BPMN Primer

Razvan Radulian, MBAIndependent Consultant/Coach/TrainerWhy-What-How Consulting, LLC

razvan.radulian@why-what-how.com

Webinar hosted by ASPE SDLC Training

Introductions

Razvan Radulian, MBA• Independent Consultant/Coach/Trainer• 15+ years of Business/System + Process

Analysis, Design, and Implementation• Certified…

– Business Analyst– Expert in Business Process Management (OCEB)– Project Management– Lean Management

AgendaWhy BPMN?

– Problems it tries to address– Strengths & Weaknesses

• BPMN vs. “alternatives”

What it is– Core elements– Symbols, Syntax, Semantics

How (only the tip of the iceberg)– BPMN by example

What do BPM & BPMN stand for?

• BPM = Business Process Management• Business Process Modeling Notation (BPMN 1.x)• Business Process Model & Notation (BPMN 2.0)

Is that important?!?

Problems BPMN addresses• Communication & understanding issues:

– Business– IT– Business AND IT

• Lack of precision, accuracy, consistency at at least 1 of the 3 communication levels:– Symbols, words– Syntax– Semantics

Alternatives to BPMN… each with advantages and, mostly, disadvantages

• Expanded Event-driven Process Chains (EPC/ARIS)

• Activity diagrams (UML)• Traditional flowcharts, aka. Swimlanes, Cross-

functional, etc.

OK, let’s just put this aside…

Source: BPM Academic Initiative

BPMN is to Business Analysis/SDLC…… as Language is to Communication

• Symbols & Words – Basic communication elements

• Syntax– Rules for combining symbols/words into…

• Sentences/Phrases• Process Diagrams and Models

• Semantics– The meaning of it all

Try this…Try to explain the “Pull a cat by the tail” process and why it’s not such a good idea:• to a 2-year old child:

– Mostly Semantics– Simple or no [standard] Symbols and/or Syntax

• to a Business Partner/Executive:– Should be standard/precise Symbols, Syntax, and Semantics…

…BUT, often times, it’s a mix of inconsistent Symbols, confusing “Syntax”, and imprecise & implied Semantics

As you can guess, talking with Business Partners/Execs is (should be) a “bit” more complex…

… does our communication meet that requirement?

CAUTION: BPMN does not ensure GOOD SEMANTICS!

BPMN Specification can enforce:• Symbols & Syntax (IF analysts create valid BPMN

Models)

BUT, to ensure GOOD BPMN Models, Process Analysts/Designers must also implement/enforce Process Modeling BEST PRACTICES*

* Recommended book: BPMN Method & Style, 2nd edition, by Bruce Silver

Critics to BPMN

“Too complex for business people”

“Not expressive enough”

“There are a lot of bad BPMN models”

…so “BPMN is [must be] bad for Business People!”

But, does that make any sense?!?

Compare that with…– Is English bad for communication only because many college

applicants submit bad essays (i.e. misspelled words, wrong syntax, unclear message, messy, etc.)?

Advantages of BPMNDe-facto Standard

– Managed by Object Management Group (OMG)– Open specification, free to all (public)

Multiple levels of abstraction, addressing multiple concerns/perspectives:– Descriptive– Analytical– Executable

Simple, yet sophisticated enough to allows nuanced definition/interpretation:– Hierarchical/progressive elaboration (see both the forest and the trees)– Life-like Event processing– Process/participants collaboration– Rich set of task, gateway, and event types

Closest match to pre-defined WORKFLOW PATTERNS*

Model interchange & execution (BPMN 2.0)

* See http://workflowpatterns.com/

IMPOSSIBLE to cover BPMN in 1-hour*…

Fundamentals (Descriptive level):– Flow elements: Activities, Gateways, Events– Connectors: Sequence & Message Flow, Associations– Pools & Lanes– Data & Artifacts

Some [of the many] unique features:– Orchestration (internal) AND collaboration between

