Business Process Design Sandy Kemsley Kemsley Design Ltd. www.column2.com

Agenda BPM standards: beyond pretty pictures BPM and architecture BPM design patterns and principles Integrating business intelligence Integrating business rules

BPM standards: beyond pretty pictures

BPM and architecture

BPM design patterns and principles

Integrating business intelligence

Integrating business rules

A Brief Review

Process Discovery Drivers for improvement Analyzing the as-is Discovering improvement opportunities Think process Process prototyping

Drivers for improvement

Analyzing the as-is

Discovering improvement opportunities

Think process

Process prototyping

Process Modeling Process types BPM and SOA Simulation and optimization Process modeling standards (BPMN) Modeling for ROI Change management

Process types

BPM and SOA

Simulation and optimization

Process modeling standards (BPMN)

Modeling for ROI

Change management

BPM Standards

BPM notation standards Shared vision and communication between stakeholders Easy transition between tools for users BPMN (Business Process Modeling Notation)

Shared vision and communication between stakeholders

Easy transition between tools for users

BPMN (Business Process Modeling Notation)

BPM interchange standards Import/export of process models Evolving landscape of standards: XPDL (XML Process Definition Language) BPEL (Business Process Execution Language) BPDM (Business Process Definition Metamodel)

Import/export of process models

Evolving landscape of standards:

XPDL (XML Process Definition Language)

BPEL (Business Process Execution Language)

BPDM (Business Process Definition Metamodel)

XPDL (WfMC) Process definition serialization and interchange format Maintains spatial information Multiple processes per file Allows vendor-specific extensions Includes user interactions

Process definition serialization and interchange format

Maintains spatial information

Multiple processes per file

Allows vendor-specific extensions

Includes user interactions

BPDM (OMG) Process definition serialization and interchange format Includes choreography Will become part of BPMN in future version May displace XPDL

Process definition serialization and interchange format

Includes choreography

Will become part of BPMN in future version

May displace XPDL

BPEL (OASIS) Web services orchestration language In BPM, typically used as interchange format In SOA-related products, also used as execution language Does not directly translate all BPMN structures BPEL4People extension proposed

Web services orchestration language

In BPM, typically used as interchange format

In SOA-related products, also used as execution language

Does not directly translate all BPMN structures

BPEL4People extension proposed

Related standards BPRI: Business Process Runtime Interface SVBR: Semantics of Business Vocabulary and Rules www.column2.com/category/bpmthinktank for more on standards

BPRI: Business Process Runtime Interface

SVBR: Semantics of Business Vocabulary and Rules

www.column2.com/category/bpmthinktank for more on standards

BPM and Architecture

BPM and Enterprise Architecture 1st generation EA = classification schema 2nd generation EA = business processes as cornerstone: Start with business strategy Determine goals to implement strategy Determine business processes to meet goals Identify resources to implement processes

1st generation EA = classification schema

2nd generation EA = business processes as cornerstone:

Start with business strategy

Determine goals to implement strategy

Determine business processes to meet goals

Identify resources to implement processes

BPM and Enterprise Architecture Where a designer would use a BPMS How a builder would make it work What an owner would see

Where a designer would use a BPMS

How a builder would make it work

What an owner would see

Zachman Framework Rule Specifications Event Components Interface Components Network Components Program Components Data Components Components Rule Design Model Technology Event Diagram Presentation Architecture Network Technology Model Application Structure Chart Physical Data Model Technology Model Business Rule Model System Event Diagram Human Interface Architecture System Network Model System Process Model Logical Data Model System Model Business Strategy Model Business Event Model Business Workflow Model Business Network Model Business Process Model Business Entity Model Business Model List of Goals List of Cycles List of Organizations List of Locations List of Processes List of Things Scope Motivation (Why) Time (When) People (Who) Network (Where) Function (How) Data (What)

BPM and SOA Service A Service B Service C Service D Service E Legacy System Database ERP System Process Step 1 Process Step 2 Process Step 3 Process Step 4

BPM and SOA together BPM is the “killer app” for SOA; SOA is the enabling infrastructure for BPM SOA alone only allows you to design and build a set of services BPM alone would require custom coding for each system integration BPM + SOA orchestrates people and services into a business process

