Omg Bpmn Tutorial

®

IBM Software Group

© IBM Corporation

Introduction to BPMNStephen A. White, BPM Architect, IBM October 16, 2006

IBM Software Group | WebSphere software

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Introduction

This tutorial introduces business process modelingusing the BPMN process modeling standard. Thissession will show how BPMN can support differentmethodologies as well as different modeling goals(e.g., orchestration and choreography), usingactual business processes as examples. Samplebusiness models will also be presented andexplored to illustrate the main concepts andnotational innovations. Two short exercises (onpaper) will give students the feel of modeling withthe major BPMN model elements.


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Topics

BPMN Background

Basic Concepts

Exercise 1

Additional Concepts

Process Modeling Methodologies

Orchestration vs. Choreography

Exercise 2

Summary


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What is Process Modeling?

The capturing of an ordered sequence of business activitiesand supporting information

Business processes describe how a business pursues itsobjectives

There are different levels of process modeling:Process Maps – simple flow charts of the activities

Process Descriptions – flow charts extended withadditional information, but not enough to fully define actualperformance

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

BPMN supports each of these levels

Background


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What is BPMN?

BPMN is flow-chart based notation for defining BusinessProcesses

BPMN is an agreement between multiple modeling toolsvendors, who had their own notations, to use a single notationfor the benefit of end-user understand and trainingBPMN provides a mechanism to generate an executableBusiness Process (BPEL) from the business level notation

A Business Process developed by a business analyst canbe directly applied to a BPM engine instead of going throughhuman interpretations and translations into other languages

Background


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Origins of BPMN

The Business Process Management Institute (BPMI—now a part ofthe OMG) develops BPML (an XML process execution language) andrealizes need for a graphical representation

BPML was later replaced by BPEL as the target executionlanguage

August, 2001, the Notation Working Group is formed. The group wascomposed of 35 companies, organizations, or individuals.BPMN 1.0

May, 2004, the BPMN 1.0 specification was released to thepublic.

February, 2006, BPMN 1.0 was adopted as an OMG standard

Currently, there are 39 companies that have implementations ofBPMN

Background


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A BPM HourglassBackground

Business Environment

Technology Implementation

BP

BPMN

BPEL

IntersectionPoint Scope

Strategy Consultants

Process Designers

System Architects

Software Engineers

Business Analysts

Audiences: Purposes:

Execution

Modeling

Copyright © 2005, OMG


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BPMN Development Drivers

Must be acceptable and usable by the business communityMust be able to generate executable processes (e.g., BPEL)through a BPMN Model (a combination of graphical elementsand supporting information (attributes))Although executable processes triggered the development ofBPMN, it was expected that BPMN would be used for moregeneral business purposesBPM is intended to be Methodology Agnostic

Methodologies will give guidance as to the purpose andlevel of detail for modeling

BPMN is as complex as it needs to be. Just use what youneed…

Background


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Topics

BPMN Background

Basic Concepts

Exercise 1

Additional Concepts



Exercise 2

Summary


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Diagram ElementsBPMN Basic Concepts

Back


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Diagram Elements, Cont.

Back

BPMN Basic Concepts


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An activity is work that isperformed within a businessprocess. An activity can beatomic or non-atomic(compound). The types ofactivities that are a part of aProcess Model are: Sub-Process, and TaskActivities are rounded rectanglesThey can be performed once orcan have internally defined loops

ActivitiesBPMN Basic Concepts


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Tasks

A Task is an atomic activity that isincluded within a Process. A Taskis used when the work in theProcess is not broken down to afiner level of Process Model detailThere are specialized types ofTasks for sending and receiving,or user-based Tasks, etc.Markers or icons can be added toTasks to help identify the type ofTask

Markers must not change thefootprint of the Task or conflictwith any other standard BPMNelement

BPMN Basic Concepts


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Sub-Processes

Sub-Processes enable hierarchicalProcess developmentA Sub-Process is a compound activity thatis included within a Process. It iscompound in that it can be broken downinto a finer level of detail (a Process)through a set of sub-activitiesFor a collapsed version of a Sub-Process,The details of the Sub-Process are notvisible in the Diagram. A “plus” sign in thelower-center of the shape indicates thatthe activity is a Sub-Process and has alower-level of detail.For an expanded version of a Sub-Process, the details (a Process) arevisible within its boundary.There are two types of Sub-Processes:Embedded and Independent (Re-usable)

