Business Process Modeling Notation

BPMN (1.0/1.1)

Tushar Jain
tusjain@yahoo.com
http://architecture-soa-bpm-eai.blogspot.com/
http://oracle-fusion-middlware.blogspot.com/

Tushar Jain
 Introduction

This tutorial introduces business process

modeling using the BPMN process modeling
standard. This session will show how BPMN
can support different methodologies as well
as different modeling goals (e.g.,
orchestration and choreography), using
actual business processes as examples.
Sample business models will also be
presented and explored to illustrate the
main concepts and notational innovations.
Two short exercises (on paper) will give
students the feel of modeling with the
major BPMN model elements.

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Agenda

BPMN Background

Basic Concepts

Exercise 1

Additional Concepts

Process Modeling Methodologies

Orchestration & Choreography

Exercise 2

Complex Example

Questions

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Agenda

BPMN Background

Basic Concepts

Exercise 1

Additional Concepts

Process Modeling Methodologies

Orchestration & Choreography

Exercise 2

Complex Example

Questions

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What is Process Modeling?
Background

The capturing of an ordered sequence of business

activities and supporting information

Business processes describe how a business pursues its
objectives

There are different levels of process modeling:

Process Maps – simple flow charts of the activities

Process Descriptions – flow charts extended with
additional information, but not enough to fully define
actual performance

Process Models – flow charts extended with enough
information so that the process can be analyzed,
simulated, and/or executed

BPMN supports each of these levels

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What is BPMN?
Background

BPMN is flow-chart based notation for defining

Business Processes

BPMN is an agreement between multiple modeling
tools vendors, who had their own notations, to use
a single notation for the benefit of end-user
understand and training

BPMN provides a mechanism to generate an
executable

Business Process (BPEL) from the business level
notation

A Business Process developed by a business analyst can
be directly applied to a BPM engine instead of going
through human interpretations and translations into other
languages

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A BPM Hourglass
Background

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BPMN 2.0
Background

The Business Process Model and Notation is the name of the
working proposal for BPMN 2.0. The vision of BPMN 2.0 is to
have one single specification for a new Business Process
Model and Notation that defines the notation, metamodel and
interchange format but with a modified name that still
preserves the "BPMN" brand. The proposed features include

Aligning BPMN with the business process definition meta model
BPDM to form a single consistent language

Enabling the exchange of business process models and their
diagram layouts among process modeling tools to preserve
semantic integrity

Expand BPMN to allow model orchestrations and choreographies
as stand-alone or integrated models

Support the display and interchange of different perspectives on
a model that allow a user to focus on specific concerns

Serialize BPMN and provide XML schemes for model
transformation and to extend BPMN towards business modeling
and executive decision support.

A beta version of the specification is expected to be released in
September, 2009, with the final release scheduled for June,
2010.

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Weaknesses of BPMN
Background

Ambiguity and confusion in sharing BPMN

models

Support for routine work

Support for knowledge work, and

Converting BPMN models to executable
environments

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Agenda

BPMN Background

Basic Concepts

Exercise 1

Additional Concepts

Process Modeling
Methodologies

Orchestration vs. Choreography

Exercise 2

Summary

Questions

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Diagram Elements
Concepts

Activities

Events

Gateways

Connectors

Swimlanes

Artifacts

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 Activities
Concepts

An activity is a generic term for work to be performed. There
are two Activity types:

Task: An atomic activity. There are three types of markers for a
Task:
• Loop Marker
• Multiple Instance Marker
• Compensation Marker

A Task may have one or two markers

Sub-Process: A compound activity. The Sub-Process can be in
a collapsed view that hides its details or in an expanded view
that shows its details. There are five types of markers for a Sub-
Processes:
• Collapsed Marker (the plus sign)
• Loop Marker
• Parallel Marker
• Compensation Marker
• Ad Hoc Marker

A collapsed Sub-Process may have one to three of these other
markers, in all combinations except that Loop and Multiple
Instance cannot be shown at the same time.

