Efficient BPMN: from Anti-Patterns to Best...
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Transcript of Efficient BPMN: from Anti-Patterns to Best...
Architecture Made Simple
Efficient BPMN:
from Anti-Patterns to Best Practices
Kristina Bigelienė, No Magic Europe
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About Speaker
Kristina Bigelienė
Solution Architect for Business Modeling domain at
No Magic Europe (Lithuania).
Practical experience in BP analysis, modeling,
optimization and implementation of ERP systems.
Telecommunications (TeliaSonera group) and Higher Education (private University) business domains.
OMG certified expert in BPM. Master degrees in
Computer Science and Management.
5 years of academic teaching experience.
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Why Modeling?
Understand WHAT and HOW
are you DOING
Preserve KNOWLEDGE
Manage COMPLEXITY
Business process analysis and implementation
SUCCESS highly depends on the QUALITY
of the created business model!
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State of BPM Practice
Business process modeling practice is not yet mature.
Common modeling mistakes make models
non-understandable.
Stakeholders are not accepting modeling as
diagrams are too complex and inconsistent.
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Challenge of Informal Business Process Drawings
How to optimize
the service time
for the VIP
customers?
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BPMN: Standard for Business Process Modeling
Provides a standardized graphical notation for business
process modeling.
Is understandable by all stakeholders: business analysts,
excellence people, developers.
BPMN 2.0 standard is developed by OMG (Object Management Group): http://www.bpmn.org/
BPMN stands for Business Process Model and Notation.
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Modeling: From Anti-Patterns to Best Practices
Share and Apply Best Business Modeling Practices!
COMMON MISTAKES BEST PRACTICES
Different Business Process
Understanding
Unified Business Process
Understanding
Inconsistent Naming Strict Naming Conventions
Large Process Diagrams Multiple Layers of Detail
Modeling Minor Details Documenting Minor Details
Slalom in Diagrams Clear Primary Scenario
Re-inventing Bicycle Applying Process Patterns
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Different Business Process Understanding
AUTHOR BUSINESS PROCESS DEFINITION
Geary A. Rummler
& Alan P. Brache
A series of steps designed to produce a product or service.
If the result is directly of benefit for the customer, it is a primary
process; otherwise it is supporting process.
Martin Ould A coherent set of activities carried out by a collaborating group
to achieve a goal.
Workflow
Management
Coalition (WfMC)
A set of one or more linked procedures or activities that
collectively realize a business objective or policy goal, normally
within the context of an organizational structure defining
functional roles and relationships.
BP Trends
At its most generic, any set of activities performed by a
business that is initiated by an event, transforms information,
materials or business commitments, and produces an output.
Value chains and large-scale business processes produce
outputs that are valued by customers. Other processes
generate outputs that are valued by other processes.
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Business Process is a reusable set of related activities which is
performed by an organization in order to create business value
(product, service, document) leading towards achieving
organization’s business goals.
Can you define...
... a clear beginning? ... a clear end? ... the business value process brings? ... a set of composing activities? ... a reusable sequence of activities?
Examples:
Provide Loan
Fulfill Order
Organize Conference
Prepare Annual Budget
Handle Incident Report
Perform Financial Audit
Recruit New Employee
Unified Business Process Understanding
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Modeling: From Anti-Patterns to Best Practices
Share and Apply Best Business Modeling Practices!
COMMON MISTAKES BEST PRACTICES
Different Business Process
Understanding
Unified Business Process
Understanding
Inconsistent Naming Strict Naming Conventions
Large Process Diagrams Multiple Layers of Detail
Modeling Minor Details Documenting Minor Details
Slalom in Diagrams Clear Primary Scenario
Re-inventing Bicycle Applying Process Patterns
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Anti-Pattern: Inconsistent Naming
Mixed naming hides
inconsistent
understanding!
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Strict Naming Conventions
Activities: a strong verb + a noun (e.g. Announce Seminar)
Participant: a noun (e.g. Delegate, Seminar Coordinator)
Events: a noun (e.g. Registration Request, Registration Deadline)
Data objects: a noun (e.g. Customer List, Feedback Form)
Gateways: unnamed - gateways do not perform work!
Sequence Flow: named only after a data-based (Exclusive and Inclusive)
gateway, gives a condition on which it is activated (e.g. Participants > 30)
The language that
we speak shapes
our thinking
Emphasis on the achieved result, not on action!
