Process Diagram Technique for Business Processes Modeling

Transcription

1 Process Diagram Technique for Business Processes Modeling Vaclav Repa University of Economics, Prague, Czech Republic ISD2000 Conference, Kristiansand, Norway, August 2000 V.Repa: Process Diagram Technique for BPM, ISD2000 Conference, Kristiansand, Norway, August

2 Agenda The Scope The Technique Diagram Elements Process Meta-Model Different Levels of the Technique Important Topics Events, Activities, and States from the Object vs. Process Point of View (Consistency Rules) Process Memory (Simple/Complex Processes) V.Repa: Process Diagram Technique for BPM, ISD2000 Conference, Kristiansand, Norway, August

3 The Scope Model of the system of business processes which: respects basic objectives and goals, current state and specific characteristics of the organization respects objective circumstances (those which are given outside the organization and are independent of the organization) which can play a significant role in the behavior of the organization is "optimal" in the sense of economic efficiency of the processes is "optimal" in the sense of maximum simplicity together with whole functionality is prepared for later optimization, implementation and installation of the system of processes which respect characteristics described above V.Repa: Process Diagram Technique for BPM, ISD2000 Conference, Kristiansand, Norway, August

4 Organizational & Technological Infrastructure The Scope Convergence of BPE, WfM, and ISD Sense and Context of Work BP to be performed Workflow Management Business Processes Implementation Business Processes (Re)Engineering BP to be engineered Conceptual Business Processes Analysis Business Interface Analysis (Use Cases) Business Requirements Analysis Information Requirements (Strategic Level) BP to be modeled and supported Information System Development Information Support Information Requirements (Operational Level) Information Support V.Repa: Process Diagram Technique for BPM, ISD2000 Conference, Kristiansand, Norway, August

5 The Scope Objects and processes as a basis for IS development Conceptual Business Processes Model Business Activities Actors Products Conceptual Business Objects Model Business Objects Actors Products * I/O functions * Dialogue functions * Interface functions etc. Interface Functions Structure Real World Structure * Objects * Attributes * Life history Technology Constraints and Requirements and Database Design Rules Conceptual IS Model Usability Requirements * buffering needs * user views * data sets extent etc. Real World Structure (static view) Logical Database Structure Real World Behaviour (Object Life Histories) Program Modules Structure Top-Down Function Structure Transition Techniques (Design Rules) Technology Constraints and Requirements and Program Design Rules Technological IS Model V.Repa: Process Diagram Technique for BPM, ISD2000 Conference, Kristiansand, Norway, August Back

6 The Technique Process modeling diagram elements - basic set Diagram Element Activity Decision Symbol Activity Decision Explanation Basic element of the process - input(s) to output(s) processing. Activity is decomposable on principle, i.e. it can be always regarded as the process (on the deeper level of detail). Elementary (i.e. undecomposable) activity. Decision on the particular follow-up of the process. Event Event External stimulus for the activity. Information about the event outside of the process and independent of it. State Logical Connector State AND Internal stimulus for the activity. Result of the preceding activity. Primitive decision without any information at the input (predefined decision). The only AND and OR (XOR) connectors are allowable. V.Repa: Process Diagram Technique for BPM, ISD2000 Conference, Kristiansand, Norway, August Back

7 The Technique Process modeling diagram elements - external elements Diagram Element Information Set Symbol Information Set Explanation Set of the information for process control. Examples: manufacturing plan, strategic investment intention, delivery note etc. Material Set Mixed Set Actor Material Set Mixed Set Actor Set of the subjects of processing. I.e. raw material (at the input) or product (at the output), no matter whether it is material or data. Examples: engine component, car (final product) in the case of car manufacturing. Stock list, investment advice (final product) in the case of broker's business (information plays the role of the material here). Set of the combination of the subjects of processing as well as the information for controlling it. Example: delivery together with the delivery note Abstract person - all kinds of the attendee of the process (person, organization unit, system, position, profession, role, entity etc.). Problem Problem Problem related to the process in the particular point. Organization Unit Organization Unit Unit of the organization where the process runs. V.Repa: Process Diagram Technique for BPM, ISD2000 Conference, Kristiansand, Norway, August Back

