Business Analysis Lecture 5:Business Process Modelling

 What is a business process?  What are the rules for a business process?  Visually represent a BP by drawing a Cross-functional Flowchart (swimming lanes) model of the process Business Analysis2 Business Process Modelling

Background

 A set of steps a business performs to create value for clients  Consists of 3 components inputs, activities and outputs What is a business process?

What is a good process model?

Business Processes

Modeling Business Processes

 Use the following symbols when drawing business process components in a Cross-functional Flowchart of a business process. Business Analysis11 Business Process Modelling

Let’s review a simple process

 Activities: A process or sub-process that forms a logical, part of the business process being described by the flowchart. (Use the Process or Sub-process block on flowchart)  Inputs: only database records and documents are seen as inputs. (Use the Document or Data block on flowchart)  Outputs: only database records and documents are seen as outputs. (Use the Document or Data block on flowchart) Business Analysis15 What are the components?

 External Data, or External Materials used (sometimes called material stores): Data or Material from an external system – not the database/system responsible for data storage/delivery in the business process being described by the flowchart. Use the Database / External Data block on flowchart)  Swimming lanes: a column of the flowchart dedicated to an actor / user / system in the business process.  Decision: a part of the business process where one of the actors / users / system must decide on one of many process flows that will determine the rest of the process flow. (Use the decision block on flowchart) Business Analysis16 More BP components

 Always first write out the Input Output Model (IO Model) of the process  Example customer order on line Business Analysis17 Before you draw the BP flowchart…

Search for item on line…

System generates search results

Select and view item

Place item in basket

Customer checks out

Checkout

Choice

ActivityInputOutputResponsible 1) Customer searches for item Customer 2) System generates search resultsItem records Search results System 3) Customer selects and views itemItem record Customer 4) Customer places item in basketItem record Transaction item record Customer 5) Customer checks out Customer 5.1) Confirms detailsCustomer record Customer 5.2) Confirms transaction items Transaction item records Customer 5.3) Confirms payment details Proforma Invoice Customer 6) CHOICE/DECISION – accept transaction? Invoice Customer 7) IF YES: Accept Invoice Order / Receipt Document Customer 8) IF NO: Reject InvoiceInvoice Customer 9) Process OrderOrder record Customer Business Analysis26 Example of IO Model

 A swimming lane for each actor involved in the BP – usually three:  Customer  Administrator / Business actor  System  Sometimes only two actors  Example: Customer buys item online  Actors: Customer and System Business Analysis27 Drawing the BP flowchart