Modelling at the event response level (30%) Flashcards
What do arrows show at the event-response level compared to the enterprise level?
Event response/model: arrow shows flow betweentasks (swimlane)
Enterprise level/map: arrow show dependencies between processes
For all business processes we need to document:
- Actors
- Tasks
- Business rules
- Customer
- Events that trigger
- Outcomes
Actors
- Represent a set of responsibilities
- Perform tasks
- Represent people/groups/businesses/IT systems
- Actors become swimlanes
Business Rules
Business rules determine how the work is done and which outcomes are
achieved. They constrain how work is done and the decisions that are made
Rules are created:
External constraints e.g. legislation
Best practice
Experience
Organisation policy
Operational guidance
Customer
Receives direct benefit from the process
- Can be internal/external
- May be more than one
Business Events
Trigger processes
3 Types:
Internal
External
Timebased
Relationship between organisation/processes/tasks
The organisation is the sum of its processes
The process is the sum of its tasks
There should be minimum coupling
Relationship between levels
Process dependencies (L1) comprises of process flows (L2) each of which comprises of tasks (L3)
Why is process modelling important?
Offers a common unified language for communicating processes and the complexity of task-flow, events, rules and responsibilities
Also good for training/knowledge transfer etc
BUT: This can only happen if internal (and ideally, external) stakeholders use the same consistent, standard notation
2 Business Process Notation
BPMN
- Capable of modelling the most complex of processes
UML (Activity Diagram)
- Simpler to use than BPMN
Symbols/Notations for BPMN
Flow objects – such as events, activities (tasks) and gateways
Connecting objects – denoting sequence flow, message flow, and association
Pools and lanes – where a pool represents the process while a lane defines the activities each participant is responsible for performing
Artefacts – these encompass data objects, groups, and annotations
UML
Designed for software modelling
It can show: triggering events, actors, tasks, decisions and process flows
Swimlanes
Labelled swim lanes are used to show who or what is responsible for carrying out each task in the process
If an IT system carries out some of the tasks that will be shown as a swim lane
Initial Node
The start of the process is shown with an ‘initial node’ and the event written next to it
There should only be one start for a process
Tasks
Each task in the process is shown as a round-cornered rectangle expressed as a verb-noun phrase
A task is something done by one person (actor) in one place at one time (OPOPOT)
OPOPOT
One person (actor)
If the actor hands off to another actor then it is the end of the task
One place
If the work moves to a different physical location then it is the end of the task
One time
If the actor stops doing the work to wait for something else to happen or for a particular point in time then it is the end of the task
Flows
Flows between tasks are shown as single directional arrows
Flows crossing from one swim lane to another indicate hands off from one actor to another
Decisions
Decisions show ‘or’ - where only one flow will take place (one input multiple outputs)
Decisions are shown as diamonds with the conditions in square brackets on the outflows:
These are called ‘guard conditions‘
Merges
Two inputs, one output. Represented by a diamond.
Purely for syntax
Fork & Join
Fork shows ‘and’ - where both flows will take place.
Can’t go beyond until both are finished but may take different times
Join shows where he flows comeback together
Finish
End of the flow shown by the ‘final node’ bulls eye
There can be multiple ends to a process
End of flows - use in the event of a fork
Time events
Symbolised by a timer
Can be built into a process or a time event for starting a process
Why do we measure process performance?
If we don’t continuously measure and monitor our processes then all of our efforts to analyse, create and manage them are a waste of time!
The only reason for implementing processes is to improve organisational performance in meaningful ways
How can we measure processes
Time, Cost & Quality
Efficiency, Efficacy & Effectiveness
TCQ
Time = how long things take
Cost = use of resources (all resources ie. human/energy/raw materials etc)
Quality = how well things are done
Customer may have different view on the start/end point & success of a process
EEE
Efficiency = relates to time & cost & use of resources
Efficacy = quality of output
Effectiveness = quality of outcome / fulfilling customer requirements
Internal/External view of process management
Internal measurements (organisation’s point of view)
For the cinema, might consider how long it takes to sell a ticket to a customer
Start the clock when the customer asks for a ticket for a particular film
Stop the clock when the box office person hands the ticket to the customer
External measurements (customer’s point of view)
The customer wanting to buy a ticket from the cinema would start their clock when they enter the box office and join the queue: they include waiting time, which is not considered from the internal point of view
