L6 - Modelling business processes Flashcards
What is modelling?
“Modelling is the process of abstracting and organizing significant features of the real world as it is now, or as we would like it to be. A useful model will represent only those features of reality that are useful for the current purpose. Each model says something about the subject, but not everything. Different types of model illustrate different things.“ (Britton & Doake, 2006, p. 38)
What is process modelling?
Illustrates the business process coordinated activities in a diagram, providing an overview of processes that in reality might be rather comprehensive
Purpose – provide overview of process – the flow of activities from the start to the end of the process, thus goal is to produce diagrams as simple as possible
What is swimlane diagramming?
Done to provide an overview and clarity of who does what and when in the process
Visualizes the workflow in a process
Visualizes what is done, by whom, in what sequence—“who, does what, when”
It is the standard process that should be modelled, include activities that can be anticipated
The goal is to design the process to be more effective, efficient, provide increased internal control, or compliance
Distinction between AS IS and TO BE
Who are the actors and what are their roles in swimlane diagramming?
A process actor is a person or a group/department contributing during the process between start and end
Can be individual or have organisational role
Each should have individual swimlane in which activities are placed
Both internal (execute the activities in the business process) and external actors of the process can be included
Not mandatory to include external – only included if the activities are vital for the process to continue
Sometimes processes span the organization, e.g. integrated supply chain management. In this case,
external organizations may become internal actors to the process.
To visualize the distance between the internal and external actors, a gap between them should be made.
How do we include activities in swimlane diagramming?
To be described in active matter and must have same format
Always use same concepts
There cannot be more than one of the same activity
It is important to keep the diagram at the same level of detail throughout the entire process. If some of the activities in the process are more comprehensive than that, it is possible to go into more details by further modelling the comprehensive activity as a sub-process.
What are the roles of flows in swimlane diagramming?
The different activities of the process have to be connected by arrows to illustrate the flow of the process.
This flow shows the sequence in which the activities are to be executed.
The swimlane diagrams have a time perspective. First, as we follow the flow (the arrows), time passes. Second, the further down the lanes, the later in time. This means that the arrows can be directed up, down, and to the right. If the arrows are directed left, it would mean going back in time
Information travels with the flows throughout the process
There are two types of information; one type that is needed in order to execute the process, and another type that will appear throughout the process.
What are parallel activities in swimlane diagramming?
Parallel activities – ‘place order’ - An activity may activate two flows at the same time. Both flows begin as soon as the activity is accomplished and are visualized as two arrows appearing from one activity. The parallel activities either meet again in a later activity or one of the parallel flows ends
What are events in swimlane diagramming?
The activities that both trigger and end the process should be marked.
The process may involve several instances of start and finish, but it should be kept on a minimum level in order to simplify the process.
How do we include decisions in swimlane diagramming?
The process may involve several decisions that are to be made in order to execute the process. For these decisions, a decision diamond must be included in the diagram. The decision diamond
functions as an exclusive gateway, were one answer excludes the other.
What are the 6 practical guidelines for process modelling?
- Identify the actors related to the specific process.
- Determine the activities and place them in relation to the actor that is to execute it.
- Determine the flow of the activities and include
potential parallel activities and decision diamonds. - Ensure that the time perspective is respected.
- Indicate where the process starts and finishes by using events.
- Ensure that the level of detail is consistent throughout the entire process execution.
To model large and complex systems a Business Analyst needs:
Different kinds of models to highlight different parts of the system, that is, to model it from different perspectives
Different levels of the same kind of model to give both general and more detailed views of the same system
How do we use models to deal with complexity?
Abstraction: focusing on the most important elements while ignoring other - currently irrelevant - details
Decomposition: divide the problem into smaller chunks
Why do we use modelling?
Provides an overview of something - that might be – complex
Helps us communicate our understanding to others
Form basis for discussions with stakeholders
Ensure congruence
Forces us to ask questions
Impose structure on the jumble of a spoken or written specifications
Highlights omissions and contradictions
Helps us reason about our current state of understanding
Bridge the gap between business and IT
Why do we use process modelling?
Standardize business processes
Often done to improve process design and execution
Facilitate understanding of what an IS should be able to handle – and by that, which activities should be technologically supported
What should not be modelled in a Swimlane diagram?
What the customer goes through to be able to provide the answer is not to be modelled, as this is not something that the process is able to manage or control. The same goes for the supplier.
