A BPM project has 3 phases: the auditing of the issues and the operations to be improved, the translation of this problematic into a BPMN model, and if possible its execution automation with a follow-up via a BAM (Business Activity Monitoring) ). In this article we will focus on an aspect of the 2nd stage aspect - the modeling - which is to have a methodological approach. Indeed, it is not enough to be comfortable in the BPMN language to achieve this crucial step.
1. Identify if the problem can be handled by a single orchestration (or collaboration) or if it takes more than one. In the latter case, clearly define the name of each process and its scope.
2. For each of the processes involved, decide
2.1 If it is an orchestration or a collaboration, in other words if we want to show participants from outside the organization under study
2.2 If we start directly with the BPMN modeling or we go through a tool for the people in the business, such as http://www.signavio.com/products/process-manager/quickmodel
3. For each of the processes involved, in terms of orchestration, decide how many human roles will be involved, and therefore how many laness. Decide also if we will add one or more automatic task lanes.
4. For each of the corridors, decide from the outset and given the complexity of the process under study, if level 1 will be used for black boxes - sub-processes.
5. In case of using sub-processes, whether they will be integrated processes or existing processes in a process repository.
6. For each orchestration, we must identify the number of start events. Indeed, more and more processes are multi-channel (Web, smartphone application, mail, etc.)
7. For each orchestration, we must identify the number of finalization events as well by success as by failure. The more we describe finalization events, the more we clarify the issues of the business problem.
Once the model is complete
8. Verify that in BPMN terms
8.1 The tokens circulation is accurate
8.2 There are not too much XOR gateways
9. Improve the model presentation
9.1 By the means of BPMN artifacts
9.2 By features of the modeling tool, such as colours
This methodology is unlikely to be comprehensive. That said, it allows to offer a guide to all, more and more numerous, who are brought to address business problems and translate them into the BPMN standard. Especially well differentiate, which in the BPMN model, is solving the business issue, which falls within the norm itself and what should be the documentation of the model.