BPMN Basic Concepts


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An Event is something that“happens” during the courseof a business process.These Events affect the flowof the Process and usuallyhave a trigger or a result.They can start, interrupt, orend the flowEvents are circles

The type of boundarydetermines the type ofEvent

EventsBPMN Basic Concepts


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Start Events

Start Events indicate where a Processwill beginThere are different “Triggers” thatindicate the specific circumstances thatstart the Process

None Start Events are used to markthe start of Sub-Processes or whenthe start is undefined

The Link Start Event will beremoved in the next version of BPMN

Any one of the Triggers included ina Multiple Start Event will start theProcess

BPMN Basic Concepts


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Intermediate Events

Intermediate Events occur after aprocess has been started and beforea process is endedThere are different “Triggers” thatindicate the specific circumstancesof the EventThey can be placed in the normalflow of the Process or attached tothe boundary of an activity

BPMN Basic Concepts


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Intermediate Events (Normal Flow)

Events that are placed withinthe process flow representthings that happen duringthe normal operations of theprocessThey can represent theresponse to the Event (i.e.,the receipt of a message)They can represent thecreation of the Event (i.e.,the sending of a message)

BPMN Basic Concepts


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Intermediate Events (Attached to Boundary)

Events that are attached to theboundary of an activity indicatethat the activity should beinterrupted when the Event istriggered

They can be attached toeither Tasks or Sub-Processes

They are used for error handling,exception handling, andcompensation

BPMN Basic Concepts


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End Events

End Events indicates where a processwill endThere are different “Results” that indicatethe specific circumstances that end theProcess

None Start Events are used to markthe start of Sub-Processes or when thestart is undefined

The Link End Event will be replacedin the next version of BPMN (probablywith a Signal)

BPMN Basic Concepts


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GatewaysBPMN Basic Concepts

Gateways are modeling elements thatare used to control how SequenceFlows interact as they converge anddiverge within a ProcessAll types of Gateways are diamonds

Different internal markers indicatedifferent types of behavior

All Gateways both split and mergethe flow

If the flow does not need to becontrolled, then a Gateway is notneeded. Thus, a diamond represents aplace where control is needed


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Exclusive Gateways

Exclusive Gateways (Decisions) are locations within a businessprocess where the Sequence Flow can take two or morealternative paths. This is basically the “fork in the road” for aprocess.Only one of the possible outgoing paths can be taken when theProcess is performedThere are two types decision mechanism:

Data (e.g., condition expressions)

Events (e.g., the receipt of alternative messages)They are also used to merge Sequence Flow

The merging behavior may change in the next version ofBPMN

BPMN Basic Concepts


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Exclusive Gateways, Based on Data

These are the mostcommonly used type ofGateways.

They can be shown withor without an internal “X”marker. Without is themost common use.

The Gateway (Decision)creates alternative pathsbased on defined conditions

BPMN Basic Concepts


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Exclusive Gateways, Based on Events

This type of Decisionrepresents a branching pointin the process where thealternatives are based onevents that occurs at thatpoint in the Process, ratherthan conditionsThe Multiple IntermediateEvent is used to identify thisGatewayThe Event that follow theGateway Diamonddetermine the chosen path

The first Event triggeredwins

BPMN Basic Concepts


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Inclusive Gateways

Inclusive Gateways areDecisions where there ismore than one possibleoutcomeThe “O” marker is used toidentify this GatewayThey are usually followed bya corresponding mergingInclusive Gateway

BPMN Basic Concepts

DocumentsRequired?

SupplementA

SupplementB

MainProposal

PrepareSupplement

A

PrepareSupplement

B

Prepare MainProposal

CompilateDocuments


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Complex Gateways

Complex Gateways are Decisionswhere there is more advanceddefinitions of behavior can be definedThe asterisk marker is used toidentify this GatewayComplex behavior can be defined forboth the merging and splittingbehavior

BPMN Basic Concepts


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Parallel Gateways

Parallel Gateways areplaces in the Process wheremultiple parallel paths aredefined

They are not required forforking in most situations.

