ebBP 3/5/2006: Public Comment on BPMN Updates

[Monica J Martin <Monica.Martin@Sun.COM>]

In addition to the updated diagrams posted to the list to address the 
public comment on BPMN, here is some proposed text.

Public Comment: 
http://lists.oasis-open.org/archives/ebxml-bp-comment/200602/msg00002.html
Updated Diagrams: 
http://www.oasis-open.org/apps/org/workgroup/ebxml-bp/email/archives/200602/msg00031.html 
(already posted after BPMN team meetings)

Section 1.6
Change from:
[BPMN] Business Process Modeling Notation (BPMN) v1.0, Object Management 
Group (OMG), at: www.bpmn.org (BPMN site) or 
http://www.omg.org/cgi-bin/doc?bei/05-08-07 (at OMG)

[BPMN] Business Process Modeling Notation (BPMN) v1.0, Object Management 
Group (OMG), at: www.bpmn.org (BPMN site) or
http://www.omg.org/docs/dtc/06-02-01.pdf

Section 3.4.5
Change from:
The following figure represents the overall Multiparty Collaboration 
using BPMN (foonote 10). A new notation construct, a Collaboration 
Activity, is under consideration (but not yet complete) by the BPMN team 
at the Object Management Group (OMG). Therefore, the diagrams herein 
have extended BPMN to integrate that anticipated construct. In addition, 
comments have been received on the BPMN v1.0 specification related to 
message and sequence flows, and may be subject to change. The use of 
such flows could also change given the inclusion of collaboration 
constructs and support their intended use in an ebBP process definition 
context.

In a high-level ebBP Business Process Diagram (BPMN terminology for this 
visual representation), many of the BPMN constructs are used including 
Pool, Gateway, Sequence Flow, Message Flow, Activity, and Data Object in 
addition to Collaboration Activity. For Business Collaboration, there 
may be other notation constructs recommended or required. As of the date 
of this technical specification, these characteristics indicative of 
Business Collaboration are being discussed between the two teams, and 
considered for integration in an incremental update to BPMN v1.1 or a 
future v2.0.

footnote 10
BPMN, Business Process Management Initiative, www.bpmi.org, Version 1.0 
and inputs to subsequent versions.
BPMN: www.bpmn.org/. The BPMN v1.0 is currently under consideration as 
an OMG specification.

Change to: The following figure represents the overall Multiparty 
Collaboration using BPMN (footnote 10). A new notation construct, a 
Joint Activity, is under consideration (but not yet complete) by the 
BPMN team at the Object Management Group (OMG). Therefore, the diagrams 
herein have extended BPMN to integrate that anticipated construct. In 
addition, comments have been received on the BPMN v1.0 specification 
related to message and sequence flows, and underlying semantics, and may 
be subject to change. The use of such flows could also change given the 
inclusion of collaboration constructs and support their intended use in 
an ebBP process definition context.

In a high-level ebBP Business Process Diagram (BPMN terminology for this 
visual representation), many of the BPMN constructs are used including 
Pool, Gateway, Sequence Flow, Message Flow, Activity, and Data Object in 
addition to Joint Activity. For Business Collaboration, there may be 
other notation constructs or semantics recommended or required. As of 
the date of this technical specification, these characteristics 
indicative of Business Collaboration are being discussed between the two 
teams, and considered for integration in an incremental update to BPMN 
v1.0 or a future specification in OMG.

footnote 10
BPMN, Business Process Management Initiative, www.bpmi.org, has merged 
with OMG.
BPMN: (www.bpmn.org) The BPMN v1.0 is an adopted OMG specification.

Section 3.4.9.1
Change from: Figure 7 presents an example of Document Flows and Business 
Signals within a Business Transaction. This Business Transaction has 
been represented in BPMN. As indicated for Figure 6, the BPMN v1.0 could 
be extended while changes to support Business Collaboration are 
considered by the BPMN team in the Object Management Group (OMG). In a 
Business Collaboration, several possible (expected) paths of business 
messages may come into a Gateway. In BPMN v1.0, only Sequence Flows are 
allowed in to or out of Gateways necessitating a slightly different 
representation of the possible paths for the Response shown. In order to 
represent those possible paths on an OR gateway, the diagram in Figure 7 
(and the upcoming Figure 8) would have to be extended from BPMN v1.0 to 
allow for multiple business Message Flows in or out of a Gateway (where 
the standard BPMN uses Sequence Flow). In lieu of possible changes being 
considered by the BPMN team for BPMN v1.0 within OMG, the Response is 
visualized as:

• An Inclusive OR where many paths could occur.
• End event messages show those potential sequence paths (Sequence flows).
• Conditions determine which path is taken.
• On the path taken, the actual business message providing the Response 
is returned to the Requesting Business Activity.

In addition, business messages have been represented by a thicker blue 
message flow, while signals are green message flows. These are allowed 
extensions in BPMN v1.0. Currently, business signals or messages are not 
differentiated in a standard way in this notation. Annotations describe 
what may occur on the Response (such as Order Cancel, Order Change or 
Order Accept).

Change to: Figure 7 presents an example of Document Flows and Business 
Signals within a Business Transaction. This Business Transaction has 
been represented in BPMN. As indicated for Figure 6, the BPMN v1.0 could 
be extended while changes to support Business Collaboration are 
considered by the BPMN team in the Object Management Group (OMG). In a 
Business Collaboration, several possible (expected) paths of business 
messages exist, and the semantics of Fork and Join are also important. 
Changes are under discussion by OMG BPMN team. The joint activity 
previously referenced is being used in anticipation of those
changes.

In addition, business messages have been represented by a thicker blue 
message flow, while signals are green message flows. These are allowed 
extensions in BPMN v1.0. Currently, business signals or messages are not 
differentiated in a standard way in this notation.

Section 3.4.9.8
Change from: In the context of BPMN v1.0, there is no standardized way 
to show this mapping. Therefore, a Group object has been used to 
represent the relationship between the BTA and the associated possible 
abstract operations. The abstract operations are not subprocesses to the 
BTA but possible implementation choices for the activity.

Change to: In the context of BPMN v1.0, the Group object is used to show 
the mapping and relationship between the BTA and the associated possible 
abstract operations. The abstract operations are not subprocesses to the 
BTA but possible implementation choices for the activity.