Learning Objective 2: Glossary of BPM-Related Terminology

Innov8 introduces students to a number of terms and phrases associated with Business Process
Management. Many are compiled here for your reference.

Word or Phrase

Definition

Context within Innov8

Activity

A unit of work performed in a business

Mentioned by Sam during the Drag & Drop tuprocess. Sub-processes, task and services are torial and by Stella as she describes how the
examples of activities.
process really works.

Alert

In the context of BPM, an automatic notifica- The panel in the upper right of the Level 3 Nerve
tion from the process server that a signifiCenter monitor screen shows real-time
cant event has happened or a key threshold process alerts.
has been reached.
In the context of IT, 1) (verb) to map available hardware, software, message protocols,
etc, against application or process requirements, in an effort to meet key metrics
around performance, security, budget, etc.
2) (noun) a specialized role within the software development community that concerns
itself with the above.

Architecting processes is mentioned in the BPM

video that plays on the screen in the Level 1 entry area.

As-Is Process Model

A model of a business process as it exists

currently, prior to process improvement efforts.

Mentioned by Sam when Logan first meets her,

and again by Mike at the beginning of the Level
2 Collaboration meeting.

Business Agility

The ability of a business to respond rapidly to At beginning of the Level 2 Collaboration meetmarketplace dynamics, without delay due to ing, Mike indicates he is seeking greater Busirequired IT infrastructure changes
ness Agility.

Business Analyst

A specialist who analyzes business needs and At the beginning of game play, Stavros introducproblems, consults with users and stakees himself as Business Analyst Extraordinaire.
holders to identify opportunities for improving business return through information
technology, and transforms requirements
into a technical form.

Business Architecture

The grouping of business functions and related business objects into clusters (business domains) over which meaningful accountability can be taken (Wikipedia)

Mike provides Logan with a Business Architecture Heat Map during the opening cinematic.

Any activity or set of activities performed

within a company or organization. In the

Mike introduces the term in the Opening Cinematic as he gives Logan her mission.

Architect

Business Process

MPM701 Business Process Management IBM Innov8

In the Level 2 Collaboration exercise, Logan

meets Tomas, Lead IT Architect

Once game play begins, the player can view AFTER Inc.s Business Architecture by clicking
Net>Heat Map

Page 1 of 7

Word or Phrase

Definition

Context within Innov8

context of modeling software, a process is a

progressively continuing procedure consist- A definition and illustration are provided within
ing of a series of activities that are systemati- the BPM movie shown on the screen in the entry
cally directed toward a particular result or
area of Level 1.
end.
Business Process Execution A business process modeling language used A BPEL diagram appears on a whiteboard on the
Language (BPEL)
by IT for the formal specification of business rear left wall in the main IT room.
processes and business interaction protocols.
BPEL is an executable language that orchestrates actions; for example, when to send or
wait for messages. BPEL extends the basic
Web services interaction model to support
Business-to-Business exchanges.
Business Process Management (BPM)

A structured, often cross-functional approach - combining management methods

with information technology - to improving
business processes over time or adapting
them to meet new customer or market
needs.

Mike introduces the term in the Opening Cinematic as he gives Logan her mission.
A definition and illustration are provided within
the BPM movie shown on the screen in the entry
area of Level 1.

Business Process Management Lifecycle

The lifecycle of management-initiated activi- Referred to and illustrated within the BPM movties that lead to continuous process imie shown on the screen in the entry area of Level
provement over time. You architect and
1.
build a base process, implement the process,
observe and analyze process performance,
and then make changes to improve the
process. And then you repeat the cycle, over
and over, until the process is eventually retired.

Business Process Model

An abstract or conceptual representation of

a business process usually developed for
understanding, analyzing, improving, or replacing the process being represented. A
model can include representations of activities, relationships, information flows, and
constraints.

Business Rules

In the context of BPM, a programming device Business Rules are mentioned first by Sam durby which business strategies are impleing the Level 2 Collaboration, as a means to
mented and automatically enforced by the
route calls to Partners under certain conditions.
application or Process Server. Modern BPM
systems often allow the Line of Business to
modify business rules on the fly without
having to modify the underlying IT infrastructure.