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 Events
Concepts

An event affects the flow of the process and is usually

associated with a “Trigger” that defines the cause of the
event. There are three types of Events, based on when they
affect the flow:

Start Event

Intermediate Event

End Event

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 Gateways
Concepts

A Gateway is used to control the divergence and convergence

of Sequence Flow. Thus, it will determine branching, forking,
merging, and joining of paths. Internal markers will indicate
the type of behavior control. There are five types of
gateways:

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 Connectors
Concepts

A Sequence Flow is used to show the order that activities

will be performed in a Process. Sequence Flow may be:

A Message Flow is used to show the flow of messages

between two entities that are prepared to send and receive
them. Sequence Flow is not allowed between Pools.

An Association is represented with a dotted line. An

arrowhead may be added to indicate the flow direction.
Associations are used to associate an Artifact, data or text to
an Object. A directional Association is used to show that a
Data Object is either an input to or an output from an
activity.
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Activities
Concepts

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Tasks
Concepts

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Sub Processes
Concepts

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Events
Concepts

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Start Events
Concepts

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Intermediate Events
Concepts

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Intermediate Events (Normal Flow)
Concepts

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Intermediate Events (Attached to Boundary)
Concepts

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End Events
Concepts

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Gateways
Concepts

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Exclusive Gateways
Concepts

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Exclusive Gateways, Based on Data
Concepts

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Exclusive Gateways, Based on Events
Concepts

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Inclusive Gateways
Concepts

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Complex Gateways
Concepts

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Parallel Gateways
Concepts

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Connectors
Concepts

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Sequence Flow
Concepts

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Conditional Sequence Flow
Concepts

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Default Sequence Flow
Concepts

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Message Flow
Concepts

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Associations
Concepts

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Swimlanes
Concepts

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Pools
Concepts

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Lanes
Concepts

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Artifacts
Concepts

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Text Annotations
Concepts

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Data Objects
Concepts

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Groups
Concepts

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Artifacts are Extendible
Concepts

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Agenda

BPMN Background

Basic Concepts

Exercise 1

Additional Concepts

Process Modeling Methodologies

Orchestration & Choreography

Exercise 2

Complex Example

Questions

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Exercise 1
Exercise 1

In this exercise you will given a set of short

answer questions that cover the basic
BPMN elements

Some questions will require a written
answer and some will require a (simple)
drawn answer

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Questions: Set 1
Exercise 1

What is the difference between a Task and

a Sub- Process?

Draw a Task with a timeout and the follow-
up to the timeout

What are the main restrictions for
Sequence Flow?

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Answers: Set 1
Exercise 1

What is the difference between a

Task and a Sub-Process?

A Sub-Process can be broken down into
a lower level detail (another Process)
while a Task cannot

Draw a Task with a timeout and
the followup to the timeout

See picture

What are the main restrictions for
Sequence Flow?

A Sequence Flow can only connect
Activities, Events, and Gateways, they
cannot cross the boundary of a Sub-
Process or the boundary of a Pool
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Questions: Set 2
Exercise 1

What are the rules for Message Flow

connections?

Draw two ways that data can be output
from one Task and then input into another
Task

Why do the different behaviors of the
Gateways share the same basic diamond
shape?

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Answers: Set 2
Exercise 1

What are the rules for Message

Flow connections?

They must connect from the boundary
or object within a Pool to the boundary
or object within a different Pool

Draw two ways that data can be
output from one Task and then
input into another Task

See figures

Why do the different behaviors of
the Gateways share the same
basic diamond shape?

Gateways represent a controlling
mechanism for Sequence Flow. A
diamond in the model shows a place
where Sequence Flow control is
needed

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Questions: Set 3
Exercise 1

How can Artifacts be used to enhance the

information content of a BPMN diagram?

Draw a timed delay in a process

What do Pools represent?

