An introduction to modelling software systems using

the Unified Modelling Language:

Enterprise Architect
The Business Process Model UML Case Tool by Sparx Systems
http://www.sparxsystems.com.au

An Introduction to UML

The Business
Process Model

by Geoffrey Sparks
All material (c) Geoffrey Sparks 2000
www.sparxsystems.com.au

© Geoffrey Sparks 2000 Page:1

An introduction to modelling software systems using
the Unified Modelling Language:
Enterprise Architect
The Business Process Model UML Case Tool by Sparx Systems
http://www.sparxsystems.com.au

Table of Contents

THE BUSINESS PROCESS MODEL ..................................................................................................3

INTRODUCTION TO UML.......................................................................................................................3
MODELLING THE BUSINESS PROCESS....................................................................................................3
PROCESS MODELLING NOTATION .........................................................................................................4
The Business Process.......................................................................................................................4
Inputs, Resources and Information ..................................................................................................4
Events...............................................................................................................................................5
Outputs.............................................................................................................................................5
Goals................................................................................................................................................6
PUTTING IT TOGETHER ..........................................................................................................................6
TRACEABILITY ......................................................................................................................................7
AN EXAMPLE ........................................................................................................................................7
Recommended Reading....................................................................................................................9

© Geoffrey Sparks 2000 Page:2

An introduction to modelling software systems using
the Unified Modelling Language:
Enterprise Architect
The Business Process Model UML Case Tool by Sparx Systems
http://www.sparxsystems.com.au

The Business Process Model

This paper describes how to model business processes in the UML using a custom
extension to UML defined by Hans-Erik Eriksson and Magnus Penker. It explains both
the notation and the process of using that notation to capture and refine business
process models.

Introduction to UML
The Unified Modelling Language (UML) is, as its name implies, a modelling language
and not a method or process. UML is made up of a very specific notation and the
related grammatical rules for constructing software models. UML in itself does not
proscribe or advise on how to use that notation in a software development process or as
part of an object-oriented design methodology.
UML supports a rich set of graphical notation elements. It describes the notation for
classes, components, nodes, activities, work flow, use cases, objects, states and how to
model relationships between these elements. UML also supports the notion of custom
extensions through stereotyped elements.
The UML provides significant benefits to software engineers and organisations by
helping to build rigorous, traceable and maintainable models, which support the full
software development lifecycle.
This paper focuses on custom extensions to the UML, which support the modelling of
business processes. The purpose of these extensions, their graphical representation and
where process modelling can be used in the software development lifecycle is
discussed. Some examples are given.
You can find out more about UML from the books mentioned in the suggested reading
section and from the UML specification documents to be found at the Object
Management Groups UML resource pages: http://www.omg.org/technology/uml/ and
at http://www.omg.org/technology/documents/formal/

Modelling the Business Process

Modelling the business process is an essential part of any software development
process. It allows the analyst to capture the broad outline and procedures that govern
what it is a business does. This model provides an overview of where the proposed
software system being considered will fit into the organisational structure and daily
activities. It may also provide the justification for building the system by capturing the
current manual and automated procedures that will be rolled up into a new system, and
the associated cost benefit.
As an early model of business activity, it allows the analyst to capture the significant
events, inputs, resources and outputs associated with business process. By connecting
later design elements (such as Use Cases) back to the business process model through
implementation links, it is possible to build up a fully traceable model from the broad
process outlines to the functional requirements and eventually to the software artefacts
actually being constructed.
As the Business Process Model typically has a broader and more inclusive range than
just the software system being considered, it also allows the analyst to clearly map
what is in the scope of the proposed system and what will be implemented in other
ways (eg. a manual process)

© Geoffrey Sparks 2000 Page:3

An introduction to modelling software systems using
the Unified Modelling Language:
Enterprise Architect
The Business Process Model UML Case Tool by Sparx Systems
http://www.sparxsystems.com.au

Process Modelling Notation

A business process model typically defines the following elements:
! The Goal or reason for the process;
! Specific inputs;
! Specific outputs;
! Resources consumed;
! Activities that are performed in some order; and
! Events that drive the process.

The business process:

! May affect more than one organisational unit.
! Have a horizontal organisational impact;
! Creates value of some kind for the customer. Customers may be internal or
external

The Business Process

A business process is a collection of activities designed to produce a specific output for
a particular customer or market. It implies a strong emphasis on how the work is done
within an organisation, in contrast to a product's focus on what. A process is thus a
specific ordering of work activities across time and place, with a beginning, an end, and
clearly defined inputs and outputs: a structure for action.
The notation used to depict a business process is illustrated below.

<<proce ss>>
Busi ness Pro cess

The process notation implies a flow of activities from left to right. Typically an event
element is placed to the left of the process and the output to the right. To specifically
notate the internal activities, UML activity elements may be placed inside the process
element.

Inputs, Resources and Information

Business processes use information to tailor or complete their activities. Information,
unlike resources, is not consumed in the process - rather it is used as part of the
transformation process. In formation may come from external sources, from customers,
from internal organisational units and may even be the product of other processes.
A resource is an input to a business process, and, unlike information, is typically
consumed during the processing. For example, as each daily train service is run and
actuals recorded, the service resource is 'used up' as far as the process of recording
actual train times is concerned.
The notation to illustrate information and resources is shown below.

