly, all flow objects shoul be efine. Flow objects consist of tasks (i.e. activities) an control objects (i.e. gateways or events). Seconly, all artefacts shoul be efine. BPMN artefacts are annotations, ata objects or gateway conitions. Thirly, all connecting objects shoul be efine. Connecting objects consist of sequence flows, message flows an associations. Finally, swim lanes shoul be efine. A swim lane allows for process bounaries in orer to categorize an structure a process. This propose approach is shown in figure 2.

5 Metho Engineering Pim e Jong Flow objects Artifacts Connecting objects Swimlanes Figure 3. Defining workflows using BPMN () This propose approach to BPMN moelling allows for practitioners an organizations to tackle the moelling an efining of their business process in a systematic an structure way. By categorizing an systemizing the use of the BPMN notation Akkaoui & Zimányi offer businesses a proceure as to how to approach BPMN moelling. BPMN was evelope by the Business Process Management Initiative (BPMI) in 2004, when version 1.0 was release to the public. In 2005, BPMI merge with the Object Management Group (OMG) which then maintaine BPMN. Activities concerning BPMN inclue R&D, upates an the esign of specification sheets. OMG is an international, not-for-profit technology organization that evelops stanars an esigns organizational solutions across a variety of inustries. OMG release version 2.0 of BPMN in 2011, an their latest version ates to December 2013.

6 Metho Engineering Pim e Jong Example For improve insight, an example will be iscusse in this paragraph. Firstly, a complete an existing process will be textually state. Then, this process will be moelle in BPMN by applying the four-step approach propose by Akkaoui & Zimányi (2009). This example illustrates both an example for the technique of BPMN an the four-step approach. Also, it serves as an example eliverable, as the final iagram forms a part of a business / use case. The process is as follows: A costumer wants an iea patente an hans in a patent-. The aministrative staff files the, which transfers the to the business epartment. Here, the is checke for approval or rejection. If the patent is rejecte, the patent is sent own to the aministrative staff which in turn sens the enie patent to the costumer. If approve, the is sent own to the aministrative staff who write an acceptance letter an registers the patent. This registration, along with the acceptance letter, is sent to the customer. (Rücker, 2012) Step 1. Define Flow objects Patent rejecte Sen rejection Start Submit File Check Write acceptance letter Register patent In the first step, only start / en events, gateways an activities are moelle without any context. Step 2. Define Artefacts Patent registere Patent rejecte Patent criteria Sen rejection Start Submit File Check Eligible Patent? Write acceptance letter Register patent Subsequently, ata objects an / or annotations are ae that allow for these activities to run. Patent registere

7 Business epartment Patent process Aministrative staff Customer Metho Engineering Pim e Jong Step 3. Define Connecting objects Patent rejecte Patent criteria Sen rejection No Start Submit File Check Eligible Patent? Yes Write acceptance letter Register patent Thirly, all connecting arrows, relations an conitions are moelle to complete the clarity of the process. Step 4. Define Swim lanes Patent registere Start Submit Patent rejecte Patent registere File Sen rejection Write acceptance letter Register patent No Check Eligible Patent? Yes Patent criteria Finally, swim lanes are ae for enhance reaability an clearer ivision of tasks. As clearly shown in the process illustrate above, each step has clear bounaries an objectives. This allows for a more structure an easy process to approach BPMN process moeling. The last step of the example of the propose approach also offers a complete use case / business case. The eliverable in this context woul be the entire moelle process, i.e. a Business Process Diagram (BPD), as seen in the process below step 4.

8 Bounary moelling Flow moelling Annotation moelling Activity moelling Metho Engineering Pim e Jong Process Deliverable Diagram This paragraph will offer the Prouct Deliverable Diagram (PDD) of the BPMN technique. PDDs integrate two ifferent iagrams; namely a process view base on UML activity iagrams on the left han sie an a eliverable view base on UML class iagrams on the right han sie (Weer & Brinkkemper, 2009). 1.0 Diagram ACTIVITY BPMN moelling SUBPROCESS Moel task TASK FLOW OBJECT Type Label 1..* Moel control object CONTROL OBJECT EVENT GATEWAY gives meaning to 1..* Define ata object Define annotation DOCUMENT DATA OBJECT 1 represents 1..* expresses 1 ANNOTATION 1..* 1 SEMANTIC ARTEFACT Type Description 0..* DATA ANNOTATION BUSINESS PROCESS Set sequence flow Connect message flow GATEWAY CONDITION CONDITIONAL SEQUENCE FLOW SEQUENCE FLOW MESSAGE FLOW DEFAULT SEQUENCE FLOW Input / output Parameter Pre / postconition Comment CONNECTING OBJECT Type 2..* 1 represents 1..* 0..* BUSINESS PROCESS DIAGRAM 1..* Relate association ASSOCIATION POOL Set pool Label 1 has 1 2..* SWIMLANE corrects Define lane Label 0..* Review Business Process Diagram REVISION 0..* [else] [approve] Figure 4. The process eliverable iagram for business process moelling with BPMN

