Outline

1. BPM Process Modeling Best Practices HighlightsBased on over a decade of BPM Services EngagementsBill.Hahn@us.ibm.comSr. Consulting BPM Solution ArchitectOpen Group Master Certified SW IT Specialisthttp://IBMBPMDemos.comfor more information and resources

2. Outline • Introduction • Definition of Terms • Five Guidelines • 1) Rule of Seven • 2) Activity Granularity • 3) Activity Description • 4) Inputs/Outputs • 5) The System Lane • Conclusion • Q&A

3. Definition of Terms • Business Process Definition (BPD) • Pool • Swim Lane • Milestone • Participant • Step/Activity • Flow Line • Business Event • User Story

4. Business Process Definition (BPD) A diagram that illustrates a business process includes participants, steps, activities, and sub-processes Business Process Definition objectives: Universallyunderstoodby both business and technologists Clearly and easily communicated in 5 minutes or less • at any level of granularity Executable in a Business Process Management System

5. What is not a Business Process Definition? Entity State Diagrams Use Cases, Use Case Relationship Diagrams System Relationship Diagram Architectural Diagram Workflow Model (Application Development), Screen Flow

6. Pool A container for all lanes within the BPD 6

7. (Swim) Lane • Highlights role oriented activities versus the flow oriented activities • A lane has a default set of participants 7

8. Milestones • May characterize period of time • e.g. adolescence • A milestone should be achieved just once in a BPD • Looping back across a milestone is discouraged A milestone in a process… Represents • A period of time • Goal/transition in the process May be expressed as a single moment in time • e.g. graduation • A milestone end-marker

9. Participant A participant is a user of the WLE environment Sets of users are Participant Groups

10. Activity/Step A unit of granularity in a process that… Has a goal that can be expressed as a singular outcome Implemented as • Task (human or system) • Sub-process Can be a human task • Single participant begins the activity Can contain multiple steps, (e.g. screens in a screen flow) • These steps are not process steps Can be a sub-process • Implemented as another BPD

11. Sequence Flow Lines A sequence flow line… Defines the transition from one step or event to another

12. Events throw listen A business event… Is the occurrence of a condition that triggers an activity. Can listen to catch a condition to trigger an activity or… …throw a result upon occurrence. Types of events include the following: • Start /End • Timer • Message • Exception

13. User Story See Agile Modeling at http://www.agilemodeling.com/artifacts/userStory.htm Short, high-level statement of requirements • Students can purchase monthly parking passes online • Parking passes can be paid via credit cards • Parking passes can be paid via PayPal™ • Professors can input student marks Stakeholders and domain experts write user stories  Can include both functional and non-functional requirements Indicate the estimated size/implementation effort Indicate the priority Optionally include a unique identifier • Improves traceability

14. Five Guidelines to Better Process Modeling Introduction Definition of Terms Five Guidelines • 1) Rule of Seven • 2) Activity Granularity • 3) Activity Description • 4) Inputs/Outputs • 5) The System Lane Conclusion Q& A

15. Example of a bad Process Model Select Company in dropdown Click button to add a new line item. Click OK

16. Example of a bad Process Model “String of Pearls” Pattern No Milestones Defined “Constellation” Pattern 4 System Lanes

17. (1) Rule of Seven Select Candidate Background Check Offer Add Candidate To HR Records Orientation Begin Work Inform recruiter Criminal record check Create offer letter Input employee information into database New hire orientation class Meet manager Establish compensation package Drug screen Transmit offer letter Request equipment Benefits overview class Obtain access badge Establish start date Release Candidate from Process Accept offer Request workspace Provide orientation cd Obtain equipment Review results Request access badge Watch orientation cd Go to workspace Set employee status to active Complete forms Limit any view to no more than 7 steps/activities for good fit.

18. (2) Activity Granularity Purchase Groceries Activities should be Similar in Scope at each level Look for the String of Pearls pattern. Look for the Constellation pattern. Look for Flow Line Patterns Remember that an Activity • Is a step in a process that can be implemented as a sub-process or a task. • Definition in a Process Model should stop at taskgranularity. • A task activity is a unit of work that a single participant (human or system) starts with the intent to complete.

19. (2) Activity Granularity – Scope Plan Party Host Party Clean Up Invite Guests Welcome Guests Clean the House Prepare Menu Serve Snacks Send Thank You Cards Get Veggies Get Veggies Serve Cake & Ice Cream Get Cake Get Cake Play Games Pay with AMEX Pay with AMEX • Where do we stop? Get Ice Cream Get Ice Cream Open Gifts Drive Home Drive Home Open Door Get Chips & Dip Get Chips & Dip Play Games Put Veggies in Fridge Put Veggies in Fridge Set Ice Cream on Shelf Checkout Checkout Put Ice Cream in Freezer Put Ice Cream in Freezer Close Door Overloaded Milestone (Rule of Seven) Dissimilar in Scope Too Granular in Detail

20. (2) Activity Granularity – Scope Plan Party Host Party Clean Up Will a single person complete the activity? Invite Guests Welcome Guests Clean the House Prepare Menu Serve Snacks Send Thank You Cards Is the goal or outcome an input for the next activity? Serve Cake & Ice Cream Purchase Groceries Play Games Is the duration similar to others at this level? Open Gifts Will the activity be started with the intent to finish? Play Games Activities should be similar in scope at each level.

21. (2) Activity Granularity – String of Pearls Pattern Series of two or more activities in the same swim lane May indicate missing participant details May indicate too much detail at a low level of granularity May indicate misalignment in scope

22. (2) Activity Granularity – String of Pearls Pattern Combine into a single Activity: Send Offer Letter • Before • 3 serial activities for Hiring Manager • Review Results • Create Offer Letter • Transmit Offer Letter • After • 1 activity for Hiring Manger

23. (2) Activity Granularity – Constellation Pattern Factor constellations to a sub-process. Look for… • Tight groupsof activities across 2-3 swim lanes • Single flow line in & out of the group • Lane participant may be limited to activities in the group

24. (2) Activity Granularity – Flow Line Patterns Generally should not flow backward to a previous milestone. Generally should not skip a Milestone. Should avoid looping back to a previous step to repeat an activity (or sub-process) later in the process—repeat/re-use the activity instead.

25. (3) Activity Description – Activity Naming Perform Review Approve Contract Terms Activity Name = Action + Entity [action verb] + [business object] Avoid vague action verbs such as Processand Perform [Step] Use action verbs that indicate a result/output Use specific terms recognizable by the business users (even if they might be vague to others) and describe/define the terms in the description if necessary.

26. (3) Activity Description – User Story Capture a 2-5 sentence description for each activity. • As a [participant] I need to [do something] so that I can [create business value].

27. (4) Inputs/Outputs Define with business entities from the business object model Avoid specifying state for the entity (eg. signed contract) Avoid specifying other qualifiers that are properties of the entity Candidate Job Description Comp. Details Offer Letter

28. (5) The System Lane Define only one system lane. Contains activities performed by the BPMS or orchestrated by the BPMS to be performed by an external system. Should not contain human activities. Avoid the string of pearls pattern.

29. Conclusion Q & A Introduction Definition of Terms Five Guidelines • 1) Rule of Seven • 2) Activity Granularity • 3) Activity Description • 4) Inputs/Outputs • 5) The System Lane Q&A

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