Presentation I gave to the BPM & Case Management Summit 2014 in Washington

1. Discovery and Analysis
for Case Management
with BPMN and CMMN
Denis Gagné,
CEO & CTO
Chair BPMN MIWG at OMG
BPMN 2.0 FTF Member at OMG
BPMN 2.1 RTF Member at OMG
CMMN Submission at OMG
Chair BPSWG at WfMC
XPDL Co-Editor at WfMC

2. Abstract
Discovery and Analysis for Case Management
(with BPMN and CMMN)
Denis Gagné, Workflow Management Coalition (WfMC) and Trisotech
Presented by one of the foremost experts in BPMN and CMMN, this session will take a
step-by-step approach to the discovery and analysis necessary for any successful case
management initiative. Explained and demonstrated will be both general methods and
best practices, as well as the specific roles and usage of the dominant process modeling
notations, BPMN and (uniquely for case management) CMMN. Participants will learn how
to articulate and differentiate case management processes from more structured
workflows, and the unique considerations for discovery and analysis.
For over a decade Denis Gagné has been a driving force in the majority of international BPM
standards in use today. He is a member of the Workflow Management Coalition (WfMC) Steering
Committee, chair of the Business Process Simulation Working Group (BPSWG), and the co-Editor of
the XPDL 2.2 process definition standard. For the Object Management group (OMG), Denis is the
Chair of the BPMN Interchange Working Group (BPMN MIWG), and a member of the Business
process Model and Notation (BPMN) and the Case Management Model and Notation (CMMN) team.

3. Is this your current business?

4. Or is it more like this?

5. Context of Discovery & Analysis
What is going on in the organization?
Work is performed without having the big picture
Things get done informally
Individual responsibilities are passed by word of mouth
How things get done is implicit

6. Goal of Discovery
To make “How things get done” explicit
(as the foundation for improvement)
Make the as-is situation
known, understood and shared

7. Agenda
Discovery Caveat:
Many confuse Discovery with Detailed Modeling
As-is situation
Process & Case Management
Managing “How things get done”
via processes or via cases
Discovery Analysis
Make explicit
“How things get done”
Foundation for improvement

8. Making explicit
“How things get done”
Discovery

9. Potential Benefits of Discovery
 Clarify and document the current situation
 Ensure everybody work together
 Support integration of new hires
 Ensure products and services reach the
quality level customers expect
 Meet standard that govern the enterprise
practices
Discovery’s goal is
to make explicit the
as-is situation

10. Discovery from Evidences
Tacit Evidence (What people know and perceive)
Facilitated Sessions
Interviews
Observations
Evidence from Documentation
Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
ISO 9000
Evidence from Systems Logs
Automated Discovery (Process Mining)
Discovery is and investigative exercise

11. Discovery and Analysis as a Project
Document the rational, scope, risks, and very
importantly, the desired outcomes or goals of the
various stakeholders
As with any projects “Expectation Management” of
stakeholders is key
Need to:
Define Scope
Identify the project Stakeholders
Enumerate desired outcomes
Itemize challenges and risks

12. www.DiscoveryAccelerator.com
Discovery and Analysis as a Project

13. Initiating Discovery
Work Effort Focus
Start by creating an inventory of Activities
List the activities leading to the desired outcome
(Happy Path, Value Chain,..)
Alternative starting points
Creating an inventory of Events
Creating an inventory of Artifacts
Creating an inventory of Goals
…

14. Inventory of Entities
www.DiscoveryAccelerator.com

15. Foundation for improvement
Analysis of as-is situation

16. Work Effort Focus
How things get done
W5 Analysis
Who is involved in getting things done
Why things are getting done
What is involved in getting things done
When are things getting done
Where things get done

17. W5 Analysis of as-is situation
www.DiscoveryAccelerator.com

18. Analyzing Work Efforts
Quality
Cost
ValueTime
Lean

19. Analyzing Value of as-is situation
Value Adding VA
Essential to the production and delivery
of the product or service to meet the
customer’s needs and requirements
Value Enabling VE
Necessary precursors to Value Adding
activities. Required by law or regulations
to allow the Value Adding activities to be
carried out.
Non Value Adding NVA
Do not add value to the customer and do
not meet the criteria for a Value Adding
activity

20. Analyzing Value: D.O.W.N.T.I.M.E
Defects D The effort involved in inspecting for and fixing defects
Over-production O Overproduction of things not demanded by actual customers
Waiting W Waiting for the previous step in the process to complete
Non-productive N
Nonproductive or underutilized resources, employees that are not
effectively engaged
Transportation T
Transportation or handling of products, good or services not actually
required to perform the processing
Inventory I Inventory or information that is sitting idle (not being processed)
Motion M
People, information or equipment making unnecessary motion due to
workspace layout, ergonomic issues or searching for misplaced
items
Extra processing E
Performing any activity that is not necessary to produce a functioning
product or service

21. Analyzing Value of as-is situation
www.DiscoveryAccelerator.com

22. Analyzing Time of as-is situation
Lag Time LT
Elapsed time from the completion the
predeceasing activity to the start of this one
Processing Time* PT
Elapsed time from the start of the activity to
its completion
- The Temporal Perspective: Expressing Temporal Constraints and Dependencies in Process Models.
D. Gagne and A. Trudel. BPM & Workflow Handbook 2008
*Simplification equates Processing time to Duration

23. Analyzing Time of as-is situation
www.DiscoveryAccelerator.com

24. Analyzing Cost of as-is situation
Fixed Cost FC
Cost not dependent on the level of
goods or services produced by the
business
Variable Cost VC
Cost that change in proportion to the
good or service that a business
produces

25. Analyzing Cost of as-is situation
www.DiscoveryAccelerator.com

26. Analyzing Quality of as-is situation
Yield Y
The proportion of results conforming to
specifications compared to the number of raw
inputs

