Distinguishing prep work from "day of" in mapping I am working on my first business process mapping project and am having trouble conceptualizing how to proceed. I would like to capture a number of processes that occur in preparation for the "day of" of my main process. For example, if my main event is selling tickets to a concert, I consider "day of" as the first day when tickets will become available to the public. But I of course need to take certain steps to prepare for that day. Additionally once tickets go on sale, there are certain steps that happen everyday while tickets are available (e.g., end-of-day reporting). But on the next day, tickets are on sale again, and the same end-of-day reports need to be run. When tickets sell out, I keep a list of interested parties and contact them if spaces open up. How can these parallel process be mapped, especially since they all converge at the end? Do I need a one map for the prep work and a separate map for tasks that occur every day? Thank you!
Hi:
You definitely want an integrated map. You do not want to have models that do not tie together.
Basically, your issue is that it is not possible to line up all your processes in sequence, even with flow of control branching. This is a very common problem. Systems, especially at higher levels of abstraction are often non-sequential.
What I do is, at a higher level of abstraction, create data flow diagrams. DFD were specifically created to address the non-sequential nature of systems at higher levels. I then decompose the DFD's downward and use a sequential technique, like BPMN, to capture the details. At the detail level, you can always specify system behavior sequentially.
Tony
Thank you, Tony.
I don't totally understand some of what you wrote, but I have some leads now.
Any other suggestions would be helpful.
AG
hi AG,
i'd probably have a high level diagram something like
prepare - sell - tidy up
in the sell sub diagram show the steps taken and use gates to show decision points and parallel processing. end point is either
selling out or end of day.
I use bpmn. it will be simple to do.
kimbo
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