BUSINESS PROCESS MAPPING AND NOTATION

Topics Overview:
- Describe key elements of BPMN
- Create process maps for selected processes

Introduction:

This session expounds on the importance of process mapping to an organization.

Business process mapping provides business leaders with the opportunity to clarify how
processes are actually being performed. It reveals problems such as bottlenecks and variation
in how the process is performed by different groups or individuals. Leaders can also find out if
the way the process is actually done differs from the way that it should be done. Creating a
process map, also called a flowchart, is a major component of Six Sigma process management
and improvement, but can be beneficial even without the full framework of Six Sigma.

Discussion:

WHAT IS BUSINESS PROCESS MAPPING?

Business process mapping is the visual

display of the steps within a business
process showing how it's done from start to
finish.

This sort of mapping provides a concise

picture of the steps needed to bring a
product, service or other process from start
to completion and the sequence of steps
that must take place.
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A flow chart is often used to depict the steps and their sequence. Such charts usually move
from left to right or sometimes from top down. Flow charts typically use well-established
symbols to depict key pieces of the process, such as start, stop, input and data.

These depictions make it possible for everyone in an organization to understand how to

complete a business process. They also help external stakeholders, such as regulators,
understand how an organization's business processes work. As such, business process
mapping supports compliance to the established process and regulations.

Business process mapping is part of overall workflow management, which also includes
business process modeling. Business process modeling provides more detailed representation
of a process and incorporates additional organizational material.

Business process mapping is also called process charting, a nod to its early 20th century roots.
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“Standard notation readily understandable by all business stakeholders”

 Business Process Mapping and Notation is a standard way of mapping out an

organization’s processes.

 BPMN will provide businesses with the capability of understanding their internal
procedures in a graphical notation. This will give organizations the ability to
communicate these procedures in a standard manner.

 Usually, big companies have business analysts that create the processes which are in
turn reviewed by stakeholders such as managers and other staff members who will be
expected to perform the processes.

 After the BPMN is created and reviewed, technical developers are then expected to
complete the roll out to the organization.

Additional Information:
 The Business Process Modeling Notation (BPMN) is a graphical notation that shows the steps in
a business process. BPMN depicts the end to end flow of a business process. The notation has
been specifically designed to coordinate the sequence of processes and the messages that flow
between different process participants in a related set of activities.

These are the standard shapes that business analysts use in when creating BPMN
The decision to use any symbol is actually arbitrary. But it is advisable to use the most
commonly used ones.

EVENT (circle) is a shape used in BPMN that signifies a process will start, has started or is
about to end. EVENT denotes something that happens. Icons within the circle denote the type
of event (e.g., an envelope representing a message, or a clock representing time).

 Start event acts as a process trigger; indicated by a single narrow border

 Intermediate event represents something that happens between the start and end
events; is indicated by a double border

 End event represents the result of a process; indicated by a single thick or bold border
ACTIVITY (rounded corner rectangle) is the shape used in BPMN to signify that an actual work
that is being performed in order to complete the process.

 A TASK represents a single unit of work that is not or cannot be broken down to a
further level of business process detail.

 A SUB PROCESS is used to hide or reveal additional levels of business process detail.
When collapsed, a sub-process is indicated by a plus sign against the bottom line of the
rectangle; when expanded, the rounded rectangle expands to show all EVENTS,
ACTIVITIES, FLOW, etc.

+
GATEWAY (diamond) is the shape used in BPMN to signify that a decision is required before
the process can continue or that two different activities will merge.

 EXCLUSIVE is used to create alternative flows in a process because only one of the
paths can be taken.

 EVENT BASED is the condition determining the path of a process is based on an

evaluated event.

 PARALLEL is used to create parallel paths without evaluating any conditions.

 INCLUSIVE is used to create alternative flows where all paths are evaluated.

 EXCLUSIVE EVENT BASED is where an event is being evaluated to determine which

of mutually exclusive paths will be taken.
  COMPLEX is used to model complex synchronization behaviour.

 PARALLEL EVENT BASED where two parallel processes are started based on an
event but there is no evaluation of the event.

In the first example, a decision is to be made. In the second, two activities will merge into one
stream.

FLOW (line with arrow) is the shape used in BPMN to show the connection between
ACTIVITIES, EVENTS, GATEWAYS as well as the direction.
DATA (paper) is the shape used in BPMN to show an input into or an output of the process.

GROUP OF TASKS (rectangle broken line) is the shape used in BPMN to visually indicate that
certain tasks within the process are in a logical group (ex.: department, function, etc).

In our example, notice how all the activities fall under a functional group e.i. Pay Supplier.
ANNOTATION (open bracket) is the shape used in BPMN to indicate additional information
about certain ACTIVITIES, EVENTS, and GATEWAYS within the process.

SWIM LANE (BOX) is the shape used in BPMN to contain the ACTIVITIES, EVENTS,
GATEWAYS, within the process by the same individual or department. This shape is used to
better outline the scope of each individual or department within the process. This avoids
confusion and prevents errors.
Example: Customer Support

In this process map, you can see the use of basic shapes:
 EVENT
 ACTIVITY
 GATEWAY
 FLOW
 SWIM LANE

Example: Customer Support Expanded

This is an example of an expanded and more detailed BPMN. In this process map, you can
already see the use of:
 EVENT
 ACTIVITY
 GATEWAY
 FLOW
 ANNOTATION
 SWIM LANE
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