BPM FAQ

  1. What is Business Process Modeling (BPM)?
  2. What is the difference between Business Process Modeling and business modeling?
  3. How is Business Process Modeling related to the other BPM’s: Business Process Management, Business Process Monitoring, and Business Performance Management?
  4. What are the industry standard languages for Business Process Modeling?
  5. When will the industry standards for Business Process Modeling converge?
  6. What is the difference between a graphic (visual) Business Process Modeling language and a non-graphic (text-based) Business Process Modeling language?
  7. What is the difference between an executable Business Process Modeling language and a non-executable Business Process Modeling language?
  8. What is the relationship between BPMN and BPEL?
  9. What is the relationship between BPEL and WS-CDL?
  10. What Business Process Modeling discussion groups or mailing lists are available?
  11. How can I learn more about Business Process Modeling?
  12. What other questions will this FAQ answer in the future?

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    What is Business Process Modeling (BPM)?

    Business Process Modeling (BPM) is the representation of current ("as is") and proposed ("to be") enterprise processes, so that they may be compared and contrasted. By comparing and contrasting current and proposed enterprise processes business analysts and managers can identify specific process transformations that can result in quantifiable improvements to their businesses.

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    What is the difference between Business Process Modeling and business modeling?

    Although business modeling may be considered more generic than Business Process Modeling, the terms are largely synonymous, and they are frequently used interchangeably.

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    How is Business Process Modeling related to the other BPM’s: Business Process Management, Business Process Monitoring, and Business Performance Management?

    In the business domain the BPM acronym is heavily overloaded with several different expansions which are related to each other. Business Process Monitoring refers to the the observation of enterprise processes. Business Process Management, which refers to all activities that manage enterprise processes, is the most generic term and subsumes the others.

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    What are the industry standard languages for Business Process Modeling?

    Business Process Modeling is supported by a mix of emerging industry standards that include the following:

    * Business Process Modeling Notation (BPMN) — BPMN is a graphic notation for representing business processes. BPMN defines a Business Process Diagram, which is based on flowcharting techniques customized for business processes, and a mapping to BPEL executable semantics (see below). The BPMN industry standard is maintained by the OMG. For more information about the BPMN check out the BPMN Forum.
    * Unified Modeling Language (UML) — UML is the industry-standard visual modeling language for specifying software-intensive systems, and it can also be used to model business processes. In particular, UML Activity diagrams provide many of the workflow modeling constructs furnished by BPMN. The UML industry standard is maintained by the OMG. For more information about the UML check out the UML Forum.
    * Business Process Executable Language (BPEL) — BPEL is an XML-based executable language for representing business processes. BPEL is an orchestration language (cf. choreography language, such as WS-CDL), and consequently focuses on the view of one business participant. The BPEL industry standard is maintained by OASIS.
    * Web Services Choreography Description Language (WS-CDL) — WS-CDL is an XML-based non-executable language that represents global business processes. WS-CDL is a choreography language (cf. orchestration language, such as BPEL), and consequently, describes peer-to-peer collaborations of multiple business participants working on a common business goal. The BPEL industry standard is maintained by W3C.

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    When will the industry standards for Business Process Modeling converge?

    The linguistic divergence of Business Process Modeling languages is problematic for efficient communication and interoperability, since it perpetuates a Tower-of-Babel syndrome among the various business stakeholders. Since the Business Process Management Initiative (BPMI) merged with the OMG in 2005 there has been some hope that BPMN and UML Activity diagram notation will be merged in the near future. However, given the OMG’s poor track record regarding interoperability of modeling standards, such as UML 2.0, it is unlikely that this will happen soon.

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    What is the difference between a graphic (visual) Business Process Modeling language and a non-graphic (text-based) Business Process Modeling language?

    These differences refer to variations in the concrete syntax (notation) of the Business Process Modeling languages. Graphic business modeling languages typically use a visual notation of 2-dimensional symbols (e.g., the “boxes and lines” used in BPMN and UML), whereas non-graphic business modeling languages use a text-based notation (e.g., BPEL, which is defined with XML notation).

    Many persons find visual notations easier to learn and apply, perhaps because they process visual information more efficiently than textual information. (This may have something to do with how the human brain is divided into left and right celebral hemispheres, and that individuals tend to emphasize one hemisphere over the other. For more information regarding this click here.)

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    What is the difference between an executable Business Process Modeling language and a non-executable Business Process Modeling language?

    These differences refer to variations in the semantics (meanings) of the Business Process Modeling languages. Executable Business Process Modeling languages are associated with precise semantics that can be used to automatically validate and simulate business processes (e.g., BPEL, UML Action Semantics) whereas non-executable Business Process Modeling languages lack precise semantics (e.g., BPMN).

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    What is the relationship between BPMN and BPEL?

    BPMN is a visual notation for Business Process Modeling, whereas BPEL is a text-based (XML-based) Business Process Modeling language which includes precise execution semantics. BPMN defines a mapping of its visual notation to BPEL execution semantics, so that the best features of both these standards can be synergistally combined.

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    What is the relationship between BPEL and WS-CDL?

    Both BPEL and WS-CDL are XML-based languages, but BPEL is executable and is an orchestration language (i.e., focuses on the view of a single business participant), whereas WS-CDL is non-executable and is a choreography language (i.e., describes peer-to-peer collaborations of multiple business participants).

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    What Business Process Modeling discussion groups or mailing lists are available?

    BPM Forum moderates a discussion group that you can join by clicking here. You can also join a BPMN Forum discussion group by clicking here.

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    How can I learn more about Business Process Modeling?

    Information about Business Process Modeling publications and training can be be found on the Publications and Training pages of this web.

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    What other questions will this FAQ answer in the future?

    Please feel free to submit your own questions to this FAQ by sending email to FAQ@BPModeling.com.


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