From Business Process to Application

9 Pages·3.769 MB·English

by  Andres T.

ARIS Expert Paper
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May 2006
From Business Process to Application
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Visionary architecture
always requires good
building plans!
That’s way it pays to use your organization’s
business processes as the plan for your
service-oriented architecture.
ARIS Solution for Business-Driven SOA
Managementallows you to convert
business process models into
executable IT processes.
The integrated ARIS Value
Engineering procedure model
helps you to create a
comprehensive SOA repository,
enabling you to keep tabs on
your business processes and
service landscape.
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From Business Process to Application
Model-driven Development of Business Management Software
Business management applications serve a basic purpose: they are
About the author:
meant to provide optimum support for the business processes of an
enterprise. Inadequate consideration of this fact in the course of a
software development project will lead at best to mediocre results
and at worst to the failure of this project. This article describes how
classic business process modeling can be integrated as an elemen-
tary part of a software development project with the aid of ARIS
UML Designer. The result is a consistent, model-based, integrated
solution for the development of business management applications
– from business process analysis to system design.
Find out how:
• business process modeling and software development are
linked and
Thomas Andres
• a consistent, model-based development solution for busi-
is Development Manager at
ness management software can be achieved. IDSScheer where he is responsible
for UML, model-driven software
development, and code generation.
Although modeling in software development has previously been used
E-mail:
rather hesitantly and only for post-project documentation of individual [email protected]
aspects, it has long been considered as a standard in the technical depart-
ments of many enterprises. Model-based acquisition, monitoring, and continuous optimization of business processes
has become indispensable for gaining and securing competitive advantages. With the introduction of the Model
Driven Architecture (MDA) by the OMG and its rather pragmatic variant – the Model Driven Software Development
(MDSD) – the topic of modeling has recently become important in software development.
Several publications on the subject of integration of business process analysis and object-oriented software develop-
ment already exist and are usually transpose the modeling methods used in software development onto the business
process modeling. This article presents an integration solution based on classic business process modeling widely
distributed in the technical departments of the enterprises.
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1. Overview
Figure 1 shows a diagram of the procedure
for model-driven software development
with the inclusion of the business process-
es relevant to the project and use of a tem-
plate-based code generator.
The business processes are acquired in
the form of a business process model and
serve as a basis for the requirement analy-
sis. Models created here are independent
of both the selected system architecture
and the implementation platform.
The system is designed based on the
analysis model and the application family
selected for the code generation that
specifies the system architecture and the
UML profile to be applied. Aided by the
application family, the code generator
converts the design model into source
code and other artifacts, which then must
be completed by manual implementation, if
required. The templates of the application
family determine what is generated from
the design model. Ideally, dependence on
the implementation platform only evolves
Fig. 1: Model driven development of business management
with the templates so that the design mod-
applications
el only depends on the system architec-
ture.
Numerous publications on the topics of system design, code generation and implementation already exist. However,
many developers are unfamiliar with the topic of business process modeling. Therefore, this article explains how to
derive an object-oriented analysis model from a business process model.
2. Business Process Analysis
From a software development point of view, busi-
ness process analysis serves mainly as a means
of communication with the technical departments
and as a basis for the requirement analysis of the
software to be created. From the technical
departments’ angle, the software development is
only one of many application scenarios for busi-
ness process analysis. For example, other appli-
cation scenarios are business process optimiza-
tion, ERP implementation, process cost manage-
ment, or ISO-9000 certification.
ARIS is recognized worldwide as a quasi-stan-
dard for business process modeling. One of the
key diagram types in ARIS is the event-controlled
process chain (EPC). The EPC demonstrates how
events in an enterprise lead to the activation of
Fig. 2: Event-controlled process chain (EPC) certain functions, which in turn leads to other
events. The executing organizational units and
the data to be processed can be assigned to the
individual functions.
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The EPC in figure 2 shows how a reservation of cinema tickets is checked in a Call Center. All elements and relations
visualized in the diagram are saved in a database. The Call Center agent appears twice in this example as the execut-
ing organizational unit of a function. How ever, this is just a single database element. Working in a database en ables a
number of assessments, such as: “What functions are performed by an organizational unit in the enterprise?”, and is
also a prerequisite for linking the business process and requirement analysis.
The following arguments promote the use of ARIS for business process ana lysis in software dev elopm ent.
• ARIS offers a model-based description of all aspects of an enterprise in a central database. The tool’s graphic
models are much easier to check for consistency and completeness than a collection of Word documents or
PowerPoint slides.
• The ARIS methodology, unlike UML, is easy to understand for both technical departments and software develop-
ers. It enables communication between all involved parties, and is therefore an excellent basis for a common
requirement analysis.
• The technical departments model their business processes themselves and assume an active role in the soft-
ware development process.
• A detailed ARIS business process model often already exists in an enterprise. In this case, the requirements
analysis can commence much quicker.
3. Requirement Analysis
UML has been recognized in the object-oriented software development environment similar to ARIS’ recognition as a
modeling method for business processes. Now the challenge is to integrate both modeling worlds and usefully link
them methodologically. Two complementary methods of deriving a UML analysis model from the business process
model are presented below.
3.1 Use Case Model
First of all, all functions to be implemented in a
software system are identified in the business pro -
