Simulation & Modeling
Business Process Model and
Notation
Prepared by Ahmed Saleem 1
Introduction to BPMN
➢ BPMN – Business Process Model and Notation
• An OMG (Object Management Group) specification for
producing models that business analysts can use to develop
processes, that technical people can use for implementation
and that business users can use to manage and oversee
• BPMN can bridge the gap between business process design
and process implementation.
• BPMN is a flowcharting notation that can depict the simplest
to the most complex of process modelling situations
• Specification versions: BPMN 1.0, 1.1, 1.2, 2.0
• BPMN 2.0 resources are on BBLearn
Prepared by Ahmed Saleem 2
A business process in simple terms….
➢ A sequence of logically interrelated tasks performed to
achieve a specific business outcome
➢ E.g.
• Creating a new bank account
• Processing an insurance claim
• Providing customer service
• Lending books in a library
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BPMN Basic Notation
Symbol What it represents What it means
Activity An activity is a task and
represents some unit of work
performed within a process.
Flow An event is something that
Event Objects happens during the course of a
process. Events usually have a
trigger or a result.
Gateway A gateway controls the flow of a
process, i.e. helps determine
which path to take in a process.
Gateways can split or merge the
flow of a process.
Sequence A connector links two objects in a
Connector diagram. At the basic level a
Flow connector represents a sequence
flow.
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Slide 4
A simple process
Process credit card application
Receive
Credit Issue Credit
Application Do Credit Check YES
Check OK? Card
Form
NO
Refuse Credit
Card
This is the start These are This is an end
event. It is just activities/tasks in event, it
the process – The gateway terminates the
where the process The connectors are
usually named with illustrates a decision process
begins/starts. No sequence flows, i.e.,
a verb then noun. point where one of
special trigger has they tell us how the two paths can be
been used here. process proceeds followed.
from task to task.
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Slide 5
An alternative representation
Process credit card application
Issue Credit
YES
Card
Receive
Credit
Application Do Credit Check
Check OK?
Form
Refuse Credit
NO
Card
If using multiple end points, as in this diagram, each
path through the diagram must be logically correct.
It may be better practice to use one termination event
if in doubt.
Slide 6
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From the scenario to the diagram
➢ Scenario – Mark coursework submission
• This process begins when the coursework is received by the
lecturer, is read, evaluated against the marking scheme and
comments entered in a spreadsheet. If the comments made
against the marking scheme represent a failure, the student
receives a failing grade, otherwise the student receives a
passing grade.
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Extracting the tasks
➢ Scenario – Mark coursework submission
This process begins when the coursework is received by the lecturer, is read,
evaluated against the marking scheme and comments entered in a
spreadsheet. If the comments made against the marking scheme represent
a failure, the student receives a failing grade, otherwise the student receives
a passing grade.
• The tasks can be identified as:
Receive Coursework, Read Coursework,
Evaluate Coursework, Enter Comments,
Mark Coursework as Failed, Mark Coursework as Passed
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Identifying the decision points
➢ Scenario – Mark coursework submission
• This process begins when the coursework is received by the lecturer, is
read, evaluated against the marking scheme and comments entered in a
spreadsheet. If the comments made against the marking scheme
represent a failure, the student receives a failing grade, otherwise the
student receives a passing grade.
• The decision point occurs when the lecturer checks to see if
the comments amount to a failure of the task or a pass:
• Decision: check comments
• Paths: Fail/Pass
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Start, End and Flow
➢ Scenario – Mark coursework submission
• This process begins when the coursework is received by the lecturer, is
read, evaluated against the marking scheme and comments entered in a
spreadsheet. If the comments made against the marking scheme
represent a failure, the student receives a failing grade, otherwise the
student receives a passing grade.
• There is no special trigger for the start of this process and
the process ends when the marking is complete
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Draw the resulting BPMN diagram
Steps:
• Download and store a copy of a BPMN 2.0 stencil
• Best place to store it is in My Documents → My Shapes
• Open MS VISIO
• Select “File→New”
• Choose Blank Drawing
• Open the BPMN 2.0 Stencil either from My Shapes or from the “Open
Stencil” option under More Shapes
Mark Coursework Submission
Mark
Receive Read Evaluate Enter Check
PASS Coursework as
Coursework Coursework Coursework Comments Comments
Passed
FAIL
Mark
Coursework as
Failed
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Another example
➢ Scenario – Eat out at a Restaurant
• This process begins when the customer receives the
restaurant menu, consults the food list, consults the drink
list, orders food and drink, consumes them, then requests
the bills, pays for the bill and leaves.
➢ As for the previous scenario
• Extract the tasks, decision points, start and end events and
flows and draw the diagram.
• Compare your result with the example solution given.
• DO NOT LOOK AT THE RESULT BEFOREHAND
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A possible solution….
Eat Out at a Restaurant
Order Food Consume Food
Consult Food Consult Wine Leave
Receive Menu Request Bill Pay For Bill
List List Restaurant
Order Wine Consume Wine
These activities are
happening in
parallel, therefore
there is a split and
then a merge.
Compare this solution with yours and discuss points
of difference.
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Task 1 Notes
➢ To create an organizational chart in MS Visio do the
following steps:
• Go to File→New
• Choose the template category “Business”
• Choose Organization Chart
• Use the stencils to produce the diagram
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Task 2 Notes
➢ Steps:
• Read and understand the scenario
• Extract the tasks, decision points, start and end events and
flows
• Draw the diagram
• Read the diagram and see whether it matches the original
scenario
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Business Process Model and Notation
Thank You!
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