Artifact: Business Process Model

The Business Process Model defines the business activities and processes that defines the "system" under study. The processes to be implemented by the IT architecture are incorporated into the model, including relationships to business entities involved in the processes if desired.

Work Product Kinds: Business Level

Purpose

The Business Process Model defines the business processes involved in the system under study, as defined by the scope of the modeling effort. The objective is to clearly define the business processes involved—what the system does in support of the business. The definition must be valid for the defined scope, and must eliminate any ambiguity regarding what they represent.

The workflow of a business activity describes what the business must do to provide the value the business actor requires. The business processes consists of a sequence of activities that, together, produce something of value for the business actor. The workflow often consists of a basic flow and one or more alternative flows. The structure of the workflow is described graphically with the help of a BPMN-based diagram. In summary, a business process is a sequence of activities that, together, produce something of value to the business actor.

Optionally, relationships between business activities and business entities may be defined, namely the business entities consumed, produced or modified by the activity. This should be limited since they can quickly clutter the diagram and make it more confusing.

Relationships

Container Artifact	Business Perspective
Contained Artifacts	Business Activity Business Event Business Rule Data Collection Data Input Data Object Data Output Gateway Group Lane LaneSet Link Catch Event Link Throw Event Pool Receive Message Receive Message Start Event Start Event Subprocess Task Text Annotation Timer Start Event
Roles	Responsible:	Modified By: Enterprise Architect
Tasks	Input To: Define Business Actors Define Logical Process Model Define Logical Entity Model Define Logical Locations Model Define Logical Roles Model Define the Business Processes	Output From: Define the Business Processes
Process Usage	IT Architecture Delivery > Review the Architecture > Review Business Perspective > Business Process Model IT Architecture Delivery > Business Perspective Delivery > Business Perspective Iteration [n] > Business Process Model IT Architecture Delivery > Logical Perspective Delivery > Logical Perspective Iteration [n] > Business Process Model IT Architecture Delivery > Architectural Decision Delivery > Business Process Model IT Architecture Delivery > Business Perspective Delivery > Business Process Model IT Architecture Delivery > Maintain Architecture > Deliver Updated Business Perspective > Business Process Model IT Architecture Processes > Define Business Perspective > Business Process Model IT Architecture Processes > Define Logical Perspective > Business Process Model IT Architecture Processes > Review an Architecture > Business Process Model IT Architecture Processes > Manage Architectural Decisions > Business Process Model IT Architecture Processes > Analyze Models > Business Process Model IT Architecture Processes > Develop Training > Business Process Model IT Architecture Processes > Consult with Stakeholders > Business Process Model IT Architecture Processes > Define Solution and Impacts > Business Process Model IT Architecture Processes > Business Process Model IT Architecture Processes > Develop a Migration Plan > Business Process Model IT Architecture Processes > Update Business Perspective > Business Process Model IT Architecture Processes > Update Logical Perspective > Business Process Model IT Architecture Processes > Update Technical Perspective > Business Process Model

Description

Main Description

A Business Process Model illustrates the sequence flow of the Business Activities, forming a process, along with events, gateways and actors. It is a way of expressing the business workflows through the definition of individual activities, events, gateways and the flow between them. Business Entities added to this diagram help in understanding how they are involved in the processes, but this should be done sparingly since they can add confusion and clutter to the diagram. See: Whitepaper: BPMN Resources

Illustrations

Templates	Business Perspective Document Template
Reports	Business Activity Report Business Events Report Business Process Model Report Business Rules Report

Tailoring

Impact of not having

Failure to produce this model means you run the risk that architects and designers will give only superficial attention to the way the business operates. They will do what they know best, which is to design and build systems in the absence of proper business knowledge. The result often is that the constructed systems do not support the needs of the business.

Representation Options

A Business Process Model is normally a BPMN Collaboration Diagram illustrating the sequence flow of the business process, along with the organizations and actors.

UML Representation: Package stereotyped as «BPL_BPM» containing BPMN Collaboration diagrams.

A Business Process Model may have the following properties:

Introduction: A textual description that serves as a brief introduction to the model.
Packages: The packages in the model, representing a hierarchy of activities.
Context Diagram: The highest level model (package) illustrating the main activities and actors of the system.
Activities: The activities and structured activities in the model, representing a hierarchy of business activities stereotyped as «BPL_CallActivity».
Actors: Actors in the model.
Relationships: The relationships in the model, owned by the packages.
Diagrams: The diagrams in the model, owned by the packages.

The Business Process Model is normally a Context Diagram plus a set of BPMN Collaboration Diagrams.

The modeling elements are too extensive to summarize here, see: Supporting Material: BPL Summary.

Most things defined at the business level will go on to be described in detail during the definition of the Logical and Technical Perspectives. This artifact is enclosed within the Business Perspective artifact.

More Information

Checklists	Architecture Glossary Business Perspective
Concepts	Complex IT Architectures UAM Perspectives Contexts
Guidelines	Business Activity Business Perspective Business Perspective Views Business Process Model Modeling Basics Plan the Business Perspective Activity
Supporting Materials	BPL Summary