Modeling with the standard notation BPMN 2.0
Description of the modeling of business processes according to the BPMN 2.0 in SmartProcess
Pools und Lanes
In BPMN 2.0, pools and lanes are used to indicate which organizational unit or role is responsible for performing one or more tasks in the process flow. A lane is a subunit of a pool. Usually, only one pool is included per process. Companies are also represented as pools.
In the BPMN tool SmartProcess you can model expanded and collapsed pools. You can align pools and lanes horizontally and vertically. A lane is associated with an organizational unit or role in the SmartProcess BPMN software. This allows you to see exactly who performs which tasks in the company in the organization chart in SmartProcess.
Activities
In a process, the tasks and sub-processes are the main information describing the actions and activities. A task is a self-contained sub-step of a process.
In a sub-process, related tasks are bundled in the BPMN software and arranged below a process. The task type can be changed during the process modeling in the BPMN software SmartProcess. Initially, a default task is created in the BPMN tool for ease of use. If required, the task type of the activity can simply be changed via the context menu in the process model. The corresponding icon is then displayed at the top left of the task.
Events
Each process contains a start event and an end event. The events are used to represent the current progress of a process flow. Especially the intermediate events allow in BPMN 2.0 a transparent representation of the process progress during process modeling and process mapping.
With the BPMN software SmartProcess you can represent simple and understandable process models with a start event, intermediate event and end event.
If required for the representation of more complex processes, however, all event types of BPMN 2.0 are also available. Here, the user is optimally guided during operation to select the correct symbol from the numerous BPMN symbols.
Gateways
The gateways can control decisions like an or decision and split and merge the sequence flow for parallel activities. In the BPMN tool SmartProcess, the main gateways are displayed directly in the symbol palette. The more advanced and rarely used gateways can be selected as gateway type via a context menu.
Exclusive Gateway
There are any number of possible options for a decision, of which only exactly one can be selected at a time. Thus, only one of the outgoing paths is followed and only the tasks modeled behind it are executed.
Parallel Gateway
All possible options are executed. Thus, every possible outgoing path is followed and all tasks modeled behind it are executed in parallel in the BPMN software.
If the sequence flow is split, a merging gateway is modeled at the end of the simultaneously executed tasks. This indicates that the process flow is only continued when all tasks triggered in parallel beforehand have been completed, i.e. all outgoing paths have been merged again.
Inclusive Gateway
Es gibt für eine Entscheidung beliebig viele mögliche Optionen, von denen je nach Bedingung eine oder mehrere ausgewählt werden können. Da hier ebenfalls mehrere parallele Aktivitäten möglich sind, wird auch dieses Gateway wieder zusammengeführt.
Advanced Gateways
In order to use the more advanced and rarely used BPMN 2.0 gateways in the BPMN tool, the gateways can be added to the process model as gateway type when clicking on a main gateway in the context menu.
Data Object
The data objects represent the inputs/outputs in process modeling in the BPMN diagram. In the BPMN tool SmartProcess, interactions of processes can be modeled to represent how information is processed across different processes.
Data objects are used in the BPMN 2.0 process notation when an output is generated during the execution of a task in the process, which is reused as an input and further processed in one or more processes. Whether it is an input or an output can be recognized by the direction of the message flow.
Flows
Sequence Flow
Sequence flow is used in BPMN 2.0 notation to represent the flow of the process from the start event, through the individual tasks to be completed, to the end event.
Default Flow
A standard sequence flow is passed if the conditions of the other flows are not met.
Message Flow
Message flow is used to represent communication between external entities and pools.
Association
The association link is used to represent the relationship of additional information such as artifacts to tasks.
Artifacts
The term artifact is used in the BPMN software SmartProcess to summarize several objects in process modeling, which can be used to represent additional information for a process or a task in the process.
The custom SmartProcess artifacts support the standard BPMN modeling to model meaningful and understandable processes. All symbols can be shown and hidden in the settings at the BPMN tool for the process modeler.
Group
The group makes a delimitation of some selected objects in the BPMN 2.0 notation.
Text Annotation
Text annotation allows process modelers to easily add texts in a BPMN process. The text annotation is associated with an object using the association link.
Key Figure
The artifact key figure is used in the process model to represent interrelationships. Key figures can be used to evaluate processes. A process or a task in a process influences the value of an enterprise key figure.
IT System
The IT system artifact is used in the process model when an IT system is to be applied to perform a task or data is to be stored in a data store.
Risk
The risk artifact is used in the process model to represent relationships. Due to the execution of a task, a risk can arise for the company. A risk must be taken into account when performing a task.
Chance
The Chance artifact is used in the process model to represent when opportunities might arise for the company during the execution of a process or task that can be exploited.
Adjacent Process
The ‘Adjacent process’ object can be used to indicate that a process is preceded or followed by other processes. In this way, for example, the value chain of a company can be represented, which consists of several successive processes.
Applicable Document
The artifact applicable document is used in the process model to indicate that a document is used during the execution of a process or a task. The artifact can be used in the BPMN software to open the document directly for the user.
Document Folder
In a document folder, applicable documents can be stored. If there are a large number of documents in a BPMN process, the documents can thus be grouped together in the folder in order to maintain clarity during process modeling.
Additional Participant
To represent the participation of an organizational unit or role in a single task, the modeling object ‘Additional participant’ is suitable. Here, the participation type such as execution, decision, support, consultation and information can also be selected. Otherwise, the assignment is made automatically via the lanes in the BPMN tool.
Operating Resources
The resource artifact is used in the BPMN process model when a resource is to be used to perform a task. Resources can be tangible (machines, tools) or intangible (licenses, patents).
Hyperlink
The Hyperlink object can be used to link to any target. This can be an area in the BPMN software SmartProcess like the knowledge base or an external website.
Process Diagram Process Group for Process Maps
With the process diagram Process Group, the objects Process Groups and Processes can be used to create clear process maps as an extension to the BPMN notation in order to display interrelationships in the company. The Process Group object is also used to group and display the processes in the BPMN software SmartProcess in folders in the Process Explorer.
Since it is also possible to navigate through the various process models or flowcharts by clicking on the modeled objects, process groups are suitable for creating interactively clickable process landscapes in the BPMN tool SmartProcess.
Other drawing symbols in the BPMN tool
When selecting drawing symbols, an extensive collection of drawing symbols is available for display in the BPMN process. In the BPMN tool, you can also insert your own user-defined images into the process model.
Not applied objects of the BPMN 2.0
- Since every activity can be reused in the SmartProcess, the call activity is not marked separately. The transaction and an event sub-process is not used because it is modeled as a collapsed sub-process. Sub-processes are always represented as collapsed objects in process models. The sub-process can be opened clearly in a new window by clicking on it.
- The IT system object is used instead of the data store to enable uniqueness. Thus, the modeler has the advantage that he does not have to decide when to use the IT system or the data store.
- Conversation diagrams and choreography diagrams are not applied because these diagrams are rarely used for modeling business processes.