27. Analyzing Quality of as-is situation
www.DiscoveryAccelerator.com

28. Analyzing Responsibility
of as-is situation
Responsible R Does the work to achieve the task
Accountable A
The one ultimately answerable for
the correct and thorough
completion of the deliverable or
task
Consulted C Those whose opinions are sought
Informed I
Those who are kept up-to-date on
progress and results

29. Analyzing Responsibility
of as-is situation
www.DiscoveryAccelerator.com

30. From Discovery to Modeling
Your Discovery results can be used as a launch pad for
modeling
www.DiscoveryAccelerator.com

31. Managing “How things get done”
via processes or via cases
with BPMN or CMMN

32. Desired Operating Models
Low
Integration
High
High
Low
Standardization
- Enterprise Architecture as Strategy. J. Ross, P. Weill and D. Robertson
Diversification
Coordination Unification
Replication
We define how work efforts are organized ( fit-for-purpose )

33. Characterizing Work Efforts
Efficiency Effectiveness
Dictionary.com Efficient (adj.) Performing
or functioning in the best
possible manner with the
least waste of time and
effort.
Effective (adj.): Adequate
to accomplish a purpose;
producing the intended
or expected result.
Meaning Doing things the right way Doing the right thing
Goal Oriented Yes Yes
Measure More Quantitative More Qualitative
Example Cycle time, Response time,
Cost per unit, etc.
Achievement of goals,
Satisfaction, etc.

34. Why can’t you see it my way
Process Management
Concerned with the Lifecycle of a Process
Content/Document Management
Concerned with the Lifecycle of Content/Document
Case Management
Concerned with the Lifecycle of a Case
All Involve Structured and Unstructured Work Efforts
All are Means to achieving the Organization’s Ends
Hybrids in all dimensions are possible and do exists
C
Case
Management
P
Process
Management
Work
Effort
D
Document/
Content
Management

35. Evidences of Work Efforts
The evidences of work efforts left behind from a
process or a case are the same:
A trigger,
a collection of work efforts
that leads to an outcome
(a posteriori viewable in a temporal sequence)
A priori is where the work effort model is very different

36. From a Work Effort point of view
C
Case
Management
P
Process
Management
Work
Effort
D
Document/
Content
Management
Defining the context
for the work effort
Prescribing the
work effort
First class citizen:
Activities (Work Effort)
Events while doing activities
First class citizen:
Events (Context)
Activities to undertake as events
emerges

37. What is CMMN?
What is CMMN?
Case Management Model and Notation
CMMN is a standard published by the Object Management Group
(OMG).
Why CMMN matters?
A common meta-model and notation for modeling and graphically
expressing a Case
Aim to model activities that depends on evolving circumstances
and ad hoc decisions by knowledge workers
Provides flexibility via planning at run time
Current Status
CMMN 1.0 just released May 2014

38. Core Concepts of CMMN
Case Plan Model & Case File
Notion of Discretionary
A BA

39. Core Concepts of CMMN
Sentries and ECA (Event Condition Action)
!
Stage A
!
Stage B
Milestone A
!
Task A
!
Task A
!
Task A

40. Event
Listener
Case File
Item
Fragment
Basic Elements of CMMN
Stage
Task
Milestone
!
www.CMMNWebModeler.com

41. CMMN Example
www.CMMNWebModeler.com
Treat Fracture
Examine
Patient
Prescribe
Medication
Prescribe
Sling
Perform
XRay
Perform
Surgery
Prescribe
Fixation
Apply Cast
Prescribe
Rehabilitation

42. What is BPMN?
What is BPMN?
Business Process Model and Notation
BPMN is a standard published by the Object Management Group
(OMG).
Why BPMN matters?
Universal graphical notation for drawing business processes
Readily understandable by business stakeholders
Aim to bridge the gap from modeling to subsequent
implementation
Current Status
BPMN 2.0 is the current version
www.BPMN.org

43. Basic Elements of BPMN
Event
Activity
Gateway
Flow
www.BPMNQuickGuide.com

44. LoanofficerTitleResearcherLoanUnderwritter
Receive
Loan
Application
Record
Loan
Application
Verify
Employment
Request
Credit
Report
Receive
Credit
Report
Perform
Title
Search
Review
Title
Report
Review
Loan Application
Send
Rejection
Letter
Close-Out
Rejection
Loan Request
Rejected
Send
Approval
Letter
Underwrite
Loan with
Terms
Set with
Default Terms
1 Hour
Time Limit
Close-out
Approval
Loan Request
Approved
[Initial]
Loan
Application
[Rejected]
Loan
Application
[Approved]
Loan
Application
BPMN Example
www.BPMNWebModeler.com

45. Business Process
Management
Case Management
Purpose Means to an end (desired
outcome)
Means to an end (desired
outcome)
First Class Citizen Activities (Work Effort)
Events while doing activities
Events (Context)
Activities to undertake as events
emerges
Way to attain the
desired outcome
Prescribed Described
Aim for Efficiency Effectiveness
Standard BPMN CMMN

46. Conclusions
Discovery aims to make explicit the as-is situation
Do not confuse Discovery with Detailed Modeling
Analyze the as-is situation as foundation for improvement
HW5, Value, Time, Cost, Quality, Responsibility
Based on your desired operating model and situation at hand you
should prescribe or describe “how things get done”
Efficiency is more predictable when prescribing “how things get done”
In highly unpredictable context, effectiveness is more likely when describing
“what could be done”

47. Questions
www.DiscoveryAccelerator.com
www.BPMNWebModeler.com www.CMMNWebModeler.com
www.camunda.org/download/
CMMN Execution
(Fall 2014)
BPMN Execution
(Now)