System Architect support for Business Process Modeling Notation (BPMN)

1. System Architect support for Business Process Modeling Notation (BPMN)

2. Business Process Modeling Notation (BPMN) • Provides functionality for defining and understanding internal and external business procedures through a Business Process Diagram • Supports the generation of executable languages e.g. BPEL and BPML

3. Core set of diagram components Event - an occurrence that triggers the business to respond. Process - a series of activities that are undertaken in order to achieve a result and has clear starting and stopping points. Gateway - used to control how flows interact as they converge and diverge to processes. Sequence Flow - show the order that activities will be performed in a Process (plus optional conditions) Message Flow - show the flow of messages between two parties that are able to send and receive them. Association - used to associate information and artifacts with flow objects Event Process Gateway Sequence Flow Message Flow Association Sequence Flow With Condition

4. Event Type Start Intermediate End Message Timer Process error Cancel Compensation Rule Link Kill Multiple Event Type Combinations Event - an occurrence that triggers the business to respond. They affect the flow of the Process, and can start, interrupt, or end the flow. Message – the arrival of information. Timer – temporal occurrence event. Error – the occurrence of an exceptional instance. Cancel – user intervention that stops the process (used with transactions only) Compensation - to perform additional processes that correct that which has failed. Rule – instantiation of a business rule. Link – links End/Start events to form process chains. Kill – terminate the entire process completely (used with transactions only). Multiple – any combinations of the above event types.

5. Process Characterisation Iterative – multiple instances are performed iteratively. Parallel – multiple instances are performed in parallel. Ad Hoc – process whose activities are completely controlled by the performers of the activities, not by a process engine.

6. Gateway Types Gateways modeling elements that control convergence and divergence of sequence flow interaction. Not necessary unless the flow needs to controlled. Gateway/ XOR – Exclusive Data based Decision/Merge Event – Exclusive Event based Decision/Merge And – Parallel Fork/Join OR – Inclusive Decision/Merge XOR - Exclusive Decision/Merge Complex – Complex logic

7. Participants Pool A Pool acts as the container for the Sequence Flow between Processes. Sequence Flow are used within pools and lanes Message Flows attach between pools/lanes. Lane A Lane is a sub-partition within a Pool and is used to organize and categorize processes within a Pool HR HR Head Office Divisional Office

8. Artefacts Data Objects are not flowing objects, but provide information about how documents, data, and other objects are involved with a process. Text Annotations allow the modeller to provide additional information for the reader of a BPMN diagram Add comments here Group allow the modeller to visually group processes

9. Sample High Level BPMN Diagram

10. Decomposed Process Decomposition of ‘Register Item for Auction’ process

11. Subprocess-in-process view Exploded view of ‘Register Item for Auction’ process +/- toggles between exploded (child diagram) view and non-exploded view

12. Symbol Depictions Symbol depictions showing trigger and gateway types

13. Future Developments • BPMN version 2 (currently v 0.9) • BPEL – execution language generation • Simulation (Witness)