How to use BPMN for modeling business processes

A short version of my webinar "How to use BPMN for modeling business processes" is available on slideshare

http://www.slideshare.net/samarin/how-to-use-bpmn-for-modelling-business-processes

Some slides (marked with a small star) include animations. You have to download this PPT file to see these animations.

Thanks,
AS

Blog: Is Enterprise Architecture sociotechnical systems (STS) design ?

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As any modern enterprise is a socio-technical system then any enterprise-wide activity, e.g. EA, enterprise BPM, should explain to all stakeholders of this activity how this activity will address their concerns and improve their work. For detail, please, see the second part (from slide 23) of http://www.slideshare.net/samarin/architecting-enterprise-bpm-systems-for-optimal-agility-presentation


Thanks,
AS

Linkedin: How to modeling a monitoring process?

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I would use the following pattern:
8.3.11 Decide, Execute, Control – DEC pattern
This pattern (see figure below) covers the case where a parallel branch complements the normal working activities. This branch provides a control mechanism – it comprises a human activity which allows somebody to watch what is happening with a particular process instance (in the same way that an observation window allows one to observe the workings of a turbine).



Thanks,
AS

Inside Business Architecture: End to End Process Optimization is Overrated

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I think, it would be useful to _explicitely_ separate the e2e optimisation of process template vs the e2e optimisation of process instance. See for details a recent post -- http://improving-bpm-systems.blogspot.com/2009/07/linkedin-bp-group-soapbox-1-process-is.html

Thanks,
AS

Linkedin: Are You Prepared to Practice 3-Dimensional Process

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Very interesting discussion about “dimensions”. Try to contribute from the architecture side.

I think that any enterprise BPM system (see http://improving-bpm-systems.blogspot.com/2009/04/should-we-consider-third-forgotten-bpm.html for its definition) is a complex and dynamic set of interconnected and interdependent artefacts. For BPM the most important types of business artefact are:
- events
- processes
- activities
- rules
- roles
- objects(data and documents)
- audit trails
- key performance indicators (KPIs)
- services

The evolution of some artefacts and the relationships between them is necessary to accommodate typical changes in enterprise policies, enterprise priorities, compliance, technology, laws, etc. So, to be agile and responsive in business, it must be easy to modify all artefacts and their relationships without causing any negative effects (e.g. unexpected delays and undesired consequences) in any part of the BPM system.

I think that the four main architectural principles are necessary to achieve a high level of flexibility:
1. All artefacts must be versionable throughout their lifecycle.
2. All artefacts must evolve to become digital, externalised, virtual and components of clouds.
3. All relationships between artefacts must be modelled explicitly.
4. All models must be made to be executable.

More relationships are explicit and executable –> more knowledge about functioning of the enterprise -> more predictable results -> more rational decisions -> more comprehensive optimisation.

The best example of explicit and executable relationships between business artefacts is process -- who (role) is doing what (objects and activities), when (coordination of activities), why (rules), how (activities) and with which results (KPIs).

I think this approach follows the discussion, especially the previous post from Michael.

Thanks,
AS

Linkedin: BP GROUP SOAPBOX 1: Process is an Effect

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Re "... a much more complex process architecture" I offer the follow fragment from my docs.

<quote>
1.6 Your flexible BPM system will become an enabler for business innovations

A typical task for a BPM system is to balance the final added-value of the product against the overheads associated with restructuring and/or tuning the enterprise business system to create this added-value. Today market success is often based on offering personalised products for less overhead. This book is not about how to make your products better, different or more attractive for the market – this is for you to decide. What this book can offer is to help you reduce the overheads in doing so – your flexible BPM system will become an enabler for your business innovations.

Imagine that each product is handled by a personalised and dedicated “virtual” business micro-system. The micro-system is optimised for a particular product and evolves together with the product lifecycle (see figure below). As a result, any exception becomes the norm. Instead of reducing the number of variations and considering exceptions as a loss in productivity (“20 % of the work takes 80 % of the time”) all products are treated equally. Of course, this is already the case for the manufacturing of expensive products such as aircrafts, cars and, to some extent, computers, but such an approach is also applicable to a wider range of commodities, especially those treated/handled with software-intensive systems.



</quote>

Thanks,
AS

LinkedIn: Survey Finds BPM Projects Lack Architecture -- Redmond Developer News

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Architecture (as an architectural framework) is ready for BPM projects -- see http://www.slideshare.net/samarin/architecting-enterprise-bpm-systems-for-optimal-agility-presentation

This architectural framework is designed to help architects to translate a customer’s requirements into a viable plan and to guide others in its execution.

Thanks,
AS