9 Metho Engineering Pim e Jong Rationale Flow objects are moelle as an unorere activity since there is no sequence or orer in the moelling of tasks an control objects an it is not necessary for both tasks to be complete in synchronization in orer for the process to continue. This reasoning hols true for both artefacts an connecting objects, which are moelle similarly. Swim lanes are moelle as activities that o have a sequential orer. That is because you firstly nee to set a pool for there to be lanes in. This process cannot continue any other way an is therefore also not execute in parallel. The moel has certain activities that are moele as close activities. Reasoning for this is because these activities are more etaile in reality but are not relevant as such an therefore not moele. An example for this is the moel task activity that also requires the moeler to efine whether the task is a sub process or a task an select the type of activity or sub process. These sub steps are, however, not iniviually worthy to moel concerning the length an ifficulty of the PDD an therefore fall uner the activity moel task. The same reasoning is use, for example, for the activity set sequence flow where the moeler is require to personally gauge what type of flow nees to be use. Defining the activity more specifically is eeme irrelevant an is of no ae value. Only one branch with conitional activities are moele for it is assume that at each step the moeler approves his or her own moelle BPMN elements before continuing. It is eeme as irrelevant to moel a branch for each single step to allow the moeler to return just one step, cluttering the moel. Therefore, one single activity Review Business Process Diagram is moelle to allow the moeler to review an eit his or her moel. This activity is not mae explicit in any BPMN proceure foun uring literature stuy, however the notion of reviewing an eiting the iagram is heavily implie throughout the stuie papers leaing to the activity being present in the PDD. Also, no roles are moele in the PDD. Reasoning for this is because there is no single role or actor specifie to execute this process. If there was, the role woul be moeler an it woul be unnecessary to assign the role moeler to each activity. Business process moelling is not boun to any such role. 1.2 Activity table ACTIVITY SUB-ACTIVITY DESCRIPTION Activity moelling Moel task The moel task activity concerns the representation of BUSINESS PROCESS TASKs. They can either be moelle as an ACTIVITY or as a SUBPROCESS. This istinction is mae by the moeler himself an is base on whether the given TASK is unitary or represents compoun activities. Moel control object The moel control object activity consists of esigning an orchestrating the BUSINESS PROCESS workflow. The moeler is require to efine whether the CONTROL OBJECT is an

10 Metho Engineering Pim e Jong EVENT or a GATEWAY. This ecision is base purely on the nees of the moeler; either the timing or sequence nees to be altere or conitions nee to be efine. Annotation moelling Define ata object The efine ata object activity involves the representation of DOCUMENTs in the BUSINESS PROCESS. The moeler nees to pay hee to which TASK requires external ata to be execute. Define annotation The efine annotation activity revolves aroun expressing SEMANTICs an give meaning to FLOW OBJECTs. The moeler has to efine whether he or she feels a TASK or GATEWAY (or both) requires explication through an ANNOTATION. Flow moelling Set sequence flow The set sequence flow activity consists of gauging whether the moeler requires to control a SEQUENCE FLOW. If so, conitions can be ae by moelling a CONDITIONAL SEQUENCE FLOW. If not, the DEFAULT SEQUENCE FLOW applies. Connect message flow Relate association The connect message flow activity allows the moeler to represent sening an receiving of messages between POOLs an SWIMLANEs. Messages can also be efine between FLOW OBJECTs within the bounaries of a BUSINESS PROCESS. The relate association activity is essential to relate ARTEFACTs to FLOW OBJECTs. It is the basic CONNECTING OBJECT that explicates the association between DATA OBJECTs an ANNOTATIONs to TASKs an SUBPROCESSes. Bounary moelling Set pool The set pool activity is one of two components to moelling BUSINESS PROCESS bounaries. The moeler has to efine the scope of a TASK or a series of TASKs for workflows cannot crossover between POOLs. Define lane The efine lane activity is the secon component to moelling BUSINESS PROCESS bounaries. Here, a POOL can be ivie into two or more SWIMLANEs. These bounaries are less strict, an allow the moeler to ivie a BUSINESS PROCESS into SWIMLANEs, allowing SEQUENCE FLOWs to cross freely.