8 Process model The Technique Process meta-model Additional Constraints: 1. Activity has to be stimulated by either Stimulus or Control Activity (Decision or Logical Connector) 2. Input Set has to be input for either Processing Activity or Decision Consists of 1 1 State Produces Stimulates Processing Activity 0..* Produces Is input for 1..* 1..* 1..* Input/Output Set 1..* Activity 1..* Event 0..* Stimulus Is connected to 1..* 0..* External Aspect 1..* Is connected to 0..* 1..* Is input for Is input for Actor Problem Organization Unit Stimulates Control Activity Decision Stimulates Logical Connector Information Set Material Set Mixed Set V.Repa: Process Diagram Technique for BPM, ISD2000 Conference, Kristiansand, Norway, August

9 The Technique Three levels of model simplification Level Description Purpose of simplification level 0 Full complexity. All elements used. level 1 Model without actors, problems and Description of the process itself without the respect organization units. to the related external aspects (actors, problems and organization). There is no possibility to analyze those external aspects (for the purpose of the level 2 level 3 Level 1 model without sets (material, information or mixed). Level 2 model without states and control activities. information analysis of the legal IS for example). Description of the process itself without the respect to the inputs and outputs of the activities. Such a model describes the succession of the activities together with the process control (activity stimuli). It does not describe the substance of the processing. Description of the process itself without the respect to the inputs and outputs of the activities. Such a model describes the succession of the activities only. No internal control is described. V.Repa: Process Diagram Technique for BPM, ISD2000 Conference, Kristiansand, Norway, August

10 Consistency of processes and objects Outline of the consistency rules requirements concerning external facts (different meanings of the same fact) Fact Object Model Business Process Model Event Stimulus for: Stimulus for: object internal state change operation execution possible communication with other objects process state change (send the message) in the case of the output production "common action" possible communication with other Output Consequence of object action object internal state change processes (processes co-ordination) Consequence of: operation execution (product) process state change Outline of the consistency rules requirements concerning internal concepts (different meanings of the same concept) Concept Object Model Business Process Model Action Action executed/allowed by the object Causes: Activity inside the process Causes: object state change process state change possible output production possible output production possible communication with other objects possible communication with other (send the message) in the case of the "common action" processes (co-ordination of processes) State Object life cycle state starting point for action processing result of action processing Process course state starting point for operation execution result of operation execution V.Repa: Process Diagram Technique for BPM, ISD2000 Conference, Kristiansand, Norway, August Illustration

11 Process Memory Why: The need to store the information about the actual process state in controlling complex processes (which often have complex relationships to other processes). The need to reduce the complexity of the process description. Process memory includes: actual process state identification attributes of actual state of the process data gathered by the process activities (once the data are gathered, they exist inside the process and can be used by its activities without any limitation (global data access)) Consequences: criterion for distinguishing between primitive and complex processes. (process without the need to store the information about the state is so simple that it is possible to take it (and implement it, as well) as a simple algorithm) indicates the possible parallelism inside the process or at least in the communication with other processes. V.Repa: Process Diagram Technique for BPM, ISD2000 Conference, Kristiansand, Norway, August

12 Primitive Process ( Receiving) Stock entry Formal correctness check Correct Satisfiability check Satisfiable Incorrect Unsatisfiable rejection due to the formal incorrectness rejection due to the unsatisfiability acceptation accepted deficiencies report rejected rejection report Delivery order Invoice V.Repa: Process Diagram Technique for BPM, ISD2000 Conference, Kristiansand, Norway, August

13 Primitive Process ( Receiving) - Aris Notation Stock entry Formal correctness check Correct Satisfiability check Satisfiable Incorrect Unsatisfiable rejection due to the formal incorrectness rejection due to the unsatisfiability acceptation accepted deficiencies report rejected rejection report Delivery order Invoice V.Repa: Process Diagram Technique for BPM, ISD2000 Conference, Kristiansand, Norway, August

14 Complex Process ( Transaction) Customer Stock Store Manager Goods Dispatched Customer Customer Payment Done entry Receiving accepted Fulfilment Goods Delivered Clearance deficiencies report rejected rejection report Delivery order Invoice Cleared Waiting for Store Action Waiting for Customer Action V.Repa: Process Diagram Technique for BPM, ISD2000 Conference, Kristiansand, Norway, August