Participants/Processes– Integrating Human Tasks/Workflow AND Automated Services– “Happy path” AND Alternate/Exceptions paths– Escalations & Compensations– Fit for communication (business & IT) AND process execution

* A full BPMN class will be offered starting spring of 2014

BPMN 2.0 Poster(s): the WHOLE picture…

Source: http://bpmb.de/poster (available in several languages)

Fundamentals: FLOW ELEMENTSActivities (Tasks & Sub-processes):• Task types:

– Abstract, User, Service, Send/Receive, Rule, etc.• Instances: Single, Loop, Multiple instances• Structured or Ad-hoc

Gateways (split & merge/synchronization):• Exclusive:

– Data-based (XOR) or Event-based• Parallel (AND)• Inclusive (OR)• Complex

Events (Start, End, or Intermediate):• In-flow or attached• Rich set of trigger/result types:

– None, Message, Timer (Level 1)– Conditional, Parallel, Multiple, Terminate, Cancel, etc.

• Catching (triggers) or Throwing (results)

Level 1 Level 2 The “odd”

XOR AND OR EventXOR

Complex

Task Sub-Process

Fundamentals: CONNECTORS

Sequence flow (orchestration):– between internal tasks/players

Message flow (collaboration):– between collaborating

participants/processes

Associations:– Inputs/outputs– Annotations

Fundamentals: POOLS and LANES

Pools:– In full control of contained

activities/workflow– Pool = Process– May have multiple Pools per

Business Process Diagram (BPD)

– Pools exchange/collaborate through Messages

Lanes (multiple levels):– Roles, Departments…– Lanes (within a Pool) coordinate

work through Sequence flow

Fundamentals: DATA & ARTIFACTS

Data:– Data Objects

• Input & Output• Have state (e.g.

Request[Approved])• Process-data

– Data Store:• Permanent storage (e.g. database,

repository, etc.) of the process data

Artifacts:– Annotations– Group

Useful concept: TOKENS

• Visual representation of how work would flow through a process

• Not part of BPMN specification• For examples, see Workflow Patterns

website (workflowpatterns.com/)

Some of [the many] UNIQUE features!

• Rich/unmatched event-driven capabilities• Explicit definition/description of BOTH…

– Orchestration of internal activities/tasks AND– Collaboration between Participants/Processes

• Integration of BOTH…– Human Tasks/Workflow AND– Automated Services (heard of SOA?)

• Going beyond the “Happy path”, in a clear and concise way:– Alternate/Exceptions paths:

• attached events: Interrupting and Non-interrupting (BPMN 2.0)

– Escalations & compensations

Unmatched EVENT-driven capabilities

ORCHESTRATION AND COLLABORATION

Integrating HUMAN and SERVICE tasks

Handling ALTERNATE/EXCEPTION and ESCALATION paths

How complex can it be?

… and this is still a pretty “SIMPLE” process ;-)

Things we haven’t talked about…• Levels 2 (Analytical) & 3 (Executable)• Transactions & compensations• BPMN in the context of:

– BPM (Business Process Management)– Business & Enterprise Architecture– Agile

• BPMN vs. Use Cases• BPMN Analysis & Simulations• BPM & BPMN Certification

… and MUCH MORE!

Some useful Resources• BPMN 2.0 Specification (www.omg.org/spec/BPMN/2.0/)

• Workflow Patterns (workflowpatterns.com/)

• Books:

• BPMN Method and Style, 2nd edition, by Bruce Silver

• Real-Life BPMN, by J. Freund & B. Rucker

• The MicroGuide to Process Modeling, by T. Debevoise & R. Geneva

• BPM Academic Initiative (bpmai.org/BPMAcademicInitiative/)

• Business Process Incubator (articles, eLearning, tools, etc.)

• Camunda BPMN Framework (www.camunda.org/)

• ASPE SDLC Website (webinars, classes, articles/blog, etc.)

Contact me: Razvan.Radulian@why-what-how.com :-)

Q & A

Thanks :-)

Contact: razvan.radulian@why-what-how.com