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Answers: Set 3
Exercise 1

How can Artifacts be used to

enhance the information content of
a BPMN diagram?

New Artifacts can be created and
added to the diagram to allow
visualization of key model factors

Draw a timed delay in a process

See figure

What do Pools represent?

Participants in a Process diagram,
either a specific entity (e.g., PSTN) or a
business role (e.g., Shipper)

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Questions: Set 4
Exercise 1

What’s the difference between Exclusive

and Inclusive Gateways?

Draw the synchronization of two parallel
paths

What do Lanes generally represent? And
what can they represent?

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Answers: Set 4
Exercise 1

What’s the difference between

Exclusive and Inclusive Gateways?

Only one outgoing path is chosen for
Exclusive Gateway while at least one to
all outgoing paths may be chosen for an
Inclusive Gateway

Draw the synchronization of two
parallel paths

See figure

What do Lanes generally represent?
And what can they represent?

The mostly are used to represent
organizational roles (e.g., Employees) or
departments (e.g., Sales). The can
represent most any object attribute that
the modeler wants to use to partition
activities

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Questions: Set 5
Exercise 1

How to Associations affect the main flow of

a Process?

Draw a Message Flow between one “white
box” Participant and one “black box”
Participant

What are the rules for adding marker or
icons to activities?

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Answers: Set 5
Exercise 1

How to Associations affect the

main flow of a Process?

They don’t. They can only affect
the requirements for an activity

Draw a Message Flow between
one “white box” Participant and
one “black box” Participant

See figure

What are the rules for adding
marker or icons to activities?

The marker or icon cannot change
the footprint of the activity and
cannot conflict with any standard
BPMN element

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Agenda

BPMN Background

Basic Concepts

Exercise 1

Additional Concepts

Process Modeling Methodologies

Orchestration & Choreography

Exercise 2

Complex Example

Questions

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Normal Flow
Concepts - 2

Normal Sequence Flow refers to the flow

that originates from a Start Event and
continues through activities via alternative
and parallel paths until it ends at an End
Event

Normal Flow does not include exception
flow or compensation flow

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Link Events Within a Process
Concepts - 2

Link Events can be used for Off-Page

connectors

Link Events can be used as “Go-To” objects

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Process Levels
Concepts - 2

Processes can be developed hierarchically,

with multiple levels through Sub-Processes

Sequence Flow cannot cross a Sub-Process
boundary

Message Flow and Associations can cross Sub-
Process boundaries

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Data Flow
Concepts - 2

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Exception Handling
Concepts - 2

Intermediate Events attached to the boundary

of an activity represent triggers that can
interrupt the activity. All work within the
activity will be stopped and flow will proceed
from the Event. Timer, Errors, Messages, etc.
can be Triggers.

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Compensation and Transactions
Concepts - 2

A Transaction is an activity that has

a double border. Transactions are
supported by a transaction protocol
(e.g. WS-Transaction)

Normal Outgoing Sequence Flow
represents the path to follow a
successful completion

A Cancel Intermediate Event
represents the path to follow a
cancelled completion

An Exception Intermediate Event
represents the path to follow a
transaction hazard (but no
compensation is performed)

Activities used for compensate (with
marker) are outside normal flow and
are Associated normal activities.
Compensation flows “backwards.”

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Looping
Concepts - 2

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Timers
Concepts - 2

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Agenda

BPMN Background

Basic Concepts

Exercise 1

Additional Concepts

Process Modeling Methodologies

Orchestration & Choreography

Exercise 2

Complex Example

Questions

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Process Modeling Methodologies
Methodologies

BPMN is intended to be methodology

independent

Simple or complex diagrams can be created
based on the chosen methodology

Methodologies determine what information is
captured about a process

Many different methodologies can be used
for modeling with BPMN

Some may require extended Artifacts

Examples of methodologies:

LOVeM, EPCs, RAD methodology, IDEF

Consulting organization methodologies

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General Modeling Concepts
Methodologies

