The document is a webinar overview on BPMN (Business Process Model and Notation) hosted by Razvan Radulian, detailing its significance in addressing communication and precision issues in business process management. It discusses the fundamentals of BPMN, its advantages and challenges, as well as comparisons to alternative modeling techniques. Additionally, it highlights the importance of following best practices in creating BPMN models to ensure effective communication and process execution.

1. BPMN Primer
Razvan Radulian, MBA
Independent Consultant/Coach/Trainer
Why-What-How Consulting, LLC
razvan.radulian@why-what-how.com
Webinar hosted by ASPE SDLC Training

2. Introductions
Razvan Radulian, MBA
• Independent Consultant/Coach/Trainer
• 15+ years of Business/System + Process
Analysis, Design, and Implementation
• Certified…
– Business Analyst
– Expert in Business Process Management (OCEB)
– Project Management
– Lean Management

3. Agenda
Why BPMN?
– Problems it tries to address
– Strengths & Weaknesses
• BPMN vs. “alternatives”
What it is
– Core elements
– Symbols, Syntax, Semantics
How (only the tip of the iceberg)
– BPMN by example

4. What do BPM & BPMN stand for?
• BPM = Business Process Management
• Business Process Modeling Notation (BPMN 1.x)
• Business Process Model & Notation (BPMN 2.0)
Is that important?!?

5. Problems BPMN addresses
• Communication & understanding issues:
– Business
– IT
– Business AND IT
• Lack of precision, accuracy, consistency at
at least 1 of the 3 communication levels:
– Symbols, words
– Syntax
– Semantics

6. Alternatives to BPMN
… each with advantages and, mostly, disadvantages
• Expanded Event-driven Process Chains
(EPC/ARIS)
• Activity diagrams (UML)
• Traditional flowcharts, aka. Swimlanes, Cross-functional,
etc.

7. OK, let’s just put this aside…
Source: BPM Academic Initiative

8. BPMN is to Business Analysis/SDLC…
… as Language is to Communication
• Symbols & Words
– Basic communication elements
• Syntax
– Rules for combining symbols/words into…
• Sentences/Phrases
• Process Diagrams and Models
• Semantics
– The meaning of it all

9. Try this…
Try to explain the “Pull a cat by the tail” process and why
it’s not such a good idea:
• to a 2-year old child:
– Mostly Semantics
– Simple or no [standard] Symbols and/or Syntax
• to a Business Partner/Executive:
– Should be standard/precise Symbols, Syntax, and Semantics…
…BUT, often times, it’s a mix of inconsistent Symbols, confusing
“Syntax”, and imprecise & implied Semantics
As you can guess, talking with Business Partners/Execs is
(should be) a “bit” more complex…
… does our communication meet that requirement?

10. CAUTION: BPMN does not ensure
GOOD SEMANTICS!
BPMN Specification can enforce:
• Symbols & Syntax (IF analysts create valid BPMN
Models)
BUT, to ensure GOOD BPMN Models,
Process Analysts/Designers must also
implement/enforce Process Modeling BEST
PRACTICES*
* Recommended book: BPMN Method & Style, 2nd edition, by Bruce Silver

11. Critics to BPMN
“Too complex for business people”
“Not expressive enough”
“There are a lot of bad BPMN models”
…so “BPMN is [must be] bad for Business People!”
But, does that make any sense?!?
Compare that with…
– Is English bad for communication only because many
college applicants submit bad essays (i.e. misspelled
words, wrong syntax, unclear message, messy, etc.)?

12. Advantages of BPMN
De-facto Standard
– Managed by Object Management Group (OMG)
– Open specification, free to all (public)
Multiple levels of abstraction, addressing multiple concerns/perspectives:
– Descriptive
– Analytical
– Executable
Simple, yet sophisticated enough to allows nuanced definition/interpretation:
– Hierarchical/progressive elaboration (see both the forest and the trees)
– Life-like Event processing
– Process/participants collaboration
– Rich set of task, gateway, and event types
Closest match to pre-defined WORKFLOW PATTERNS*
Model interchange & execution (BPMN 2.0)
* See http://workflowpatterns.com/

