Process Modeling

This is a group of blog posts related to the technique of Process Function Modeling in the Integrated Modeling Method, used to show the order or execution of Business Functions.

By John Owens • September 1st, 2010

I am just starting to write Procedure Modelling, the fifth book in the series for the Integrated Modelling Method and would welcome your input.
The purpose of this book is to:

Define “Procedure” and how it differs from Process
Define the elements of a procedure:

Triggers and outcomes
Controls
Method
Knowledge & skills
Resources
Evidence

In response to a recent post I got a comment from a reader suggesting that what I called a Function was a Capability. In this post I explain how I align Capability with the standard English meaning of the word, i.e. what an enterprise is capable of doing. Capability actually couples a Function with elements that increase its depth, scope, productivity, etc. These elements could include knowledge, technology, product portfolio, geography, and many others.

Is This a Silly Question?
Before we can say what business process modeling is we need to know what a Business Process is! This may seem like stating the obvious, however, “process” is one of the most widely misunderstood and misused terms in business and business modeling! Managers and analysts alike often use the term “process” [...]

Most Process Improvement Projects Fail.
Around the world businesses spend vast amounts of time and money trying to tune their existing processes and procedures in order to make their businesses more efficient.
Sadly, in far too many instances their efforts result in no improvement at all or, worse still, in an actual degradation of performance - and always in a huge bill.
All of this can be avoided by first building a Function Model for the business.

Each business model helps portray a different aspect of a business.
For this reason it is important to select the most appropriate business model to portray the specific facet in question.

Far too many people confuse ‘Function’ and ‘Department’

The confusion that exists in many peoples minds over Business Function and Business Department is one of the greatest barriers to successful business modelling. Because they confuse “function” with “department”, they start in the wrong place.

When Business Process Management (BPM) was introduced to the business world, business analysts no longer needed to bother busy executives to find out what should be going on in their businesses.
With this new approach, analysts could now simply look at what was currently being done in any business and use their analytical genius to work [...]

Proper business analysis can bring untold benefits to a business by bring power through simplicity and enabling quality information systems to be built to support and accelerate business success.
Bad business can bring untold misery to a business and can lock the staff inside complicated and inefficient procedures supported by poor information systems that severely restrict [...]

[I wrote the following comments in response to a blog that was advocating starting off by modeling the "as is" processes in the business as the starting point for business improvement.]
One of the major errors taken in business analysis and modeling is that of modeling the “As Is”, then the “To Be” and then trying [...]

[This post also comes as a Podcast - Please scroll to bottom of page]
One of the greatest areas for confusion in the world of business systems modeling is the terminology used to name the activities performed by a business.
Are these activities Processes, Functions, Mechanisms or Procedures?
The answer is “all of the above”.  Does this mean that these terms are synonyms? No [...]

[This Post has a Podcast - scroll to bottom of page]
In a recent response to a blog article I made the assertion that decomposing processes was a cumbersome and costly technique that added  no value to the business.  Further, that it actually produces up to 300% more diagrams than are necessary and misses out up to 30% [...]

[This post also comes as a Podcast - scroll to bottom of page][Youtube video here]
Business Process Modeling Notation (BPMN) is one of the more common process modeling notations currently being promoted in the world of Business Process Modeling.
Is it any good?  Well as a modeling notation it is pretty good.  It falls about mid way between a Procedure Modeling notation, [...]

Many commentators are beginning to incorrectly use the term “normalisation” when they are talking about removing duplication from Service-oriented architecture (SOA). This a practice to be avoided, not just with SOA but in all communication, as it creates confusion and error.

Business Process Modeling tells us the order in which Business Functions ought to be carried out in response to a Trigger in order to arrive at a business Outcome.   This outcome may be a “Preferred Outcome” or a “Non-Preferred Outcome”.
The Integrated Modeling Method  (IMM™) shows you how to model Business Processes in a way that makes them:

easy [...]