BPM is the “killer app” for SOA; SOA is the enabling infrastructure for BPM

SOA alone only allows you to design and build a set of services

BPM alone would require custom coding for each system integration

BPM + SOA orchestrates people and services into a business process

SOA in process design Invocation of existing services Design and development of new services What new services need to be created or acquired What legacy functions need to be wrapped in services

Invocation of existing services

Design and development of new services

What new services need to be created or acquired

What legacy functions need to be wrapped in services

BPM Design Patterns

Initiating processes Human intervention External event e.g., content added to repository Invoked as web service

Human intervention

External event

e.g., content added to repository

Invoked as web service

Human-facing steps Work type: Transactional Collaborative Participation frequency: Occasional Heads-down Participants outside the firewall Monitoring and governance

Work type:

Transactional

Collaborative

Participation frequency:

Occasional

Heads-down

Participants outside the firewall

Monitoring and governance

System steps Web service orchestration and legacy application integration Data synchronization Invoke subprocesses Content management integration

Web service orchestration and legacy application integration

Data synchronization

Invoke subprocesses

Content management integration

Role of content Document-focused: Create, review and approve document Document content does not impact process flow Usually collaborative Document-driven: Complete a transaction based on document content Document content controls process flow

Document-focused:

Create, review and approve document

Document content does not impact process flow

Usually collaborative

Document-driven:

Complete a transaction based on document content

Document content controls process flow

Volume of work Work assignment methods Work selection methods Granularity and complexity of process governance

Work assignment methods

Work selection methods

Granularity and complexity of process governance

Process complexity Frequency of process/rule changes Reusable subprocesses Web service and other external calls

Frequency of process/rule changes

Reusable subprocesses

Web service and other external calls

BPM Design Principles

Areas of process innovation Automational Informational Sequential Tracking Analytical Geographical Integrative Intellectual Disintermediating Source: Process Innovation, Thomas H. Davenport, 1992

Automational

Informational

Sequential

Tracking

Analytical

Geographical

Integrative

Intellectual

Disintermediating

Redesigning for Automation Automate manual work steps Directly integrate data between systems Provide process monitoring and control Automate process statistics gathering and analysis

Automate manual work steps

Directly integrate data between systems

Provide process monitoring and control

Automate process statistics gathering and analysis

Redesigning for Disintermediation Provide customer self-service to initiate processes Provide process visibility to customer

Provide customer self-service to initiate processes

Provide process visibility to customer

Redesigning for Location Independence Share redundant processes between business units Identify steps that can be completed in isolation Automate escalation and handoffs Separate heads-down from interactive functions

Share redundant processes between business units

Identify steps that can be completed in isolation

Automate escalation and handoffs

Separate heads-down from interactive functions

Steps in modeling/design Define graphical process flow Define parameters of each step Human-facing System (automated) Define routing Identify process triggers

Define graphical process flow

Define parameters of each step

Human-facing

System (automated)

Define routing

Identify process triggers

Define process flow Graphical map of process Steps for user or automated tasks Routes between steps Parallel and sequential flow

Graphical map of process

Steps for user or automated tasks

Routes between steps

Parallel and sequential flow

Define step parameters Data fields, including attachments Human-facing steps: Participant (individual or role) User interface form/tools System steps: Web service call Subprocess call Other custom action

Data fields, including attachments

Human-facing steps:

Participant (individual or role)

User interface form/tools

System steps:

Web service call

Subprocess call

Other custom action

Define conditional routing Split/merge type Merge conditions

Split/merge type

Merge conditions

Identify process launch triggers Manual launch External event trigger Invoked as web service

Manual launch

External event trigger

Invoked as web service

Designing work selection “Push” work selection Advanced work assignment, e.g., skills matrix Search for work Embed in portal Email work assignments

“Push” work selection

Advanced work assignment, e.g., skills matrix

Search for work

Embed in portal

Email work assignments

Designing the user interface Data display and validation Launch other applications Complex routing rules on exit

Data display and validation

Launch other applications

Complex routing rules on exit

Designing process management Work assignment filtering rules/skills matrix Frequent work reallocation Change work in progress