© Geoffrey Sparks 2000 Page:4

An introduction to modelling software systems using
the Unified Modelling Language:
Enterprise Architect
The Business Process Model UML Case Tool by Sparx Systems
http://www.sparxsystems.com.au

Informa tion Resource

<<suppl y>> <<in put>>

<<proce ss>>
Busi ness Pro cess

A supply link indicates that the information or object linked to the process is not used
up in the processing phase. For example, order templates may be used over and over to
provide new orders of a certain style - the templates are not altered or exhausted as part
of this activity.
An input link indicates that the attached object or resource is consumed in the
processing procedure. As an example, as customer orders are processed they are
completed and signed off, and typically are used only once per unique resource (order).

Events
An event is the receipt of some object, a time or date reached, a notification or some
other trigger that initiates the business process. The event may be consumed and
transformed (for example a customer order) or simply act as a catalyst (e.g. nightly
batch job).

Actor

<<proce ss>>
Event Busi ness Pro cess

Outputs
A business process will typically produce one or more outputs of value to the business,
either for internal use of to satisfy external requirements. An output may be a physical
object (such as a report or invoice), a transformation of raw resources into a new
arrangement (a daily schedule or roster) or an overall business result such as
completing a customer order.
An output of one business process may feed into another process, either as a requested
item or a trigger to initiate new activities.

© Geoffrey Sparks 2000 Page:5

An introduction to modelling software systems using
the Unified Modelling Language:
Enterprise Architect
The Business Process Model UML Case Tool by Sparx Systems
http://www.sparxsystems.com.au

<<proce ss>>
Output
Busi ness Pro cess
<<output>>

An output link indicates that the business process produces some object (either physical
or logical) that is of value to the organisation, either as an externally visible item or as
an internal product (possibly feeding another process).

Goals
A business process has some well defined goal. This is the reason the organization does
this work, and should be defined in terms of the benefits this process has for the
organization as a whole and in satisfying the business needs.

Goa l

<<goal >>

<<proce ss>>
Busi ness Pro cess

A goal link indicates the attached object to the business process describes the goal of
the process. A goal is the business justification for performing the activity.

Putting it together
The diagram below illustrates how the various model elements may be grouped
together to produce a coherent picture of a named business process. Included are the
inputs, outputs, events, goals and other resources which are of significance.

Informa tion Resource

Goa l

<<suppl y>> <<in put>> <<goal >>

<<proce ss>>
Event Output
Busi ness Pro cess
<<output>>

© Geoffrey Sparks 2000 Page:6

An introduction to modelling software systems using
the Unified Modelling Language:
Enterprise Architect
The Business Process Model UML Case Tool by Sparx Systems
http://www.sparxsystems.com.au

Traceability
Traceability defines the way a given business process will be implemented in the
proposed system. In an implementation diagram, use cases, packages and other model
artefacts may be linked back to the business process with <<implementation>> links to
signify the dependent relationship. The example below illustrates how a Business
Process is implemented by a Use Case and a package. As the model develops and
functional software components are built and linked to Use Cases, the business
justification for each element can be derived from this model.

Note that this model also implies what is NOT being delivered. The Business Process
will typically include a wide range of manual and automated procedures. This model
illustrates exactly what functionality (Use Cases) will be built to service a particular
business process: any missing functionality must come from other (manual or
automated) systems and procedures.

An Example
The example below is an example of the kind of model that may be built up to
represent a business process. In this model, the goal of the business process is to take
customer orders and to ship those orders out. A user starts the process with an inquiry,
which leads to the involvement of the Book Catalogue, Shopping Cart, On-line pages
and warehouse inventory. The output of significance to the business is a customer
order.

© Geoffrey Sparks 2000 Page:7

An introduction to modelling software systems using
the Unified Modelling Language:
Enterprise Architect
The Business Process Model UML Case Tool by Sparx Systems
http://www.sparxsystems.com.au

Web Pa ges Book Cata logue <<goal >>

Ta ke Custom er Orders
User

<<uses>> <<in put>>

<<proce ss>> Order

User
Enquiry Sel l Books On-Li ne
<<outco me>>

<<uses>> <<in put>>

Shopping Cart Warehouse Inv entory

<<goal >>
Ship Order

<<in put>>

<<proce ss>>
Customer Deliv ere d Order
Man age Custo mer Orde rs
Order
<<outco me>>

<<uses>>

Shipping Company

The second half of the process model is to respond to a customer order and ship the
required items. The second process involves the warehouse inventory, shipping
company and completes when an order is delivered to the customer.

© Geoffrey Sparks 2000 Page:8

An introduction to modelling software systems using
the Unified Modelling Language:
Enterprise Architect
The Business Process Model UML Case Tool by Sparx Systems
http://www.sparxsystems.com.au

Recommended Reading

Sinan Si Alhir, UML in a NutShel.

ISBN: 1-56592-448-7. Publisher: O'Reilly & Associates, Inc

Doug Rosenberg with Kendall Scott ,Use Case Driven Object Modeling with UML.
ISBN:0-201-43289-7. Publisher: Addison-Wesley

Geri Scheider, Jason P. Winters, Applying Use Cases

ISBN: 0-201-30981-5. Publisher: Addison-Wesley

Ivar Jacobson, Martin Griss, Patrik Jonsson, Software Reuse

ISBN:0-201-92476-5. Publisher: Addison-Wesley

Hans-Erik Eriksson, Magnus Penker, Business Modeling with UML

ISBN: 0-471-29551-5. Publisher: John Wiley & Son, Inc

Peter Herzum, Oliver Sims, Business Component Factory

ISBN: 0-471-32760-3 Publisher: John Wiley & Son, Inc

© Geoffrey Sparks 2000 Page:9