CIO (Chief Information

Officer)

A commonly used job title for the highestWhen Logan first meets Sam, Sam indicates that
ranking executive who oversees the informa- the CIO has mandated the use of the modeling

MPM701 Business Process Management IBM Innov8

First mentioned by Sam when meeting Logan.

Page 2 of 7

Word or Phrase
Collaboration

Connection

Definition

Context within Innov8

tion technology group within an enterprise.

software Logan will use.

A structured, recursive process where two

or more people work together by building
consensus and sharing knowledge in an intellectual endeavor toward a common goal
which is typically creative in nature. Collaboration does not require leadership and can
even bring better results through decentralization and egalitarianism. (Wikipedia)

Collaboration is first mentioned by Sharon

if/when Logan meets her in the Level 1 entry
area.

A link between two elements in a process

map or diagram. Connections are typically
used to specify the chronological sequence
of activities in a process.

Mentioned by Sam in the Drag and Drop tutorial. Then, as Logan builds the As-Is model, we
see the model elements auto-connect.

She and Mike co-host the Global Collaboration

meeting that is the basis for Level 2.

Connections also appear in various model diagrams in the BPM video and throughout Levels
1, 2, and 3.
Core Activities (a.k.a. core Strategic business capabilities that must be During the Collaboration, Mike asks his team to
competencies)
performed well, in order for the business to identify non-core activities that can be minithrive. Businesses often seek synergy with
mised.
one another, by outsourcing their own noncore activities to external partners who view
the very same activities as their core activities.
Dashboard

In the context of IT, a business management The monitor screen that Logan sees in the Level
tool used to visually ascertain the status (or 3 Nerve Center (with its KPI panel) is representa"health") of a business process or enterprise tive of a business dashboard.
via key performance indicators.

Decision Symbol

A process element that routes an input to

one of several alternative outgoing paths,
depending on its condition. A decision is like
a question that determines the exact set of
activities to perform during a process run.
Questions might include "What type of order?" and "How will the order be shipped?"

The decision symbol is defined and first used

during the Drag and Drop challenge in Level1.
It also appears in model diagrams in the BPM
video and throughout Levels 2 and 3.

Flexible Infrastructure

An IT infrastructure that has been archiMike suggests in the Level 2 Collaboration that
tected specifically to provide business agility proposed changes are resulting in a more Flexi- capable of responding dynamically to both ble Infrastructure.
planned and unplanned business events.

Heat Map

In the context of Component Business Modeling, a graphical representation of data

wherein the concentration of multiple factors under investigation is illustrated by a
corresponding concentration of colors in the
model. A heat map can be used to identify
the greatest opportunities for reducing costs,

MPM701 Business Process Management IBM Innov8

Mike provides Logan with a Business Architecture Heat Map during the opening cinematic.
You can access this under the Net button on the
screen.

Page 3 of 7

Word or Phrase

Definition

Context within Innov8

delivering competitive advantage, or other

factors.
Import

To bring a model design created within one Near the end of the Level 2 Collaboration, Sam
tool into a second tool, thereby saving time indicates she will import Logans To-Be model
and reducing human errors due to re-keying. into tooling used by IT.
For example, a model developed by a Business Analyst may be imported into development or integration tooling used by IT.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

A significant measurement used to track performance against a business objective. A key

performance indicator has a target or ranges,
or both, to measure the improvement or
deterioration in the performance of an activity that is critical to the business.

First mentioned by Sharon if/when Logan meets

her in the Level 1 entry area.

Knowledge Base (a.k.a.

Repository)

A special kind of database for knowledge

management. It provides the means for the
computerized collection, organization, and
retrieval of knowledge. (Wikipedia)

Mentioned by Sam during the Level 2 Collaboration as a means to collect and store call information for later retrieval.

Merge Symbol

A process element that recombines multiple A merge symbol is defined and first used durprocessing paths, typically after a decision. A ing the Drag and Drop challenge in Level1.
merge brings several alternative paths together.