No conjunctions in names!
Short name + documentation instead of long names!
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Best Practice: Refactored Process Diagram
Action names focus on
achieving the result.
Unnamed Gateway.
No conjunctions in names.
No long names:
details are moved to
documentation.
Recommendation: to establish naming convention guidelines.
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Modeling: From Anti-Patterns to Best Practices
Share and Apply Best Business Modeling Practices!
COMMON MISTAKES BEST PRACTICES
Different Business Process
Understanding
Unified Business Process
Understanding
Inconsistent Naming Strict Naming Conventions
Large Process Diagrams Multiple Layers of Detail
Modeling Minor Details Documenting Minor Details
Inconsistent Loop Usage Defining Right Scope for Activities
Slalom in Diagrams Clear Primary Scenario
Re-inventing Bicycle Applying Process Patterns
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Anti-Pattern: Over Complex Process Diagrams
5±2!
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Best Practice: Multiple Levels of Detail
Rule: up to 10 activities
in a single diagram.
Question:
How many tasks can we
define in 3 levels of detail?
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Modeling: From Anti-Patterns to Best Practices
Share and Apply Best Business Modeling Practices!
COMMON MISTAKES BEST PRACTICES
Different Business Process
Understanding
Unified Business Process
Understanding
Inconsistent Naming Strict Naming Conventions
Large Process Diagrams Multiple Layers of Detail
Modeling Minor Details Documenting Minor Details
Slalom in Diagrams Clear Primary Scenario
Re-inventing Bicycle Applying Process Patterns
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“All models are wrong but some are useful.” W. Edwards Demming
Anti-Pattern: Modeling Minor Details
We can always add more and
more business rules to the
diagram. Is it worth putting
it all to a diagram?
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Modeling: From Anti-Patterns to Best Practices
Share and Apply Best Business Modeling Practices!
COMMON MISTAKES BEST PRACTICES
Different Business Process
Understanding
Unified Business Process
Understanding
Inconsistent Naming Strict Naming Conventions
Large Process Diagrams Multiple Layers of Detail
Modeling Minor Details Documenting Minor Details
Slalom in Diagrams Clear Primary Scenario
Re-inventing Bicycle Applying Process Patterns
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Anti-Pattern: Slalom in Diagrams
Reading BPMN diagram is obscured by: Long, meandering, crossing lines.
Different size boxes.
Jumping in a timescale.
Mixed flow of the primary and alternative scenarios.
“Slalom” – a lack of consistent direction of flow.
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Best Practice: Clear Primary Scenario
Primary scenario should be
visible on one line ().
It is recommended to start
modeling from primary
scenario and add secondary
scenario(s) later.
All activities are the
same size.
Shapes are aligned.
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Modeling: From Anti-Patterns to Best Practices
Share and Apply Best Business Modeling Practices!
COMMON MISTAKES BEST PRACTICES
Different Business Process
Understanding
Unified Business Process
Understanding
Inconsistent Naming Strict Naming Conventions
Large Process Diagrams Multiple Layers of Detail
Modeling Minor Details Documenting Minor Details
Inconsistent Loop Usage Defining Right Scope for Activities
Slalom in Diagrams Clear Primary Scenario
Re-inventing Bicycle Applying Process Patterns
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There is no delay
to wait for the
answer
Anti-Pattern: Re-inventing Bicycle
There is always
1 month delay
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Process Pattern: Deferred Choice
Process patterns provide bigger modeling components that
enable creating simpler and more efficient process diagrams.
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Process Pattern: Timer Events Patterns
Scheduled Start:
Delay:
Timeout:
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Process Pattern: Internal Business Error (1)
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Anti-Pattern: Repeating Event
Repeating events
complicates diagram
and its maintenance.
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Process Pattern: Attached Event Pattern
A SubProcess with attached
event allows defining the scope
of an event precisely.
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Wrap Up: Refactor Your Models
Use standard notation
Apply naming conventions
Refactor large diagrams to several layers of the details
Exclude minor details from diagrams
Apply process patterns
Keep primary scenario clear
Create good looking process diagrams!
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Building Sustainable Business Modeling Culture
Use business modeling standards like BPMN.
Stick to a set of principles for efficient modeling.
Apply best practices for modeling and model management.
Learn and apply process patterns (blueprints).
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The Recipe for Success
think BIG
start SMALL
and EVOLVE
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Improving business models is a never ending journey…
Thank you!