A process is chronological. Accurate models should be

oriented on a time line (in general, from left to right in
sequence)

Processes generally begin with triggering events, and work
their way through to significant business results

They can also represent smaller segments of re-usable work

All tasks or activities are assigned to roles that are
meaningful to people in the business. Be sure you have
captured all relevant roles, which may sometimes be outside
of the client’s company

A complete model should display how objects or data (or
both) are transferred and where they are going

A process can be modeled in a hierarchical fashion (e.g., with
Sub-Processes)

The choices made for decisions, which occur within a process,
determine which of all potential paths will be taken

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General Modeling Guidelines
Methodologies

Establish organization standards or guidelines for developing

models and naming model elements, e.g.,

Establish naming conventions for each type of modeling object.
For example, all activity names could have the following format
• verb + (adjective/descriptor) + noun
• example: “Verify Account”

Avoid redundancy in naming, e.g., do not include the word
Process in the Process names or the words Task or Activity in
Task names

To help with report outputs, names should be 32 characters or
less

To help with readability, all words should be capitalized

Establish a set of standard nouns, verbs, and acronyms that
are used for naming objects

Establish standards for versioning methods associated at the
process model and artifact level to provide requirement
traceability

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Agenda

BPMN Background

Basic Concepts

Exercise 1

Additional Concepts

Process Modeling Methodologies

Orchestration & Choreography

Exercise 2

Complex Example

Questions

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Orchestration vs. Choreography
Orchestration & Choreography

Orchestration: Workflow, internal

processes, private processes

Contained within one Pool

Choreography: Collaboration, global
processes, B2B processes

Defined by the interaction between Pools

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Orchestration
Orchestration & Choreography

Orchestration defines processes that are

internal to a specific organization

Thus, they are contained within a single Pool

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Choreography
Orchestration & Choreography

A Choreography process depicts the interactions

between two or more business entities (as
modeled with Pools)

Shown by the Message Flow between the Pools

Or a sequence of interaction (global) types of
activities

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Agenda

BPMN Background

Basic Concepts

Exercise 1

Additional Concepts

Process Modeling Methodologies

Orchestration & Choreography

Exercise 2

Complex Example

Questions

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Create a Process for Expense Reimbursement
Exercise - 2

In this exercise you will read a text

descriptive information about a process and
will map the process on paper

The process is a sample expense
reimbursement process:

This process provides for reimbursement of
expenses incurred by employees for the
company. For example buying a technical book,
office supplies or software. In a normal day
there are several hundreds of instances of this
process created.

Concentrate on the basic flow of the
Process…
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Process Information: Expense Reimbursement
Exercise - 2

After the Expense Report is received, a new account must be

created if the employee does not already have one

The report is then reviewed for automatic approval

Amounts under $200 are automatically approved

Amounts equal to or over $200 require approval of the
supervisor
• In case of rejection, the employee must receive a rejection notice by
email

The reimbursement goes to the employee’s direct deposit
bank account

If no action has happened in 7 days, then the employee must
receive an approval in progress email

If the request is not finished within 30 days, then the process
is stopped and the employee receives an email cancellation
notice and must re-submit the expense report

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Answer
Exercise - 2

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Agenda

BPMN Background

Basic Concepts

Exercise 1

Additional Concepts

Process Modeling Methodologies

Orchestration & Choreography

Exercise 2

Complex Example

Questions

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Complex Example
Complex Example

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Complex Example
Complex Example

The BPM model shown is for a Travel

Agency that receives the customer’s trip
criteria and displays matching flight and
hotels. Once the customer makes a
selection, the agency charges the
customer’s credit card and books the flight
and hotel. An itinerary is sent to the
customer and a link to the airline check-in
website is sent to the customer 24hrs
before the trip date. The modeler follows
the 6 steps.