They can be used formethodological purposes

The “+” marker is used toidentify this GatewayThe Gateway is also used tosynchronize (wait for)parallel paths

BPMN Basic Concepts


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A Sequence Flow is usedto show the order thatactivities will be performedin a Process

A Message Flow is used toshow the flow of messagesbetween two entities thatare prepared to send andreceive them

An Association is used toassociate data, informationand artifacts with flowobjects

ConnectorsBPMN Basic Concepts


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Sequence Flow

A Sequence Flow is used toshow the order that activitieswill be performed in aProcessThe source and target mustbe one of the followingobjects: Events, Activities,and GatewaysA Sequence Flow cannotcross a Sub-Processboundary or a Pool boundary

BPMN Basic Concepts


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Conditional Sequence Flow

A Sequence Flow MAY have adefined condition if it exits anactivity

Such an activity must haveat least two Sequence Flows

The condition has to be True toallow the flow to continue downthe Sequence Flow

A mini-diamond shows thatthe Sequence Flow has acondition

At least one of the outgoingSequence Flow must be chosenduring Process performance

BPMN Basic Concepts


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Default Sequence Flow

A Sequence Flow that exitsan Exclusive or InclusiveGateway may be defined asbeing the default path

A hatch mark at the linebeginning shows thedefault Sequence Flow

The default path is chosenonly if all the other conditionsof the Gateway are False

BPMN Basic Concepts


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Message Flow

A Message Flow is used to showthe flow of messages betweentwo Participants of Process

In BPMN, separate Poolsare used to represent theParticipants

A Message Flow can connect tothe boundary of the Pool or to anobject within the PoolMessage Flow are not allowedbetween objects within a singlePool

BPMN Basic Concepts

Com

pany

Em

ploy

ee


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Associations

An Association is used toassociate objects to oneanother (such as Artifactsand Activities)Associations are used toshow how data is input toand output from ActivitiesText Annotations can beAssociated with objects

Review andApprove

Order

Order[Approved]

OrderApproved?

Fulfill Order

RejectOrder

BPMN Basic Concepts


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Swimlanes

BPMN uses the concept known as “swimlanes” to help partitionand/organize activitiesThere are two main types of swimlanes: Pool and Lane

Pools represent Participants in an interactive (B2B) BusinessProcess Diagram

Lanes represent sub-partitions for the objects within a Pool

BPMN Basic Concepts


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Pools

Pools represent Participants inan interactive (B2B) BusinessProcess Diagram

A Participant may be abusiness role (e.g., “buyer” or“seller”) or may a businessentity (e.g., “IBM” or “OMG”)

A Pool may be a “black box” ormay contain a ProcessInteraction between Pools ishandled through Message FlowSequence Flow cannot crossthe boundary of a Pool (i.e., aProcess is fully contained withina Pool)

BPMN Basic Concepts

Buy

erSe

ller

PO Message

Send

Receive... ...

......Order


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Lanes

Lanes represent sub-partitions for the objectswithin a PoolThey often representorganization roles (e.g.,Manager, Associate), butcan represent any desiredProcess characteristicSequence Flow can crossLane boundaries

BPMN Basic Concepts

Man

agem

ent

Web

Ser

ver

Adm

inis

tratio

n


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Artifacts

Artifacts provide the capability to show informationbeyond the basic flow-chart structure of the ProcessThere are currently three standard Artifacts inBPMN: Data Objects, Groups, and Annotations

Additional Artifacts may be standardized in laterversion

Sets of vertical market Artifacts may also bedeveloped

A modeler or tool can extend BPMN by defining newArtifacts

BPMN Basic Concepts


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Text Annotations

Text Annotations are amechanism for a modeler toprovide additional informationabout a ProcessText Annotations can beconnected to a specific object onthe Diagram with an Association

BPMN Basic Concepts


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Data Objects

Data Objects are Artifacts that areused to show how data anddocuments are used within a ProcessData Objects can be used to defineinputs and outputs of activitiesData Objects can be given a “state”that shows how a document may bechanged or updated within theProcess

BPMN Basic Concepts


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Groups

Groups are Artifacts that are used to highlight certain sections ofa Diagram without adding additional constraints for performance –as a Sub-Process would

Groups can be used to categorize elements for reportingpurposes

Groups are not constrained by restrictions of Pools and Lanes

BPMN Basic Concepts


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Artifacts are Extendible

Modelers and Modeling Toolscan add new Artifacts to adiagram

Specific industries ormarkets may have their ownset of Artifacts

Their shapes must not conflictwith existing shapesThey are not part of normal flow,but can be associated with otherelements

BPMN Basic Concepts


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Topics

BPMN Background

Basic Concepts

Exercise 1

Additional Concepts



Exercise 2

Summary


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Exercise 1

In this exercise you will given a set of short answerquestions that cover the basic BPMN elementsSome questions will require a written answer andsome will require a (simple) drawn answer


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Questions: Set 1

What is the difference between a Task and a Sub-Process?

