BPMN Method and Style

BPMN Method and Style – Table of ContentsBruce Silver2016-12-29T13:40:00-08:00

Preface to the Second Edition. v

Changes since the First Edition. v
Structure of the Book. viii
BPMN Training. x
BPMN Tools. x
Acknowledgments. xii

Part I: What is BPMN?. 1

1. Bad BPMN, Good BPMN.. 3

The Paradox of BPMN.. 3
Method and Style. 4
The Long Road to BPMN 2.0. 5
Business Process Modeling Is More Than BPMN! 7

2. How Does A Model Mean?. 9

BPMN’s Hidden Conceptual Framework. 10
Process Logic. 12
Orchestration. 13
BPMN Levels and Process Modeling Conformance Subclasses. 15

Part II: Method and Style – Level 1. 17

3. BPMN by Example. 19

A Simple Order Process. 19
Exceptions and End States. 19
Swimlanes and Activity Types. 20
Subprocesses. 21
Process Levels and the Hierarchical Style. 22
Parallel Split and Join. 25
Collaboration and Black-Box Pools. 25
Start Events and the Process Instance. 28
The Top-Level Diagram.. 30

4. The Level 1 Palette. 33

Activity. 33
Task. 34
Subprocess. 35
Call Activity. 38
Gateway. 39
Start Event. 42
End Event. 44
Sequence Flow.. 45
Message Flow.. 46
Pool. 46
Lane. 48
Data Object and Data Store. 49
Documentation, Text Annotation, and Group. 50

5. The Method.. 53

Goals of the Method. 53
Hierarchical Top-Down Modeling. 54
End State. 55
Step 1. Determine Process Scope. 56
Step 2: The High-Level Map. 59
Step 3: Top-Level Process Diagram.. 60
Step 4: Child-Level Expansion. 62
Step 5: Add Message Flows. 63
Method Recap. 67

6. BPMN Style. 69

The Basic Principle of BPMN Style. 69
Style Rules. 71
Official BPMN 2.0 Rules. 82

Part III: Method and Style – Level 2. 85

7. Events. 87

Event-Triggered Behavior. 89
Timer Event. 91
Message Event. 95
Error Event. 104
Other Level 2 Events. 107
Event Subprocess. 111

8. Iteration and Instance Alignment. 113

Loop Activity. 113
Multi-Instance Activity. 114
Using Repeating Activities. 115
Using Multiple Pools. 117
Batch Processes. 119
Instance Alignment. 120

9. Process Splitting and Merging.. 123

Conditionally Parallel Flow.. 123
Merging Sequence Flows. 125

10. Transactions. 129

ACID Transactions. 129
Business Transactions. 130
Compensation Throw-Catch. 132

11. The Rules of BPMN.. 135

Sources of BPMN Truth. 135
BPMN Rules for Level 2 Process Modeling. 136
Style Rules for Level 2 Process Modeling. 139
Model Validation. 140

Part IV: BPMN Implementer’s Guide – Non-Executable BPMN. 143

12. BPMN 2.0 Metamodel and Schema.. 145

XSD Basics. 147
BPMN Schema Fundamentals. 149

13. Process Modeling Conformance Subclasses. 153

Descriptive Subclass. 154
Analytic Subclass. 155
Common Executable Subclass. 156

14. BPMN Serialization Basics. 157

definitions. 157
documentation and extensionElements. 160
collaboration. 160
process. 162
Example: Simple Process Model. 162
Example: Simple Collaboration Model. 164
Example: Simple Import and Call Activity. 165

15. Serializing Process Elements. 167

flowElement and flowNode. 167
activity. 167
subProcess. 170
gateway. 172
event. 173
sequenceFlow.. 176
laneSet and lane. 178
Artifacts. 178

16. Serializing Data Flow… 181

Non-Executable Data Flow.. 181
Example: Non-Executable Data Flow.. 183
More on Data Inputs and Data Outputs. 185

