How a State Model adds value to a Process Flow?

Contrary to process mapping, where a practitioner depicts freely how the work is
performed in an unbounded manner, process modelling requires much more consistency and alignment with other process elements.  Typically, a set of modelling standards and guidelines support the process modelling work ensuring the quality of the process models.

In general, a process flow model is a representation of a business process in terms of its component activities, and the flow of work among these activities.  A process flow model concentrates on the flow of work throughout the business, triggered by an input and producing an output i.e. a work product.

A work product can be anything that is produced, consumed or modified by a process. It is also commonly known as a ‘deliverable’. They can be of various ‘kinds’ such as documents, spreadsheets, standard operating procedures (SOPs), work instructions (WIs), …

State Model

Interestingly, they can have an associated state model. The State model describes the states and events in a system or process. In fact, processes should depict the lifecycle of the work product or the ‘token’ as it flows through the process. The key factor in process modelling is to identify and describe these different states an individual work product goes through during its lifetime.

To depict this (process) life cycle, which presents a sequence of phases that achieve a specific goal, consider creating a state model to show the multiple states of a work product and its allowable transitions. Additionally, it is also useful to add a narrative to what it means for the work product to be at each state.

The State Model below shows a monthly invoice run of a Professional Services firm:

After creating an invoice (= initial state), it waits for approval or, alternatively, it can be updated prior to submit for approval. Once approved the invoice is sent to the customer. Now it awaits payment. Once the invoice is paid and reconciled it is finally booked.  You can cancel the invoice at any time.

Clearly, a state model provides a clear understanding of a work product’s life cycle across the process flow.

Process Flow Model

To illustrate how a work product changes its states throughout the process, use a process flow model.  Typically, you start with identifying the key process elements on a process flow model, such as:

1.  Process Trigger
   What triggers (start events) a process and what results are produced (end events)?
2.  Process Step
   Which process steps (tasks, sub-processes) are necessary?
3.  Dependencies 
      Which dependencies exist between activities (sequence flow)?
4.  Alternative Paths 
   Which alternatives (XOR gateways) are there and where can activities can happen in parallel (AND gateways)?
5.  Responsible
      Who is responsible for carrying out an activity (pools, lanes)?
6.  Information
   Which information (data objects i.e. work products) is relevant within a process?
7.  Interaction Points
   Where are interaction points (message flow) with suppliers and customers or with other processes?Graphically, a basic BPMN process flow illustrating some of these key process elements could look like this:

Next, refine the process model with the relevant work product states.  For the monthly invoice run example, the ‘control’ process flow could look like this:

This swimlane model describes the ‘invoice’ work product (highlighted in blue) and its various states across the process flow. They are closely aligned with the states and events from the state model above.

From each of these work product states, you can also link a contextual information model.  Linking process elements to data entities and attributes enables practitioners to accurately describe the data used across the process flow.

Benefits

There are numerous benefits of depicting the different states of a work product in a process flow:

• States ensure a better Business-IT alignment. In fact, the use of a common vocabulary enhances the understanding between both Business and IT.
• States enable linkage between process and data through the work product’s process lifecycle.
• States help test the integrity and validity of process steps. If the state of the core product is not advancing, does the process step add value?
• States help ready the process for implementation in a workflow.
• States help drive statistics and management information about how far transactions have progressed and where the workload lays within the process.

Conclusion

This modelling approach provides necessary rigor to a process flow to help aligning Business and IT. It provides significant depth to define precise, consistent process flow models suitable for most organizations.

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