Business Process Modelling: Marcello La Rosa

Business Process Modelling
-8.2/2013 -
Marcello La Rosa
Queensland University of Technology
Brisbane, 12 September 2013
Mid-semester survey: your words, our actions

Generally, very positive comments. A few notes worth commenting:
1. Too many readings: read the required readings, the others are for
your own culture and interest
2. Use of Signavio: not mandatory
3. Tutorial notes online late: usually on Friday, we will strive to put
them up on Thursday after the class
4. Assignment specification came up too early, content not yet
fully covered: the idea is that you build your report incrementally
rather than being confronted with a lot of content altogether. No selfstudy required. Do not anticipate content!
5. Audio quality poor: AV Support notified.
6. THU 8pm tutorial inconvenient: moved to S502 at 5pm for Weeks
8-12. Week 13 in S503 at 8pm.
INB/INN320 8.2/2011 12 September 2013
Tutorials attendance rate

Raffaele, Eike, Stephan
Time
Mon
9am
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
S502 (10)
10am
S518 (10)
11am
12am
1pm
S503 (25),
S506 (10)
S506 (20)
2pm
S507 (20)
3pm
S410 LECT
4pm
S410 LECT
5pm
S502 (35)
NEW!
6pm
7pm
8pm
S503 (30)
S503 (35)
3
Quick Repeat from Week 7
What splits and joins can be represented implicitly in BPMN?

What is a sub-process?
How can we model repetition in BPMN?
What is a multi-instance task?
Uncontrolled Repetition: Ad-hoc sub-process

The ad-hoc sub-process contains activities (tasks or subprocesses) to be executed in arbitrary order and time
May define order of sub-set of activities by sequence flow
Can be used in an early version of a process diagram when
the order of execution is still unknown
Denoted with a tilde marker on the expanded sub-process
notation
Review companys KPIs
Evaluate prior
performance
Assess
financial
stability
Profile
products and
services
Interview
corporate
executives
Example: ad-hoc sub-process

A typical army selection process starts by shortlisting all candidates
applications. Those shortlisted are then called to sit the following tests: drug
and alcohol, eye, color vision, hearing, blood, urine, weight, fingerprinting
and doctor examination. The color vision can only be done after the eye test,
while the doctor examination can only be done after color vision, hearing,
blood, urine and weight have been tested. Moreover, it may be required for
some candidates to repeat some of these tests multiple times in order to get
a correct assessment, e.g. the blood test may need be repeated if the
candidate has taken too much sugar in the previous 24 hours. The
candidates that pass all tests are asked to sit a mental exam and a physical
exam, followed by an interview. Only those that also pass these two exams
and perform well in the interview can be recruited in the army.
Solution: ad-hoc sub-process
Value chain modelling

Chain of (high-level) processes an organisation performs in order to achieve
a business goal, e.g. deliver a product or service to the market.
Business
process
is predecessor
of
Linking value chains with process models
Process model
for this business
process is
available
PO
received
Check stock
availability
Design
product
features
New
product
to be
developed
Consult
stakeholders
Finalize
product
features
Product
developed
Product
in stock
Product
not in stock
Confirm order
Reject order
Order
confirmed
Order rejected
v
Send
invoice
Ship
goods
Invoice
sent
Goods
shipped
Invoice
received
Enter
customer
information
Customer
entered
Enter
purchase
information
Purchase info.
entered
Enter credit
information
Details
entered
BPMN Modelling
- Events Handling -
Event types
Start
Intermediate
End
Untyped Event Indicates that an instance of the

process is created (start) or completed (end),
without specifying the cause for creation/completion
Catch
Start Message Event Indicates that an instance

of the process is created when a message is
received
End Message Event Indicates that an instance of
the process is completed when a message is sent
Intermediate Message Event Indicates that an
event is expected to occur during the process. The
event is triggered when a message is received or
sent
11
Event types (cont.ed)

Start
Intermediate
End
Start Timer Event Indicates that an instance of the

process is created at certain date(s)/time(s), e.g. start
process at 6pm every Friday
Intermediate Timer Event Triggered at certain date(s)/
time(s), or after a time interval has elapsed since the
moment the event is enabled (delay)
Intermediate Link Event Indicates that the process flow is
resumed from a previous diagram (represented elsewhere),
or that it continues in a subsequent diagram (represented
elsewhere). Often used as an off-page connector.
12
Message and Timer events

Start
Catching
process
starts upon
message
received
Intermediate
Catching
message
received
during the
process
Throwing
message
sent during
the process
End
Modelling Exceptions
Throwing
process
ends upon
message
sent
Normal
Atomic Task/
Flow
Sub-process
Normal
Flow
task terminates
upon message
received
Exception
Flow
process
starts when
time event
occurs
time event
occurred
(to model delay)
Normal
Atomic Task/
Flow
Sub-process
Normal
Flow
task terminates
when time event
occurs
Exception
Flow
13
Example: message event