13. IMPOSSIBLE to cover BPMN in 1-hour*…
Fundamentals (Descriptive level):
– Flow elements: Activities, Gateways, Events
– Connectors: Sequence & Message Flow, Associations
– Pools & Lanes
– Data & Artifacts
Some [of the many] unique features:
– Orchestration (internal) AND collaboration between
Participants/Processes
– Integrating Human Tasks/Workflow AND Automated Services
– “Happy path” AND Alternate/Exceptions paths
– Escalations & Compensations
– Fit for communication (business & IT) AND process execution
* A full BPMN class will be offered starting spring of 2014

14. BPMN 2.0 Poster(s): the WHOLE picture…
Source: http://bpmb.de/poster (available in several languages)

15. Fundamentals: FLOW ELEMENTS
Activities (Tasks & Sub-processes):
• Task types:
– Abstract, User, Service, Send/Receive, Rule, etc.
• Instances: Single, Loop, Multiple instances
• Structured or Ad-hoc
Gateways (split & merge/synchronization):
• Exclusive:
– Data-based (XOR) or Event-based
• Parallel (AND)
• Inclusive (OR)
• Complex
Events (Start, End, or Intermediate):
• In-flow or attached
• Rich set of trigger/result types:
– None, Message, Timer (Level 1)
– Conditional, Parallel, Multiple, Terminate, Cancel,
etc.
Task Sub-Process
• Catching (triggers) or Throwing (results) Level 1 Level 2 The
“odd”
XOR AND OR Event
XOR
Complex

16. Fundamentals: CONNECTORS
Sequence flow (orchestration):
– between internal tasks/players
Message flow (collaboration):
– between collaborating
participants/processes
Associations:
– Inputs/outputs
– Annotations

17. Fundamentals: POOLS and LANES
Pools:
– In full control of contained
activities/workflow
– Pool = Process
– May have multiple Pools per
Business Process Diagram
(BPD)
– Pools exchange/collaborate
through Messages
Lanes (multiple levels):
– Roles, Departments…
– Lanes (within a Pool)
coordinate work through
Sequence flow

18. Fundamentals: DATA & ARTIFACTS
Data:
– Data Objects
• Input & Output
• Have state (e.g.
Request[Approved])
• Process-data
– Data Store:
• Permanent storage (e.g.
database, repository, etc.) of the
process data
Artifacts:
– Annotations
– Group

19. Useful concept: TOKENS
• Visual representation of how work would
flow through a process
• Not part of BPMN specification
• For examples, see Workflow Patterns
website (workflowpatterns.com/)

20. Some of [the many] UNIQUE features!
• Rich/unmatched event-driven capabilities
• Explicit definition/description of BOTH…
– Orchestration of internal activities/tasks AND
– Collaboration between Participants/Processes
• Integration of BOTH…
– Human Tasks/Workflow AND
– Automated Services (heard of SOA?)
• Going beyond the “Happy path”, in a clear and
concise way:
– Alternate/Exceptions paths:
• attached events: Interrupting and Non-interrupting (BPMN 2.0)
– Escalations & compensations

21. Unmatched EVENT-driven capabilities

22. ORCHESTRATION AND
COLLABORATION

23. Integrating HUMAN and SERVICE
tasks

24. Handling ALTERNATE/EXCEPTION
and ESCALATION paths

25. How complex can it be?
… and this is still a pretty “SIMPLE” process ;-)

26. Things we haven’t talked about…
• Levels 2 (Analytical) & 3 (Executable)
• Transactions & compensations
• BPMN in the context of:
– BPM (Business Process Management)
– Business & Enterprise Architecture
– Agile
• BPMN vs. Use Cases
• BPMN Analysis & Simulations
• BPM & BPMN Certification
… and MUCH MORE!

27. Some useful Resources
• BPMN 2.0 Specification (www.omg.org/spec/BPMN/2.0/)
• Workflow Patterns (workflowpatterns.com/)
• Books:
• BPMN Method and Style, 2nd edition, by Bruce Silver
• Real-Life BPMN, by J. Freund & B. Rucker
• The MicroGuide to Process Modeling, by T. Debevoise & R. Geneva
• BPM Academic Initiative (bpmai.org/BPMAcademicInitiative/)
• Business Process Incubator (articles, eLearning, tools, etc.)
• Camunda BPMN Framework (www.camunda.org/)
• ASPE SDLC Website (webinars, classes, articles/blog, etc.)
Contact me: Razvan.Radulian@why-what-how.com :-)

28. Q & A

29. Thanks :-)
Contact: razvan.radulian@why-what-how.com