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BPMN diagrams

Writer: Tuan AnhTuan Anh

BPMN offers four main diagram types to describe different aspects of a business process:


1. Process Diagram

  • This is the most common type of BPMN diagram, used to describe the flow of activities within a process.

  • It uses BPMN symbols like activities, gateways, and events to represent steps, decision points, and the start and end points of a process.

  • Suitable for describing sequential processes with branches and conditions.

  • Examples: Order processing diagram, employee recruitment process diagram, book borrowing process diagram.


Book borrowing process diagram - ref: sparxsystems.com


2. Data Flow Diagram

  • Focuses on the flow of data between activities in a process.

  • Uses BPMN symbols like data objects and data stores to show how data is created, moved, and used within the process.

  • Suitable for describing processes involving a lot of data where tracking the origin and destination of data is important.

  • Examples: Data flow diagram of an accounting system, data flow diagram of a warehouse management system.


Order booking diagram - ref:semanticscholar.org


3. Collaboration Diagram:

  • Describes the interaction between participants in a process.

  • Uses BPMN symbols like pools and lanes to represent the roles and responsibilities of each participant.

  • Suitable for describing processes involving multiple departments, divisions, or organizations.

  • Examples: Collaboration diagram for online order processing, collaboration diagram for customer complaint resolution.




Business process diagram of an electronics manufacturing company. Ref modernanalyst.com



4. Choreography Diagram:

  • Describes the interaction between activities in a process, focusing on how activities communicate and coordinate with each other.

  • Does not use BPMN symbols like participants; only uses activities and data flows.

  • Suitable for describing highly interactive processes that require close coordination between activities.

  • Examples: Choreography diagram for booking a flight, choreography diagram for a bidding process.



Interaction diagram for checking customer credit score - ref: sparxsystems.com



5. Choosing the Right BPMN Diagram Type

As you can see, each diagram type has a different purpose and meaning. Depending on the situation and context, BAs can choose the appropriate diagram type:

  • Process Diagram: Suitable for describing the overall process.

  • Data Flow Diagram: Suitable for describing the detailed flow of data.

  • Collaboration Diagram: Suitable for describing the interaction between participants.

  • Choreography Diagram: Suitable for describing the interaction between activities.


The most common diagram type I encounter and use in my work is the process diagram combined with a collaboration diagram to describe a process that is performed or influenced by different stakeholders. A typical example is describing the business processes of a manufacturing company, from importing raw materials to production, warehousing, and sales.


 
 

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