Tool Mentor: Describe a Business Process Using BPMN2 Notation
Business processes are important, and common, inputs to service design initiatives. We describe how they can be modeled using IBM® Rational® Software Architect.
Tool: Rational Software Architect
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This tool mentor describes how to model a business process in Rational Software Architect, using BMPN2 notation.  Tool Mentor: Identify Candidate Services describes how the business process models can be used to define candidate services, which are modeled as SoaML Capabilities

A sample business process model is provided as part of Example: Sample SoaML Design Model.

Develop a basic process model generally as follows.  Refer to   Working with BPMN Diagrams, in Rational Software Architect Help, for additional details.

  • Create a new Business Collaboration model or Business Process model. Do this using the procedures described in  Creating a BPMN Diagram in Rational Software Architect Help.  instead, use the Collaboration model, because it offers a few more model construction tools.
  • Select the model file in the Project Explorer.  Select the plus sign ("+") in front of the model to expand and show the underlying Collaboration.  Select the plus sign ("+") in front of the Collaboration to show the lower-level organizational folders, as shown in Figure 2.

Figure 2. Lower-level organizationl folders under the Collaboration    

  • Open the business model diagram by double-clicking the model.
  • Add content to your business process model using Project Explorer and drawing palette gestures similar to those that are described in Tool Mentor: Create SoaML Model Elements for creating SoaML elements in a service model.

Here are some tips:

  • If you are using a Business Collaboration model, create a process by placing a Pool on the diagram, using the drawing palette.  More than one process can be created within a Collaboration model using this technique. This has consequences, though, because the process diagram will become excessively cluttered.  We recommend that only a single process be created for each model.
  • For each role that is involved in executing the process, add a Lane.
  • Create a hierarchy of processes by incorporating Call Activities into your process model.  Create a new process, and associate it with the Call Activity using the Call Activity's Property view.  To open the new (sub-) process, select and double-click the Call Activity.
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