Bpmn

Top-Down Modeling and BPMN Subprocesses

Books on process modeling generally warn against getting bogged down in detail. They tend to recommend a top-down methodology that starts with a big-picture end-to-end view and drills down just as far as you need for your modeling purpose. In preparing my Process Modeling with BPMN training I stumbled across a pretty good recipe for how to do this in Worflow Modeling by Sharp and McDermott - one …

What's Wrong With This Picture, Redux

One of the reasons for my absence from the blogosphere this month is I've been heads-down putting together my training on Process Modeling With BPMN. But when I talk to vendors about what I'm trying to do - teach business analysts how to use things like gateways and events correctly and with a recognizable business purpose - they kind of chuckle at my quixotic delusion. You'll never get business …

Almost Dead from Process World

Air travel is God's punishment for living in California. At 5:30 on Friday evening, when most attendees are safely home with loved ones, my journey home is just beginning, many miles before I sleep. Day 3 of Process World ("User Day") was the best for me, since I came to find out what ARIS actually is and does, more than the corporate vision.

Almost Live from Process World

Long-time readers of BPMS Watch know I've learned the hard way that to most people who self-identify with an interest in BPM, the big leap is not executing the process and rules but simply documenting it, writing it down. Now that I'm waist-deep in that world myself with the new BPMN training, I decided to trek over to IDS Scheer's user conference in Florida. It's been an eye-opener for sure.

Lombardi Blueprint Eases the Path to BPM

While I've been shouting from the rooftops that process modeling (in BPMN, ARIS, or whatever) is not that hard, Lombardi Software has been hearing from its customers that it's not that easy, either. The tools are complex, expensive, and only a small fraction of their features are used. Collaborating on models - while they're being developed - is near impossible. Making the models understandable to …

What to Look for in a BPMN Tool

SOA analyst Beth Gold-Bernstein of ebizQ posts about her quest for a BPMN tool to support her effort, together with Brenda Michelson. to create a "service design method." Our goal is to take a pragmatic business driven approach to incremental (ie ? project driven) SOA design and implementation. We plan to use standard modeling techniques and tools where ever feasible. The status of this project is …

Be My Guest at Brainstorm BPM

BPMS Watch invites you to join me at BPMInstitute.org's Business Process Management Conference, April 10-11 at The Drake Hotel in Chicago. As part of my participation in the event, I have secured a limited number of Complimentary 1-Day Conference Passes (a $995 value) for BPMS Watch readers. (Note: this is for the conference events, not the BPMN training, and there is some fine print to note at …

BPDM Passes Important Hurdles

Just received a note from Phil Gilbert of Lombardi, a key contributor to the BPDM effort in OMG, that says: [I] wanted to let you know that the OMG Architecture Board voted to approve the BPDM spec today. There are actually 2 more small hurdles instead of 1 more as I told you earlier. But these are 99.9% certain to approve specs that have passed the Architecture Board review. Apparently these take …

BPMN Gaining Traction in BPA Tools

BPMN is the de facto standard for process modeling, but many leading modeling tools, particularly those incorporated within high-end business process analysis (BPA) suites, have so far been reluctant to adopt it. Now that appears to be changing. Recently IDS Scheer announced that ARIS, generally considered the leading standalone BPA suite, would be supporting the full BPMN notation in the v7.0.2 …

Diagrams, Models, and Metamodels...Oh My!

My comment on Keith Swenson's XPDL-BPEL apples-and-oranges post and the failure of XPDL to fill the vacuum left by OMG in the BPMN specification stirred up an interesting response from Keith that reinvigorates the discussion and helps clear the air. But he still frames the discussion in terms of portability of executable designs rather than portability of models (i.e. abstracted from …