11 Metho Engineering Pim e Jong Review business process iagram - The review business process iagram activity allows the moeler to revise his or her iagram before continuing. 1.3 Table of concepts Concept Definition Source ACTIVITY An ACTIVITY escribes a unitary TASK that is not further subivie. ANNOTATION An ANNOTATION is use to express SEMANTICS about FLOW OBJECTS. ARTEFACT An ARTEFACT is a non-functional feature. Dijkman et al., 2007 ASSOCIATION An ASSOCIATION relates ARTEFACTS to FLOW OBJECTS. It is also use to link the compensation ACTIVITY for in case of compensation hanling as note previously. BUSINESS PROCESS A BUSINESS PROCESS is a set of orere TASKS escribing how work is performe within an organization. BUSINESS PROCESSES are commonly represente using XML-base execution languages such as BPEL. BUSINESS PROCESS DIAGRAM A single BUSINESS PROCESS DIAGRAM may show multiple private BUSINESS PROCESSES. White, 2004 CONDITIONAL SEQUENCE FLOW In case there is a nee to control a SEQUENCE FLOW, it is possible to a a conition to the SEQUENCE FLOW by using the CONDITIONAL SEQUENCE FLOW.

12 Metho Engineering Pim e Jong CONNECTING OBJECT CONNECTING OBJECTS connect FLOW OBJECTS together in orer to create the basic skeletal structure of a BUSINESS PROCESS. White, 2004 CONTROL OBJECT CONTROL OBJECTS manage the workflow sequence, or orchestration, inepenently of the ata transiting through the process. DATA ANNOTATION DATA ANNOTATIONS are use to make explicit the SEMANTICS of a task. They inclue several features: input an output ata of the task, parameters, pre- an postconitions an comments. DATA OBJECT A DATA OBJECT is use traitionally to represent transiting DOCUMENTS between TASKS. DEFAULT SEQUENCE FLOW A SEQUENCE FLOW is use to show the orer (the sequence) that ACTIVITIES will be performe in a Process. White, 2004 DOCUMENT A DATA OBJECT is use traitionally to represent transiting DOCUMENTS between TASKS. EVENT EVENTS represent something that happens that affects the sequence an timing of the workflow ACTIVITIES. White, 2004 FLOW OBJECT FLOW OBJECTS are the main graphical elements which efine the process behaviour. Satyanarayana, 2012

13 Metho Engineering Pim e Jong GATEWAY GATEWAYS are use to control the activity sequence in a process base on conitions. GATEWAY CONDITION GATEWAY CONDITIONS state the conitional expression of a GATEWAY that imposes some control on the FLOW. MESSAGE FLOW A MESSAGE FLOW represents the sening an receiving of messages between the POOLS. POOL A POOL represents a Participant in a Process. It also acts as a graphical container for partitioning a set of ACTIVITIES from other Pools, usually in the context of B2B situations. White, 2004 REVISION This activity is not mae explicit in any BPMN proceure foun uring literature stuy, however the notion of reviewing an eiting the iagram is heavily implie throughout the stuie papers leaing to the activity being present in the PDD thus justifying the concept being present. White, 2004 SEMANTIC DATA ANNOTATIONS are use to make explicit the SEMANTICS of a TASK. SEQUENCE FLOW A SEQUENCE FLOW represents the sequencing constraints between FLOW OBJECTS. It is the basic an essential CONNECTING OBJECT in a WORKFLOW. SUBPROCESS A SUB PROCESS represents compoun ACTIVITIES an expresses the hierarchical nature of workflows.

14 Metho Engineering Pim e Jong SWIMLANE A SWIMLANE is a structuring object that comprises POOL an LANES. Both of them allow the efinition of process bounaries. TASK A TASK represents a simple or a composite unit of work of the integration workflow.