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

What are the main restrictions for Sequence Flow?

Exercise 1


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Questions: Set 2

What are the rules for Message Flow connections?

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

Why do the different behaviors of the Gatewaysshare the same basic diamond shape?

Exercise 1


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Questions: Set 3

How can Artifacts be used to enhance theinformation content of a BPMN diagram?

Draw a timed delay in a process

What do Pools represent?

Exercise 1


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Questions: Set 4

What’s the difference between Exclusive andInclusive Gateways?

Draw the synchronization of two parallel paths

What do Lanes generally represent? And what canthey represent?

Exercise 1


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Questions: Set 5

How to Associations affect the main flow of aProcess?

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

What are the rules for adding marker or icons toactivities?

Exercise 1


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Answers: Set 1

What is the difference between a Task anda Sub-Process?

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

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

See figure to the right

What are the main restrictions for SequenceFlow?

A Sequence Flow can only connectActivities, Events, and Gateways, theycannot cross the boundary of a Sub-Process or the boundary of a Pool

Exercise 1


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Answers: Set 2

What are the rules for Message Flowconnections?

They must connect from the boundaryor object within a Pool to the boundaryor object within a different Pool

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

See figures to the rightWhy do the different behaviors of theGateways share the same basic diamondshape?

Gateways represent a controllingmechanism for Sequence Flow. Adiamond in the model shows a placewhere Sequence Flow control is needed

Exercise 1


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Answers: Set 3

How can Artifacts be used to enhance theinformation content of a BPMN diagram?

New Artifacts can be created andadded to the diagram to allowvisualization of key model factors

Draw a timed delay in a processSee figure to the right

What do Pools represent?Participants in a Process diagram,either a specific entity (e.g., FedEx) ora business role (e.g., Shipper)

Exercise 1


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Answers: Set 4

What’s the difference between Exclusive andInclusive Gateways?

Only one outgoing path is chosen forExclusive Gateway while at least one to alloutgoing paths may be chosen for anInclusive Gateway

Draw the synchronization of two parallel pathsSee figure to the right

What do Lanes generally represent? And whatcan they represent?

The mostly are used to representorganizational roles (e.g., Associate) ordepartments (e.g., Finance). The canrepresent most any object attribute that themodeler wants to use to partition activities

Exercise 1


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Answers: Set 5

How to Associations affect the main flow ofa Process?

They don’t. They can only affect therequirements for an activity

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

See figure to the rightWhat are the rules for adding marker oricons to activities?

The marker or icon cannot change thefootprint of the activity and cannotconflict with any standard BPMNelement

Exercise 1


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Topics

BPMN Background

Basic Concepts

Exercise 1

Additional Concepts



Exercise 2

Summary


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Normal FlowBPMN Additional Concepts

Normal Sequence Flow refers to the flow thatoriginates from a Start Event and continues throughactivities via alternative and parallel paths until it endsat an End Event

Normal Flow does not include exception flow orcompensation flow


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Link Events Within a Process

Link Events can be used for Off-Page connectorsLink Events can be used as “Go-To” objects

BPMN Additional Concepts


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Process Levels

Processes can be developed hierarchically, withmultiple levels through Sub-ProcessesSequence Flow cannot cross a Sub-Process boundary

Message Flow and Associations can cross Sub-Process boundaries



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Data Flow

Sequence Flow and Data Flow aredecoupled

They can be bound together

Use case for decoupling



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Exception Handling

Intermediate Events attached to the boundary of an activityrepresent triggers that can interrupt the activity. All work within theactivity will be stopped and flow will proceed from the Event. Timer,Errors, Messages, etc. can be Triggers.



