Business process modeling

Business processes are a structured sequence of tasks that are grouped, helping to accomplish specific business outcomes. A business process modeling diagram or a BPMN (Business Process Model and Notation) diagram is a visual representation of a business process.

The business process modeling diagram shows how a business process operates. It helps to have a common understanding of the processes, and identify areas for optimization.

Elements that are included in a business process modeling diagram: A business process modeling diagram includes the following elements:

• Pools: Different participants or departments involved in the process.

• Lanes: Subdivisions within pools that show the specific roles or responsibilities of each participant.

• Events: Indicate points in the process where something happens. Events are categorized by position — start, intermediate, end, and boundary — and by the type of trigger, such as message, timer, signal, or error. Common symbols used are circles.

• Activities: Tasks or actions within the process. Activity types include tasks (such as user tasks, service tasks, and script tasks), sub-processes, and call activities. Common symbols used are rectangles.

• Gateways: Decision points and branching paths. Common symbols used are diamonds.

[Omitted image “eaw-bpmn-diagram.png”] Alt text: BPMN diagram on the Enterprise Modeling and Visualization page.

Parent Topic:Exploring Enterprise Modeling and Visualization in the EA Workspace

Related topics

Create a diagram for a business process map

Update a business process map