cesses. These functions are treated as use cases
in the UML environment and copied to a UML use
case diagram. For this pur pose, ARIS provides a
predefined transformation, which additionally
determines all organizational units assigned to the
function and adds them to the use case diagram
as actors.
Figure 3 illustrates the result of such a transforma-
tion. IT-relevant functions are stereotyped as sys-
tem use cases («system UseCase»).
The diagram also contains the master business Fig. 3: System and business use cases
pro cess as a business use case («business Use-
Case»). The background symbols in figure 3 below
the use cases to the right indicate that these are detailed
by further diagrams. An essential aspect of this transfor-
mation is that new elements are not created, but existing
elements in the business process model are re-used. This
is made clear by the property dialog of the function “Find
show” shown in figure 4. This function is visualized in both
the EPC and the UML use case diagram.
The advantages of this integration are obvious. For exam-
ple, if the function in the business process model is re -
named, the new name is also displayed automatically in
the UML use case diagram. In addition, a simple, bi-direc-
Fig. 4: ARIS properties of the function
tional navigation between corresponding contents in the
“Search for presentation”
business process and the UML analysis model is enabled.
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3.2 Analysis Class Model
The input and output parameters of the EPC func-
tions – the so-called technical terms – represent
another point of contact for the requirement analy-
sis. These are usually combined in a technical
terms model in the course of business process
modeling to guarantee that uniform technical ter-
minology is used throughout the project. In the
requirement analysis, these technical terms are
examined to determine the suitable candidates for
technical classes and those which are more suit-
able as technical attributes. The technical classes
and technical attributes de ter mined in this way
are positioned in the same diagram and linked
with the respective technical term.
Figure 5 shows an ex cerpt from a technical term Fig. 5: Technical term model with technical classes
model. Trans for ma tions in which the steps can be and technical attributes
automated are also available here.
In the next step, the technical classes are copied
to a UML class diagram for assignment of the
technical attributes and for interrelation of the
classes via binary associations. The result is
shown in figure 6. The technical classes can now
be enhanced with further technical attributes and
operations.
The analysis model is derived from the business
process model through close cooperation
between the technical department and the IT
department.
Although the technical department is better able
to assess which EPC functions and technical
Fig. 6: Analysis class diagram terms are relevant for software development, the
object-oriented analyst is in a better position to
decide whether a technical term corresponds to a technical class or a technical attribute. The input of the technical
department is also useful for developing the UML analysis model because the staff is better able to assess how the
individual technical classes are associated with each other.
ARIS UML Designer enables the link between UML and classic ARIS modeling by implementing the same object mod-
el for both modeling methods. ARIS UML Designer uses a specific UML object model which is based on the common
ARIS object model.
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To process the UML elements, a specific UML property
dialog (see figure 7) and a classic ARIS property dialog
(see figure 8) are available. In addition to the list of fea-
tures shown in figure 4, this dialog also contains a list of all
relations between the element and other elements, and
thus enables navigation from the UML element to the
linked ARIS element (from the technical class to the tech-
nical term in the illustrated example).
Fig. 7: UML properties of the analysis class
“Presentation”
There are many other possibilities for linking classic busi-
ness process modeling with UML modeling. For example,
EPC functions can be re-used as UML operations or UML
activities (ActionState), EPC events as a trigger for status
transitions or ERM attributes as UML attributes.
Fig. 8: ARIS properties of the analysis class
“Presentation”
Basically, both model worlds are linked either by
direct reuse of a business process element as a
UML element or by linking with a UML element. It
is also possible to refine technical elements with
UML diagrams. In all cases, a simple, bi-direction-
al navigation between both model worlds is guar-
anteed.
4. System Design and Generation Fig. 9: Derivation of design class from analysis class
The UML analysis model serves as a source for a
design model based on which the code is gener-
ated. ARIS UML Designer offers two options for
linking code generators: via XMI interface or inte-
gration by plug-ins. With the plug-ins, the code
generation can work directly on the internal UML
object model and there is no need for the diver-
sion through the file system. The current version
provides the user with an appropriate plug-in for
the Open source-Genera tor open Archi tec ture -
Ware (see figure 10) and an SDK for developing
custom plug-ins.
Fig. 10: openArchitectureWare plug-in
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5. Conclusion
Business Process Analysis is essential to the success of software development projects in the business management
field. If the development is model-driven, a formal business process description serves as the base for the require-
ment analysis. If the business process analysis follows methodology with
Further information:
which the technical departments are familiar, the business process model
will be more complete and technically consistent. Business Process Automation -
Combining Best and Next
The technical integration of business process and UML modeling enables
Practices
a UML analysis model to be derived from the business process model using
transformations. The methodological integration also guarantees a link
between the respective corresponding model contents and enables a bi-
directional navigation between both model worlds.
MDA and MDSD are distinguished by the fact that changes must always
take place at the abstraction level with which the change corresponds
semantically. In business management applications, this often affects the
business processes level.
ARIS UML Designer provides a consistent, integrated solution that covers
all aspects from classic business process modeling through object-orient-
ed analysis and design to code generation.
Publications on the
This book explains major trends
topic:
in business process automation
Business Process and shows how new technologies
Excellence - and solutions are applied in
ARIS in Practice practice.
Business Process Change
Management
This book presents inter-
national case studies in
various manufacturing and
service industries as well Enterprises have to ensure an
as the public sector. It efficient and effective change
shows how to achieve management in order to stay
Business Process competitive and survive on the
Excellence in practice. long term.
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