Start Modeling

 

In general starting business process modeling as such is seen as a "challenge", where to start and where to stop. Modeling of business processes,has been around for a long time.

 

The principal across all technologies is pretty much the same, what changes over the years is the notation and the complexity and notations schematics.

 

I used several techniques (BPMN, UML, TOGAF, IDEF, Six Sigma and ITIL), investigated, studied and got qualified in most. Recently, since early 2007, I got involved in the Community Modeling, to review the use of UML notation capability for this new method, it can be used on its own but I decided to integrate it with other modeling technologies available to us today.

 

First I believe that, less is better, often you see Analysts and Architects coming out with, guns-blazing using every bit in the notation available to them, this results in what I like to call "Notation over-kill".

 

A picture is only as good as it received, by its audience, it can say "a thousand words", so do not make it a million. Most models I see in documents are "legal" (using the notation correctly), however they lose their power because there is so much to look at, that the reader does not get the message.

 

I do like pictures, and I believe that the reader should be taken on a "journey" and as such should be drawn into reading the description behind the picture.

 

Like with UML it is not about the picture, it is about the use-case description.

 

Do not get me wrong, I think the models should be detailed as possible, and must use all the notation elements, for the right reasons.

 

But....... ONLY in the model do not copy a complicated picture into a document.

 

Framework

  1. First do the community modeling, this gives an idea of "who is who, in the zoo", what policies apply to these communities and why do they exist.
  2. Putting core processes together, we use the community model giving us a clear guidance on who is involved doing what .Grouping the core business processes into the stakeholder groups (communities) gives a clear picture on what is executed where and by whom.
  3. RASCI,Services and Process model, this is a living document and will be updated as we learn more about your communities and its roles. I provides excellent guidance on where changes will occur. It is also known as the process findings register.
  4. Context diagram, used for years, it can show the interaction between the community groups.
  5. Detailed Business Processes Diagrams, and more important the descriptions. We use UML Full Dress description for this. It allows us to identify the areas of change.

Deliverables

  1. BPM Framework and how it fits within the project methodology (Prince2 or PMPlus) <click here for example>
  2. Business Process Scope Discovery, this document is high level and is the framework for the subject at hand. It can be used to update your business architecture, or to start building one. It's purpose is to assist with scope definition. <click here for a template>
  3. Logical and Physical model.
  4. Business Process document, builds upon the Business Process Scope Discovery, but only addresses those processes that are in scope. <click here for a template>
  5. RASCI type matrix, giving a quick and searchable over view. The following matrixes are produced:
    1. BPM-MAP-High Level
    2. Documents by process (remember we got these as part of the community modelling)
    3. BPM-Function map, for the AS IS processes
    4. Community Matrix, this shows where the interaction is between communities.
(Last update 08/2007)