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What is business modeling?
Business modeling (a.k.a., business process modeling) 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 are the differences among business modeling, business process modeling, business process management, and business process monitoring?
The BPM acronym is certainly overloaded with four different expansions. Business modeling and business process modeling, which are defined in the answer to the previous question, are synonymous, and are used interchangeably. 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 standards for business modeling?
Business modeling is supported by a mix of emerging industry standards that include the following:
- Business Process Modeling Notation (BPMN) — A graphic notation for representing business processes. BPMN defines a Business Process Diagram, which is based on flowcharting techniques customized for business process, and a mapping to BPEL executable semantics (see below). The BPMN industry standard is maintained by the OMG.
- Unified Modeling Language (UML) — The industry-standard visual modeling language for specifying software-intensive systems 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 standard, check out the UML Forum.
- Business Process Executable Language (BPEL) — 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) — 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 modeling converge?
The linguistic divergence of business process modeling languages continues to be problematic. Since the BPMI has merged with the OMG, there has been some speculation that BPMN and UML Activity diagram notation may be merged in the near future. However, given the OMG's track record on 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 modeling language and a non-graphic (text-based) business modeling language?
These differences refer to variations in the concrete syntax (notation) of the business 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).
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What is the difference between an executable business modeling language and a non-executable business modeling language?
These differences refer to variations in the semantics (meanings) of the business modeling languages. Executable business 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 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 the best features of both these standards can be combined.
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What is the relationship between BPMN and UML?
UML is a general-purpose modeling language for software-intensive systems with thirteen diagram types, whereas BPMN is a domain-specific modeling language for business processes with one diagram type (the Business Process Diagram or BPD). Although the BPMN BPD shares many concepts and constructs with UML Activity diagrams, there are also many significant differences between the two languages. At least two UML vendors have defined UML profiles (customizations) for BPMN, which define mappings between BPMN notation and UML notation and semantics.
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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 (focuses on the view of a single business participant), whereas WS-CDL is non-executable and is a choreography language (describes peer-to-peer collaborations of multiple business participants).
How can I learn business modeling?
Information about business modeling books and training can be be found on the Publications and Training pages of this web.
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What business modeling mailing lists are available?
Business Modeling Forum moderates a mailing list that you can join by clicking here.
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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@BusinessModelingForum.com.
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