BPMN Symbols and Their Meanings

Are you looking to learn more about Business Process Model and Notation (BPMN)? Do you want to understand the different BPMN symbols and their meanings? Look no further! In this article, we will explore the various BPMN symbols and their meanings, so you can become a BPMN expert.

What is BPMN?

Before we dive into the BPMN symbols, let's first understand what BPMN is. BPMN is a graphical notation used to represent business processes. It provides a standardized way to visualize and communicate business processes across different departments and organizations.

BPMN is used to model business processes from start to finish, including the activities, events, and decisions that occur during the process. It is a powerful tool for process improvement, as it allows businesses to identify inefficiencies and bottlenecks in their processes.

BPMN Symbols

BPMN symbols are the graphical elements used to represent different aspects of a business process. There are four main categories of BPMN symbols: flow objects, connecting objects, artifacts, and swimlanes.

Flow Objects

Flow objects are the main elements used to represent the activities, events, and gateways that occur during a business process. There are three types of flow objects:

Activities

Activities represent the tasks or work that needs to be done during a business process. They can be divided into two types: tasks and subprocesses.

• Tasks: Tasks represent the work that needs to be done during a business process. They can be further divided into three types:

  • Service tasks: Service tasks represent work that is performed by a service or system.
  • User tasks: User tasks represent work that is performed by a human.
  • Script tasks: Script tasks represent work that is performed by a script or code.

• Subprocesses: Subprocesses represent a set of activities that are performed as part of a larger process. They can be further divided into two types:

  • Embedded subprocesses: Embedded subprocesses are subprocesses that are contained within a larger process.
  • Call subprocesses: Call subprocesses are subprocesses that are called from a larger process.

Events

Events represent something that happens during a business process. There are three types of events:

• Start events: Start events represent the beginning of a business process. They can be further divided into three types:

  • Message start events: Message start events are triggered by a message.
  • Timer start events: Timer start events are triggered by a timer.
  • Signal start events: Signal start events are triggered by a signal.

• Intermediate events: Intermediate events represent something that happens during a business process. They can be further divided into four types:

  • Message intermediate events: Message intermediate events are triggered by a message.
  • Timer intermediate events: Timer intermediate events are triggered by a timer.
  • Signal intermediate events: Signal intermediate events are triggered by a signal.
  • Error intermediate events: Error intermediate events are triggered by an error.

• End events: End events represent the end of a business process. They can be further divided into three types:

  • Message end events: Message end events are triggered by a message.
  • Error end events: Error end events are triggered by an error.
  • Terminate end events: Terminate end events terminate the business process.

Gateways

Gateways represent decision points in a business process. There are three types of gateways:

• Exclusive gateways: Exclusive gateways represent a decision point where only one path can be taken.
• Inclusive gateways: Inclusive gateways represent a decision point where multiple paths can be taken.
• Parallel gateways: Parallel gateways represent a decision point where multiple paths can be taken simultaneously.

Connecting Objects

Connecting objects are used to connect flow objects and represent the sequence flow of a business process. There are two types of connecting objects:

• Sequence flow: Sequence flow represents the order in which activities are performed in a business process.
• Message flow: Message flow represents the flow of messages between different parts of a business process.

Artifacts

Artifacts are used to provide additional information about a business process. There are four types of artifacts:

• Data objects: Data objects represent the data that is used or produced during a business process.
• Group: Group represents a collection of related activities in a business process.
• Annotation: Annotation represents additional information about a business process.
• Text annotation: Text annotation represents additional text information about a business process.

Swimlanes

Swimlanes are used to organize activities and events in a business process based on the department or organization responsible for them. There are two types of swimlanes:

• Pool: Pool represents a department or organization responsible for a business process.
• Lane: Lane represents a sub-division of a pool.

Conclusion

In conclusion, BPMN symbols are the graphical elements used to represent different aspects of a business process. There are four main categories of BPMN symbols: flow objects, connecting objects, artifacts, and swimlanes. Understanding the different BPMN symbols and their meanings is essential for anyone looking to model and improve business processes.

So, are you ready to become a BPMN expert? With this knowledge of BPMN symbols and their meanings, you are well on your way to mastering the art of business process modeling.

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