Court
Administration
P&E Court
Listings
For all Judges
Check P&E Judge Availability

Check Court
Calendar
Court Calendar
Received
Court Calendar
Change Request
Request
Sittings List
Sittings List
Received
Change P&E
Schedules
Yearly
Schedule
Sent
Judiciary
Start event
(receive)
Intermediate
catching event
(receive)
Resolve P&E
Judge
Availability
End event
(send)
14
Comparison with sending/receiving tasks
Invoice
received
Receive
invoice
Receive
invoice
Send invoice
Send invoice
Is this really the same?
Invoice
received
Invoice
sent
Invoice
sent
15
So, when to use what?

Use message events only when the corresponding activity would simply
send or receive a message and do nothing else
16
Example: timer event
Prepare
Callover List
3 Weeks prior
to Callover
Prepare
Callover
Material
Contact
Parties
1 Week prior
to Callover
Start event
Attend
Callover
Callover Day
Intermediate
catching event
Prepare
Callover
Material
Attend
Callover
2 Hours
Wake-up the
List Manager
Activities must always

have input and output
Sequence Flow
17
Find the bugs
Party
Start Message Events

cannot signal message
sending
Each Pool (white box) must

have one start and one end
event
request warrant release

Small
Claims
Registry
Operations
Retrieve
STC File
File
Distribute
SCT Warrant
Possession
coversheet
Queensland
Police
Normal Flow cannot

be used to pass on
Data Objects
File
Report
Store SCT
Physical File
Awaiting
Report
Retrieve
SCT File
File
Attach SCT
Document
Expanded
File
Store SCT
Physical File
report
Start Timer instead of Intermediate Timer

Timer events cannot be used to wait for messages
Tasks cannot lead only to Exception Flow
18
A possible solution
Party
Request warrant release

Small
Claims
Registry
Operations
Distribute
SCT Warrant
Possession
Retrieve
SCT File
Store SCT
Physical File
coversheet
File
Attach new
SCT
Document
Retrieve
SCT File
Expanded
File
Store SCT
Physical File
report
File
File
Queensland
Police
19
Example: modelling with events
A Purchase Order (PO) handling process starts when a PO

is received. The PO is first registered. If the current date is
not a working day, the process waits until the following
working day before proceeding. Otherwise, an availability
check is performed and a PO response is sent back to the
customer.
Next working day
weekend/
holiday
Register PO
PO
Received
weekday
Check
Availability
Send PO
Response
PO
fulfilled
20
Example: modelling with events
A Purchase Order (PO) handling process starts when a PO

is received. The PO is first registered. If the current date is
not a working day, the process waits until the following
working day before proceeding. Otherwise, an availability
check is performed and a PO response is sent back to the
customer.
Anytime after the PO has been registered, the customer
may send a PO change request. When such a PO change
request is received, any processing related to the PO must
be stopped. The PO change request is then registered.
Thereafter, the process proceeds as it would do after a
normal PO is registered.
21
Solution: modelling with events
Handle PO
Next workingNext
day working day
weekend/
holiday
weekend/
holiday
Register PO
PO
Received
weekday
weekday
Check
Availability
Check Send PO
Availability Response
PO
Registered
Send PO
Response
PO
fulfilled
Response
sent
PO
fulfilled
PO Change
received
Register PO
Change
22
Alternative solution
Handle PO
Register PO
PO
Received
Check
Availability
Next
working
day
Send PO
Response
Response
sent
PO
fulfilled
PO Change
received
Register PO
Change
23
Pool 1
Quiz: whats wrong with this model?
Message y
Message z
Message x
Pool 2
c1
C
Not c2
Not c1
c2
24
Event-based decision
With the XOR-split gateway, a branch is chosen based on
conditions that evaluate over available data
The choice can be made immediately after the token arrives from
the incoming flow
Sometimes, the choice must be delayed until an event happens

The choice is based on a race among events
This is why BPMN distinguishes data-driven and event-driven

