Outlining Business Processes

In this training, we will create several business processes. The reason for this split is, to keep this example as simple and useful as possible.

Each business in this training has a different use case. The high level process is outlined as follows:

1. Create a purchase order process.

   This is the leading, the main process.

2. Create the distribution process.

   In this process, we check the stage and create a mapping.

3. Create a dummy process, a helper process.

4. Create a procurement process, here we check, if a part is available.

5. Create integration centric processes, to start the integration.

6. Combine all processes to a big, challenging process.

Business Process Management (or BPM) is a method for defining an organization's workflows in order to control them and make them more efficient. BPM defines the responsible persons in an organization, what they do, and in which order or sequence.

Often, ambiguous terms are used to describe the term BPM, leading to confusion. The abbreviation BPM is often used for Business Process Mapping or Business Process Modeling.

For our purposes, BPM is used only for business process management or, more simply, process management.  The process is a series of specified activities and tasks to be executed by humans or machines in order to achieve one or more objectives. BPM uses a systematic approach to run, document, measure, monitor, and control both automated and nonautomated activities so that the organization's strategic goals can be met.

This course aims to clear up the confusion about BPM and show you how to use it for the benefit of your organization. We begin by describing the technical framework of the course and how to use process applications within a flexible architecture.

The first step is to understand the basics of Business Process Modeling Notation (BPMN).

BPMN Definition

BPMN is a graphical specification language that represents the available symbols used to help business and computer specialists model and document business processes and workflows.

BPMN and Object Management Group (OMG)

BPMN 2.0 was developed by the Object Management Group (OMG) which is an international, non-profit technology standards consortium. The consortium introduced the slogan What You Model Is What You Execute (WYMISWYE), which is one of the big advantages of the BPMN 2.0 standard.

In a document from the Object Management Group, BPMN is described as a formal meta-model developed for the modeling of processes. BPMN focuses on processes as a time-logical sequence of activities. BPMN models are not executable alone. The graphical description provided by BPMN is translated into a dialect of XML. This dialect is then interpreted and executed by a suitable process engine.

Simple rules and symbols make it possible for this formal metamodel to meet the needs of individual departments, including IT, allowing the model to be accepted and understood by different viewers. In order for this to happen, however, all stakeholders must be willing to engage in the BPMN process.

The primary goal of BPMN is to provide a notation that is immediately understandable to all users. This applies to the business analysts to whom the process provides the first initial process sketches, the technical developers performing the processes, and the professionals who manage and monitor the processes. Thus, BPMN provides a standardized bridge between the business process design and its implementation.

The sequence diagram is the most important method for charting a process. It describes the activities that are carried out, when they are carried out, and the order and conditions for carrying them out.

The figure shows an example of a sequence diagram.

These types of diagrams describe the complex interactions between additional BPMN processes in A2A and B2B applications, and are outside the focus of this course.

The figure shows an example of a choreography diagram.

For these situations, different modeling variants must be used.