15 Metho Engineering Pim e Jong Relate work BPM an BPMN has existe for years an has been subject to a variety of stuies an researchers. This chapter tries to position the topic of BPMN with regars to its context. The process of BPM is seen as a spiritual successor to Workflow Management (WFM) (Aalst, Hofstee & Weske, 2003), which saw a rise of popularity in the nineties (Aalst, Netjes & Reijers, 2004) ue to businesses acknowleging value in improve operational performance when process management is applie. Nee for effective management of business processes also arose ue to various enhance nees of businesses like the nee for more efficient organization of processes ue to a rise in clientele an orers or faster information transfer (Ko & Lee, 2009). The Business Process Management Systems (BPMS) market was one of the fastest growing markets of that time. Gartner estimate the BPMS market to rise 24% each year from 2006 onwar (Hill, Cantara & Kerremans, 2007). This tren rove the nee for graphical notations for enhance reaability an lower knowlege ceiling tools to support BPM. Many tools provie functionalities like the support of the BPM cycle, esign, execution, analysis an so on an so forth. The crux of the issue was that these tools were all rastically ifferent from one another an offere too many issues for non-eucate / traine people. These tools were simply too complicate, an i not offer a fix-all solution. BPMN was propose to aress these problems (). Various other approaches, e.g. Six Sigma, an tools, e.g. Business Process Execution Language (BPEL), Petri nets an Unifie Moeling Language (UML) Activity Diagrams, for the support of BPM exist (Aalst et al., 2003). Even though these approaches all have a common goal they may not all work on the same conceptual level (Wohe, Aalst, Dumas, Hofstee & Russell, 2006). We can ivie languages an notations into informal, semiformal an formal categories. An example of an informal language is common English as we speak it every ay. This language is easy to unerstan, however it is impossible to formally valiate or automate ue to complexity. Semiformal languages have some guielines but there is still little formal valiation possible. However, more an more tools erupt in orer to try an valiate these languages (e.g. Bizagi Process Moeler). Examples of semiformal languages are BPMN, ArchiMate, UML an FAM. Formal languages are often mathematical an allow for formal analysis. These languages are often complicate but offer formal valiation possibilities, e.g. Petri nets. The many examples prove that BPMN as a technique is globally often applie. Business analysts frequently use BPMN for its wie range of moelling options in orer to create a graphical representation of an organization (zur Muehlen & Recker, 2008). It is also use by many eucational institutions (Queenslan University of Technology, Howe School of Technology Management, an Utrecht University) an supporte by many other tools an businesses (IBM, Tibco, Sungar) for graphical representation an analysis (Recker, 2010). Nowaays, research is still being one on the area of process management (Gartner, 2015). An BPMN can still be seen as one of the stanars for process moeling (; Dijkman et al., 2007; Ko & Lee, 2009).

16 Metho Engineering Pim e Jong References van er Aalst, W. M., Ter Hofstee, A. H., & Weske, M. (2003). Business process management: A survey. Business Process Management, van er Aalst, W. M., Netjes, M., & Reijers, H. A. (2007). Supporting the full BPM life-cycle using process mining an intelligent reesign. Contemporary Issues in Database Design an Information Systems Development, Dijkman, R. M., Dumas, M., & Ouyang, C. (2007). Formal semantics an analysis of BPMN process moels using Petri nets. Language, 50(12), El Akkaoui, Z., & Zimányi, E. (2009). Defining ETL workflows using BPMN an BPEL. Proceeings of the ACM twelfth international workshop on Data warehousing an OLAP. (pp ). New York, USA. Gartner (2015). Business Process Management venors. Gartner Business Process Management Summit 2015, 1 7. Hill, J. B., Kerremans, M., & Bell, T. (2007). Cool venors in business process management. Gartner Research, Stamfor, CT. Ko, R. K., Lee, S. S., & Wah Lee, E. (2009). Business process management (BPM) stanars: a survey. Business Process Management Journal, 15(5), Object Management Group. (2011). Business Process Moel an Notation (BPMN). Retrieve April 05, 2016, from Recker, J. (2010). Opportunities an constraints: the current struggle with BPMN. Business Process Management Journal, 16(1): , Rücker, B. (2012). BPMN an unstructure processes? ACM? Example patent. Retrieve April 05, 2016, from Satyanarayana, J. (2012). Managing Transformation: Objectives to Outcomes. New Delhi: PHI Learning Pvt. Lt. Weske, M. (2012). Business process management: concepts, languages, architectures. Berlin: Springer Science & Business Meia. van e Weer, I., & Brinkkemper, S. (2008). Meta-moeling for situational analysis an esign methos. In M.R. Sye an S.N. Sye (Es.), Hanbook of Research on Moern Systems Analysis an Design Technologies an Applications (pp ). Hershey: Iea Group Publishing. White, S. A. (2004). Introuction to BPMN. New York: IBMI. Wohe, P., van er Aalst, W. M. P., Dumas, M., ter Hofstee, a. H. M., & Russell, N. (2006). On the suitability of BPMN for business process moelling. Proceeings of the 4th International Conference, Vienna, Austria,