XOR-splits
data-driven XOR-split
event-driven XOR split

25
Example: event-based decision
Restaurants submit orders to suppliers to replenish their

food stocks every Thursday. The process for completing
an order starts when a restaurant receives either a PO
Response or an error message. However it may also
happen that no response is received at all. If no response
is received by Friday afternoon or if an error message is
received, the purchasing officer should be notified.
Otherwise, the PO Response is processed normally.
26
A possible solution
PO Response
Received
Process PO
Response
Ordering
completed
Error Message
Received
From
Order
submission
Friday
afternoon
Notify
Purchasing
Officer
Ordering
failed
27
Quiz: find the bugs
Send
Questionnaire
Filled
Questionnaire
Received
Send reminder
not Intermediate
Timer Event
After 5 days
28
Solution: event-based decision
Send
Questionnaire
Filled
Questionnaire
Received
Send reminder
After 5 days
29
Pool
1 1
Pool
Remember the quiz from slide 23?
Message y
Message y
Message x
Pool
Pool22
c1
c1
C C
Message z
Not c2 Not c2
Not c1Not c1
Message z
Message x
c2
c2
30
Interlude: multiple start events

The first such event that occurs, will trigger an instance of the process.
PO Response
Received
Process PO
Response
Error Message
Received
Friday
afternoon
Notify
Purchasing
Officer
31
What is this process doing?
good
delivered
From Process Invoice

Relating to PO
POD received
Verify Goods
Delivery
good not
delivered
To Create Goods
Receipt - Centralised
Request Proof
of Delivery
(POD)
From Process Blocked

Invoice Relating to PO
5 working
days
32
Recap: Events
Start
Intermediate
Catching
End
Throwing
Untyped: indicate start point,

state changes or final states.
Message: Receiving and
sending messages.
Timer: Cyclic timer events,
points in time, time spans or
timeouts.
Link: Off-page connectors.
Two corresponding link events
equal a sequence flow.
33
BPMN Poster: get it from blackboard!
34
References
Required
Sections 4.3.2 - 4.4.2 of Chapter 4 of textbook Fundamentals of BPM
Recommended
OMG (2011): BPMN 2.0 Specification
BPM Offensive (2011): BPMN 2.0 Poster
OGM (2010): BPMN 2.0 By Example
Web References
OMG BPM Initiative
BPMN Community
Books on BPMN
Silver B. (2011): BPMN Method & Style 2nd Edition, Cody-Cassidy
35
A/Prof. Marcello La Rosa

IS School Academic Director
(Corporate Programs and Partnerships)
BPM Discipline, IS School
Science & Engineering Faculty
Queensland University of Technology
126 Margaret Street
Brisbane QLD 4000
Australia
p +61 (0)7 3138-9482
e m.larosa@qut.edu.au
w www.marcellolarosa.com

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Business Process Modelling

Queensland University of Technology

Brisbane, 12 September 2013

Mid-semester survey: your words, our actions

INB/INN320 8.2/2011 12 September 2013

Tutorials attendance rate

Quick Repeat from Week 7

What splits and joins can be represented implicitly in BPMN?

INB/INN320 8.2/2011 12 September 2013

Uncontrolled Repetition: Ad-hoc sub-process

INB/INN320 8.2/2011 12 September 2013

Example: ad-hoc sub-process

INB/INN320 8.2/2011 12 September 2013

Solution: ad-hoc sub-process

INB/INN320 8.2/2011 12 September 2013

Value chain modelling

INB/INN320 8.2/2011 12 September 2013

Linking value chains with process models

INB/INN320 8.2/2011 12 September 2013

Untyped Event Indicates that an instance of the

Start Message Event Indicates that an instance

Event types (cont.ed)

Start Timer Event Indicates that an instance of the

Message and Timer events

INB/INN320 8.2/2011 12 September 2013

Example: message event

For all Judges

Check P&E Judge Availability

INB/INN320 8.2/2011 12 September 2013

Comparison with sending/receiving tasks

Is this really the same?

So, when to use what?

INB/INN320 8.2/2011 12 September 2013

Example: timer event

INB/INN320 8.2/2011 12 September 2013

Activities must always

Find the bugs

Start Message Events

Each Pool (white box) must

request warrant release

Normal Flow cannot

INB/INN320 8.2/2011 12 September 2013

Start Timer instead of Intermediate Timer

Request warrant release

INB/INN320 8.2/2011 12 September 2013

Example: modelling with events

A Purchase Order (PO) handling process starts when a PO

INB/INN320 8.2/2011 12 September 2013

Example: modelling with events

A Purchase Order (PO) handling process starts when a PO

Solution: modelling with events

INB/INN320 8.2/2011 12 September 2013

INB/INN320 8.2/2011 12 September 2013

Quiz: whats wrong with this model?

INB/INN320 8.2/2011 12 September 2013

Sometimes, the choice must be delayed until an event happens

This is why BPMN distinguishes data-driven and event-driven

event-driven XOR split

Example: event-based decision

Restaurants submit orders to suppliers to replenish their

INB/INN320 8.2/2011 12 September 2013

INB/INN320 8.2/2011 12 September 2013

Quiz: find the bugs