Work assignment filtering rules/skills matrix

Frequent work reallocation

Change work in progress

Integration with legacy systems Data synchronization Web services or custom adapter to fetch/update data at process step Batch data upload/download Process integration Invoke legacy process Wait for return state or allow for asynchronous rendezvous

Data synchronization

Web services or custom adapter to fetch/update data at process step

Batch data upload/download

Process integration

Invoke legacy process

Wait for return state or allow for asynchronous rendezvous

Incremental implementation Step 1: non-integrated BPM Minimal customization Dashboard Provides process governance and optimization Step 2: integrate critical data synchronization interfaces Reduces data entry/errors Step 3: integrate critical external process interfaces Provides overall process governance

Step 1: non-integrated BPM

Minimal customization

Dashboard

Provides process governance and optimization

Step 2: integrate critical data synchronization interfaces

Reduces data entry/errors

Step 3: integrate critical external process interfaces

Provides overall process governance

BPM and Business Intelligence

What is business intelligence? Information for business decision-making Draw from multiple data sources: Operational data stores Departmental data marts Enterprise data warehouse Analytical and presentation capabilities: Reporting Analytics Data mining Predictive modeling

Information for business decision-making

Draw from multiple data sources:

Operational data stores

Departmental data marts

Enterprise data warehouse

Analytical and presentation capabilities:

Reporting

Analytics

Data mining

Predictive modeling

BI in BPM Use cases for BPM and BI: BI about a process BI triggering/changing a process BI inside a process to automate decisions BI in work environment to provide information to a person for their decision predictive BI driving process work BPRI will help close gaps but BPM vendors have incomplete understanding of BI [Source: BPM Think Tank sessions]

Use cases for BPM and BI:

BI about a process

BI triggering/changing a process

BI inside a process to automate decisions

BI in work environment to provide information to a person for their decision

predictive BI driving process work

BPRI will help close gaps but BPM vendors have incomplete understanding of BI

[Source: BPM Think Tank sessions]

Operational BI Work in progress (near-real-time) KPIs (historical over time) Volumes Productivity Time to complete end-to-end process Time to complete by step/user May require joining with other operational data marts

Work in progress (near-real-time)

KPIs (historical over time)

Volumes

Productivity

Time to complete end-to-end process

Time to complete by step/user

May require joining with other operational data marts

Strategic BI Data mining and predictive analytics Scorecards Continuous cycle of performance improvement: Monitoring and understanding current performance Optimizing, planning and forecasting Aligning operations with strategic objectives

Data mining and predictive analytics

Scorecards

Continuous cycle of performance improvement:

Monitoring and understanding current performance

Optimizing, planning and forecasting

Aligning operations with strategic objectives

BPM and Business Rules

When to use business rules Operational: Complex work selection Complex routing rules In-flight work modification Design: Business rules change more frequently than processes Requirement for highly agile processes Architectural: Mandate to separate rules from process logic Existing BRE infrastructure

Operational:

Complex work selection

Complex routing rules

In-flight work modification

Design:

Business rules change more frequently than processes

Requirement for highly agile processes

Architectural:

Mandate to separate rules from process logic

Existing BRE infrastructure

BPM/BR use cases Determine work selection criteria from skills matrix Define routing conditions on leaving a step

Determine work selection criteria from skills matrix

Define routing conditions on leaving a step

Summary

Words of advice Start small Minimize up-front complexity Quicker ROI Let process specialists drive the process design Users tend to pave the cow paths Technologists tend to ignore inconvenient business requirements Put as much control as possible with the business In-flight changes Reporting and analytics

Start small

Minimize up-front complexity

Quicker ROI

Let process specialists drive the process design

Users tend to pave the cow paths

Technologists tend to ignore inconvenient business requirements

Put as much control as possible with the business

In-flight changes

Reporting and analytics

Think about the future Process syndication for management and visibility Collaborative discovery/modeling Process instance tagging Lightweight integration and BPM mashups

Process syndication for management and visibility

Collaborative discovery/modeling

Process instance tagging

Lightweight integration and BPM mashups

Questions? Sandy Kemsley Kemsley Design Ltd. www.column2.com