Portal

A Web framework for integrating information, applications, and processes across organizational boundaries. (Wikipedia)

Process Automation

A process that businesses use to contain

In Level 1 play, Logan may discover a proposal
costs, by deploying and integrating software for Virtual Agent technology that automates
applicationss and cutting labor wherever
call-handling.
possible.
During the Level 2 Collaboration, Mike asks if it
is not possible to automate the handling of certain calls.

Process Deployment

The actions that IT takes, to move a process Deployment is mentioned in the BPM video that
from the development and test environment plays on the screen in the Level 1 entry area.
into production.
In the main IT room, Logan may examine product boxes for software that AFTER Inc apparently
uses to deploy and run business processes.

Process Implementation

The actions that IT takes, to convert the

During the Level 2 Collaboration, Sam mentions
business process model into working applica- implementing Virtual Agent and Knowledge Base
tion code that runs on specific computer
technologies.
hardware and software.

Process Improvement

1. A proactive set of management activities During the BPM video shown on the screen in
aimed at identifying, analyzing, adapting and the Level 1 entry area, process improvement is
improving existing business processes to
mentioned as a basic objective of BPM.

MPM701 Business Process Management IBM Innov8

Later, Logan finds AFTER Inc Call Center KPIs

posted on a wall in Operations.

The monitor screen that Logan sees in the Level

3 Nerve Center is representative of a business
portal.

Page 4 of 7

Word or Phrase

Definition

Context within Innov8

meet specific goals and objectives. 2. An incremental result of such activity.

Process Innovation

A change in a process which results in a radical shift in process metrics and/or structure,
typically in response to evolutionary changes
in the marketplace.

During the BPM video shown on the screen in

the Level 1 entry area, innovation is mentioned
as a means to dramatically reduce the cost and
time of business adaptation.

Process Map (a.k.a.

Process Diagram)

A diagram that depicts the activities and decisions that are performed within a business
process and the order (chronological time
sequence) in which they are performed.
Process maps are augmented with various
element attributes, such as costs and durations, to yield more comprehensive process
models to support simulations and other
process analysis tasks.

When Sam first meets Logan Sam advises to look

for someone in Operations who may have a
Process Map to use as a starting point.
Logan retrieves one of several process maps
from the computer on Stavros desk.

Process Model

A typically visual representation of a real

First mentioned in the BPM video that plays on
business process that is composed of the
the screen in the Level 1 entry way, and again by
individual steps or activities that make up the Sam when Logan first meets her.
process, contains the conditions that dictate
when they occur, and identifies the resources required for its performance or run.

Process Model Elements

Distinct, self-contained units of a business

Sam discusses the various model elements durprocess map or model. Examples of elements ing the tutorial for the Drag and Drop exercise.
are tasks, decisions, merges, and connections.

Process Server

Specialized software platform for executing

and choreographing business processes
during run-time (i.e. in production).

Publishing

In the context of process modeling, the no- First mentioned by Sam when Logan first meets
tion of posting a copy of a modeling project her.
or some of its elements to a server for review and reference by process stakeholders. Then, Logan has to publish her intermediate
results during the Collaboration meeting.

Service

A capability typically external to an organization - that can be utilized repeatedly within

the processes of that organization, using a
prescribed interface. Services typically implement functionalities most humans would
recognize as services, such as checking an
individuals credit history, or placing an airline ticket order. Services that can be invoked over the World Wide Web are referred to as Web services.

Services Registry

During the Level 2 Collaboration, Tomas mentions the Process Server as the group discusses
dynamic selection of services.

Logan mentions services in the context of SOA

if/when she finds the book in the Level 1 entry
area.
She mentions services again if/when she finds
the Service Lifecycle or the BPEL diagram in the
main IT room.
Then, Sam and Tomas mention services several
times in the Level 2 Collaboration.