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Compensation and TransactionsBPMN Additional Concepts

A Transaction is an activity that hasa double border. Transactions aresupported by a transaction protocol(e.g., WS-Transaction)Normal Outgoing Sequence Flowrepresents the path to follow asuccessful completionA Cancel Intermediate Eventrepresents the path to follow acancelled completionAn Exception Intermediate Eventrepresents the path to follow atransaction hazard (but nocompensation is performed)Activities used for compensate (withmarker) are outside normal flow andare Associated normal activities.Compensation flows “backwards.”


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Looping

Sequence Flow Looping

Activity Looping: Do-While;While-Do; Multiple Instance



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Timers

Timeouts for exceptionhandling

Timers to add delays inthe Process



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Ad-Hoc Processes

There is no pre-defined Sequence Flow



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Topics

BPMN Background

Basic Concepts

Exercise 1

Additional Concepts



Exercise 2

Summary


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BPMN is intended to be methodology independentSimple or complex diagrams can be createdbased on the chosen methodologyMethodologies determine what information iscaptured about a process

Many different methodologies can be used formodeling with BPMN

Some may require extended ArtifactsExamples of methodologies:

LOVeM, EPCs, RAD methodology, IDEFConsulting organization methodologies


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Example of EPC Modeled in BPMNProcess Modeling Methodologies


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General Modeling Concepts

A process is chronological. Accurate models should beoriented on a time line (in general, from left to right insequence)Processes generally begin with triggering events, and worktheir way through to significant business results

They can also represent smaller segments of re-usablework

All tasks or activities are assigned to roles that are meaningfulto people in the business. Be sure you have captured allrelevant roles, which may sometimes be outside of the client’scompanyA complete model should display how objects or data (or both)are transferred and where they are goingA process can be modeled in a hierarchical fashion (e.g., withSub-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

Establish organization standards or guidelines for developing modelsand 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 wordProcess in the Process names or the words Task or Activity inTask namesTo help with report outputs, names should be 32 characters orlessTo help with readability, all words should be capitalized

Establish a set of standard nouns, verbs, and acronyms that are usedfor naming objectsEstablish standards for versioning methods associated at the processmodel and artifact level to provide requirement traceability



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Topics

BPMN Background

Basic Concepts

Exercise 1

Additional Concepts



Exercise 2

Summary


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Orchestration: Workflow, internal processes, privateprocesses

Contained within one PoolChoreography: Collaboration, global processes, B2Bprocesses

Defined by the interaction between Pools


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Orchestration

Orchestration defines processes that are internal to aspecific organization

Thus, they are contained within a single Pool



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Choreography

A Choreography processdepicts the interactionsbetween two or morebusiness entities (asmodeled with Pools)

Shown by the MessageFlow between the Pools

Or a sequence of interaction(global) types of activities

BPMN V2.0 will likely updatehow Choreographies aremodeled



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Topics

BPMN Background

Basic Concepts

Exercise 1

Additional Concepts



Exercise 2

Summary


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Exercise 2 – Create a Process for ExpenseReimbursement

In this exercise you will read a text descriptiveinformation about a process and will map theprocess on paperThe process is a sample expense reimbursementprocess:

This process provides for reimbursement ofexpenses incurred by employees for thecompany. For example buying a technical book,office supplies or software. In a normal day thereare several hundreds of instances of thisprocess created.

Concentrate on the basic flow of the Process…


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Process Information: ExpenseReimbursement

After the Expense Report is received, a new account must becreated if the employee does not already have oneThe report is then reviewed for automatic approval

Amounts under $200 are automatically approvedAmounts equal to or over $200 require approval of thesupervisor

• In case of rejection, the employee must receive arejection notice by email

The reimbursement goes to the employee’s direct deposit bankaccountIf no action has happened in 7 days, then the employee mustreceive an approval in progress emailIf the request is not finished within 30 days, then the process isstopped and the employee receives an email cancellationnotice and must re-submit the expense report

Exercise 2


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Expense Reimbursement ProcessExercise 2


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Topics

BPMN Background

Basic Concepts

Exercise 1

Additional Concepts



Exercise 2

Summary


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Summary

This tutorial covered:The background of BPMN

Basic BPMN Concepts

Additional BPMN Concepts


Orchestration and Choreography

Two Exercises