17. The BPMNDI Graphical Model. 187

BPMNDI Basics. 188
Process Levels and Pages. 188
BPMNDiagram.. 189
BPMNPlane. 190
BPMNShape. 190
BPMNEdge. 191
BPMNDI Examples. 191

18. BPMN-I 199

BPMN-I Profile Serialization Rules. 201
Part V: BPMN Implementer’s Guide – Executable BPMN. 213

19. What Is Executable BPMN?. 215

Common Executable Subclass. 216

20. Variables and Data Mapping.. 219

itemDefinition. 220
message. 220
Importing Structure Definitions. 221
Example: Data Flow with Imported Item Definitions. 221
Properties and Instance Attributes. 223
Data Mapping. 223

21. Services, Messages, and Events. 229

Services. 229
Messages. 229
Automated Tasks. 230
Events. 232

22. Human Tasks. 235

userTask. 235
Performer Assignment. 235

23. Executable BPMN in Practice. 239

Handling Java Data. 240
Services and Service Adapters. 244
Example: Bonita Open Solution. 244

24. Aligning Executable Design with BPMN Method and Style. 259

End State Variables. 259
Gateway Conditions. 260
Messages. 260
Errors. 261

Index. 263

About the Author 269

What Is BPMN?

BPMN 2.0 is the industry standard for business process modeling, defining the flow of activities comprising an end-to-end business process. It is a common language shared by business and IT users, in uses ranging from documentation to process analysis and improvement to execution on an automation engine.

What Is DMN?

DMN is the industry standard for business decision modeling and execution without programming. A DMN model defines the structure of a business decision end-to-end and details the decision logic entirely in diagrams and tables... no programming required.

What Is Low-Code Business Automation?

By combining BPMN and DMN, you can create executable processes and pageflow apps without programming... entirely based on standards.

What Is Method and Style?

The BPMN standard defines a vocabulary of shapes and symbols that is widely used for documenting and analyzing business processes, but does not provide any methodology or guidance for using the language effectively. Method and Style applies additional conventions and methods on top of the BPMN specification to ensure that the process logic is revealed clearly and completely from the printed diagram.

Professionalize Your Business Modeling

Companies waste enormous resources on creating models that cannot be understood by all stakeholders in business and IT. It doesn't have to be that way. Methodandstyle.com helps you professionalize your business modeling with training, learning resources, news and commentary.

Jump-Start Your Digital Transformation

The combination of BPMN and DMN enables Business Automation based on Low-Code - diagrams and tables, not programming. We provide training, consulting and mentoring to jump-start your digital transformation efforts.

“I learned a lot doing this exercise and I iterated many times before I liked it enough to send to you. I referenced the class materials many times while doing the exercise… I bought the 2nd Edition of your book, so now I have both editions. I think I’ve read them cover to cover at least 5 times, and I learn something new every time. It is definitely my BPMN bible!”

Susan Hollingsworth, Merrill Corporation

Thank you for the wonderful BPMN course. I am more excited than ever about how BPMN can bring the business and IT sides together and how it is instrumental in merging business process best practices together with technology.

Matt Lindholm, PDI Ninth House

I am really very glad having accomplished the certification and also very thankful for the insight gained during the 3 days of the course training. Really appreciate the course contents and the effectiveness, looking forward to recommend it to all BPM-ers I know! Thanks again for the extensive coaching and support through the journey.

Tannistha Sengupta, Cognizant Technology Solutions

The class was extremely helpful for me, as was BPMNPro. I’m already mentoring team members that are doing process modeling with BPMN. Your approach to adding the Method and Style on top of the BPMN specification makes a huge difference in making the diagrams consistent and meaningful. I’ve bought fifteen copies of the BPMN Method and Style book for our team and they’ve already been a big help.

Shawn McFadden, Hewlett-Packard

BPMN Method and Style – Table of Contents