A software facility for storing basic informa- Mentioned by Tomas, during the Level 2 Collation about services, including how to interact boration, as a mechanism for enabling dynamic

MPM701 Business Process Management IBM Innov8

Page 5 of 7

Word or Phrase

Definition

Context within Innov8

with the service, who has access rights to the service selection.
service, and which applications currently use
the service.
Simulation

SOA (Services Oriented

Architecture)

A key analytical capability providing fasterthan-real-time execution of a process in a

virtual environment. Simulation enables organizations to observe how a process is likely
to perform in response to variations of inputs to the process. Simulation output can
provide detailed information regarding resource usage levels and the results of cost
and cycle-time calculations.

First mentioned by Sam when Logan first meets

her.

A business-centric IT architectural approach

that supports integrating business as linked,
repeatable business tasks, or services. SOA
helps users build composite applications,
which are applications that draw upon functionality from multiple sources within and
beyond the enterprise to support end-to-end
business processes.

The book lying on one of the tables in the Level

1 entry area is titled SOA and Web 2.0 The
New Language of Business.

Logan uses simulation to validate the As-Is model.

Logan uses it again to explore To-Be model use
cases during the Level 2 Collaboration.

Logans corresponding thought dialogue expands on the SOA acronym.

SOA Governance

SOA governance is an extension of IT gover- Mentioned in Logans thought dialogue

nance that focuses on the lifecycle of servic- if/when she finds the Services Lifecycle screen
es and composite applications in an organi- saver in the main IT room.
zations service-oriented architecture (SOA).
Key functions of SOA governance are 1) to
define decision rights for the development,
deployment and management of new services, and 2) to monitor, capture and communicate results.

Standards-Based Tooling

The notion that some tooling implements

and enforces accepted industry standards
including protocols and user interface elements - that enable interoperability and exchange of information between tools, and
facilitate rapid assimilation of the tooling by
new users.

Swim Lane

Derived from an analogy to lanes in a swim- Swim Lanes are explained by Sam during the
ming pool, a visually separated row in a
Drag and Drop tutorial and illustrated during the
process flow diagram that groups all the ac- Drag and Drop challenge.
tivities in the process that are performed by
a particular combination of roles, resources,
organizations, or locations.

Task

The lowest unit of work (activity)

represented in a process model diagram.

MPM701 Business Process Management IBM Innov8

When Logan first meets Sam, Sam indicates that

the CIO has mandated the use of standardsbased tooling.

The task symbol is defined and used during

the Drag and Drop challenge. The symbol is also
used in process diagrams throughout Levels 1, 2
and 3.

Page 6 of 7

Word or Phrase

Definition

Context within Innov8

To-Be Process Model

A model of a business process as it is intended to look in the future, following

process improvement efforts.

Tooling

Specialized software for modeling, designing First mentioned by Mike in the Opening Cineand building applications or entire business matic when he tells Logan to acquire needed
processes.
tooling from Sam. Sam later explains the function of the tooling Logan will use.

Validation

In the context of business process modeling, When Logan first meets Sam, Sam advises Logan
ensuring that a model is correct syntactically to make sure she validates the As-Is model with
and that it accurately reflects the process as a true process expert.
it is or as it is expected to be. Automatic syntax checking (validation) is often provided
within the modeling tooling. But determining
model accuracy requires inspection by true
process experts and/or comparison of simulated results to empirical data.

Web 2.0

A set of second generation web-based

technologies, communities and hosted services such as social-networking sites, wikis, etc which aim to facilitate collaboration and sharing between users. (Adapted
from Wikipedia)

The book lying on one of the tables in the Level

1 entry area is titled SOA and Web 2.0 The
New Language of Business

Wiring

Connecting services together within a

process or composite application. Some
BPM tooling enables the Integration Developer to wire services to one another
through a graphical user interface - connecting the output interface of one activity with
the input interface of the next activity within
the process sequence.

Logan mentions wiring in her thought dialogue

if/when she finds the BPEL diagram in the main
IT room.

MPM701 Business Process Management IBM Innov8

Mentioned by Sam when Logan first meets her,

and again by Mike at the beginning of the Level
2 Collaboration meeting.

Later, Sam mentions wiring services during the

Level 2 Collaboration.

Page 7 of 7