Pair modeling the value chains and business processes

Value chains and process models down to a still very high-level layer, such as a layer 3, can be modeled by process experts without involving technically skilled people. They should omit all technical details.

To provide the foundation for automated processes, we need to add more details about domain knowledge and some technical details. Therefore, these domain process experts meet with BPM tool experts to jointly define the next level of detail in BPMN. In an analogy to the practice of pair development in agile methodologies, you could call this kind of collaboration pair modeling.

Ideally, the process expert(s) and the tool expert look at the same screen and discuss how to improve the flow of the process model, while the visual representation evolves into variances, exceptions, and better understanding of the involved business objects.

For many organizations that are used to a waterfall process, this is a fundamentally new way of requirement gathering that might be a challenge for some. The practice is an analogy of the customer on site practice in agile methodologies. This new way of close collaboration for process modeling is crucial for the success of BPM projects since it allows us to establish a deep and shared understanding in a very pragmatic and productive way.

Figure 14: Roles and successful modes of collaboration

When the process is modeled in sufficient detail to clearly depict an algorithmic definition of the flow of the process and all its variances, the model can be handed over to BPM developers. They add all the technical bells and whistles, such as data mapping, decision rules, service calls, and exception handling.

Portal developers will work on their implementation of the use cases. SOA developers will use Oracle SOA Suite to integrate with backend systems, therefore implementing SOA services.

The discussed notion of a handover from higher-level business process models to development teams can also be used to depict the line at which it might make sense to outsource parts of the overall development.