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New Post 7/28/2014 10:31 AM
User is offline bizconsult
5 posts
10th Level Poster


Is this process correct? 

I'm a junior BA and read that in BPMN, a lane can only contact one process, so by that rule, I'm guessing alternative paths are not allowed/discouraged. If that is correct, then I'm wondering whether I've done the right thing in showing only the process involving the account manager's receipt of a customer enquiry (Fig. 1).

I ask because the account manager's way of handling a customer enquiry is different to technical support's method (the account manger later raises a ticket in a separate system which my company wants represented as a lane incidentally).  Should there be a separate process for technical support?

 

Also, I've been told by a colleague that in order to maintain consistency, certain can be used in my process diagrams. The shapes in fig.1 are not widely used at my company and so I created a similar process using basic shapes (Fig. 2)

 

Fig.1 Customer enquiry involving standard BPMN shapes


 

 

 Fig.2 Same process but with basic shapes

 

 

 Feedback welcome

Dave

 

 

 
New Post 7/29/2014 3:17 PM
User is offline Chris Adams
323 posts
5th Level Poster






Re: Is this process correct? 

Dave,

Where did  you read  "a lane can only contact one process".  This doesn't sound right, but maybe some context would help clarify.


Chris Adams
Core Member – ModernAnalyst.com
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New Post 7/30/2014 11:42 PM
User is offline bizconsult
5 posts
10th Level Poster


Re: Is this process correct? 
 Chris Adams wrote

Dave,

Where did  you read  "a lane can only contact one process".  This doesn't sound right, but maybe some context would help clarify.

 

I downloaded a BPMN tutorial which mentioned a lane should only feature one process. Based on this, I wasn't sure if it would be good practice to feature the alternative paths within the lanes as they are additional processes that risk cluttering the diagram.

 
New Post 8/11/2014 2:28 AM
User is offline Kimbo
454 posts
5th Level Poster


Re: Is this process correct? 

Both diagrams are not valid BPMN diagrams. You need to show starting points. Possible suggestion is to have a starting point for customer contacts account manager and another for customer contacts technical support then actions that occur as a result of that.

And as Chris implied, you can have multiple actions in one lane. 

Think also about pools v lanes.

Also beware of having systems as lanes if that is the system you are describing. Its a common mistake to do this.

Kimbo

 
New Post 8/15/2014 2:37 PM
User is offline bizconsult
5 posts
10th Level Poster


Re: Is this process correct? 
 Kimbo wrote

Both diagrams are not valid BPMN diagrams. You need to show starting points. Possible suggestion is to have a starting point for customer contacts account manager and another for customer contacts technical support then actions that occur as a result of that.

 

And as Chris implied, you can have multiple actions in one lane. 


 

 

So  like this?

 

 Kimbo wrote

Think also about pools v lanes.



 When you say "think also about pools vs lanes", I take it you're referring to the 'Business' pool having lanes for 'Account Manager' and 'Technical Support' like my diagram above? The customer is in its own pool so that message flow can be used (which I understand is incorrect if used between lanes).However, as my explanation below suggests, it's unlikely I'll be using the message symbol due to recommended best practice.

 Kimbo wrote

Also beware of having systems as lanes if that is the system you are describing. Its a common mistake to do this.

Kimbo


In a peer review of my 1st iteration, some senior colleagues recommended including systems as lanes.  This was due to a history of stakeholders being confused by diagrams featuring BPMN's wide  variety of shapes, as well as the lack of a uniform BPMN standard. This means that the various gateway, event shapes and the artifact symbols are discouraged.

Anyway, thanks for your help and let me know your thought please

D
 

 

 

 

 


 

 
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