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Create a Process for Expense Reimbursement
Complex Example

Define the Process Participants (Pools): Start by defining the
process participants. In the example shown, there are three
participants: The Customer, The Travel Agency and the Financial
Institution. The process is developed from the point of view of the
Travel Agency, hence, the Customer and the Financial Institution
are considered as external Participant who will be communicated
with using messages. Each Participant is represented as a Pool.

Define the level of activity detail to show within each Pool: If
the activities performed by a participant are irrelevant and instead
the process is focused on the messages exchanged with the
participant, then the process model shows minimal (like in the case
of the Financial Institution) to no activities (like in the case of the
Customer) within that Pool.

Define how to categorize the activities within each Pool:
Since it is necessary to distinguish between the automated activities
performed by the Travel Agency’s website and the manual activities
performed by the Customer Service dept, the two are shown as two
Lanes within the Travel Agency Pool.

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Create a Process for Expense Reimbursement
Complex Example

Define the activities that lead to a successful end: Note: the following steps correspond to the
steps in the BPMN diagram below

Define the starting event of the process. The process starts when the web site receives a message from the
customer with the desired flight and hotel room criteria. (flight dates, no. of stops, no. of nights, hotel rating, etc).
(BPMN: Start Message Event)

The web site performs two sub-processes simultaneously (in parallel) to retrieve the flights and hotel rooms that
meet the customer criteria. (BPMN: Parallel Expanded Sub-Process)

The Web site presents the available flights and hotel rooms to the customer.

The website decides the next step based on the event that will take place, which will be one of three: a) no
customer response for 15 minutes (which may make the displayed flights and hotel rooms obsolete), b) the
customer requests to continue booking with a selected flight and hotel room, and c) receive the customer’s request
to cancel. (BPMN: Event-Based Gateway)

In the happy path, the process will receive a message from the customer with a request to continue booking for
selected flight and hotel room. (BPMN: Intermediate Message)

The website requests and gets the customer’s credit card information.

The website requests authorization from the Financial Institution to charge the customer’s credit card. (BPMN: Task
with a possible Time-out Exception Flow). Execution within the Travel Agency’s lane is paused (step 9) waiting for a
response from the Financial Institution.

The Financial Institution processes the authorization request.

The Financial Institution sends back the authorization request response.

The paused website receives the response and continues execution.

The website evaluates the response received (BPMN: Data-Based Decision Gateway).

In the happy path, the credit card charge is authorized. (BPMN: Default Flow).

The website performs a transaction that includes two activities: booking the flight and booking the hotel room. The
Transaction insures that all activates are completed successfully or all of them will be cancelled. (BPMN:
Transaction).

In the happy path, the booking is successful for both.

The website prepares the trip itinerary.

The website emails the trip itinerary to the customer.

At the same time (in parallel), the Customer Service dept mails the paper itinerary to the customer’s physical
address.

The process continues when both itineraries are sent to the customer. (BPMN: Parallel Join)

The website closes the order.

The website waits until 24 hrs before the trip date.

The website emails the customer a link to the airlines check-in website. (BPMN: Sub-process with Activity Looping)

The process ends successfully.

Tushar Jain
Create a Process for Expense Reimbursement
Complex Example

Define the alternate paths that lead to a successful
end: First Alternate Path: At step 7, if the request to
authorize the credit card times out (more than 10 seconds),
then the flow is routed to steps: 22, 23, 24, 8, 9, 25, 26, 27,
28 and resumes at step 15. Second Alternate Path: At step
13, if booking fails for the first, second or third time, then the
flow is routed to steps: 29, 30, and resumes at step 13.
Examine the model to find more alternate paths.

Define the exception paths that will not lead to a
successful end: First Exception Path: At step 4, if the
system waits for 15 minutes without receiving a response
from the customer, the flow is routed to steps: 39, 40, 41,
42, 43 and 21. Second Exception Path: At step 11, if the
credit card charge are not authorized, the flow is routed to
steps: 50, 51, 52, 42, 43, and 21.Examine the model to find
more alternate paths.

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Summary
Summary

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Questions

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