Handout SIF222 5 6 Basic rules of EPC modelling
Basic rules of EPC modelling
by Ramona Baureis in Professional ARIS posted on 2010-03-22
In my last post, I showed you how process modelling works by visualizing cooking
recipes. Of course, I haven´t modelled straight on, but I had to follow some "basic rules
of EPC modelling".
Therefore, I show you today which basic rules exist.
An Activity (or Function) describes an incidental task that typically
consumes time and resources. Therefore, it is an active component and
has decision-making authority.
An Event describes, in accordance with DIN 69900, an occurred defined
condition that causes a sequence of activities. Therefore the event is a
passive component and may have no function in contrast to the decisionmaking authority. Events can trigger functions. Functions are triggered by
events. Events describe an occurring condition.
Short overview of Rules
Generally, you start with an Event, if you model an EPC.
A number of Activities can follow an Event. In the past, it was said, that Events and Activities must
alternate. This leads to very long process models with a lot of trivia events. Therefore, we suggest today
to only add an event, if an important state change needs to be documented.
Recommendation, when using Events:
at the beginning of the process or after start-process interfaces
at the end of the process or before the end of process interfaces
Decision events by XOR or OR connectors
for important events, for example Milestones in project
Activities or Events must not have more than one outgoing or incoming Connection.
The control flow of the process is modelled using Rules (gateways).See afterwards, which Rules exist.
Rules can be used as follows:
Of exactly one ingoing Connection follow a number of outgoing Connections (SPLIT).
Of a number of ingoing Connections follow exactly one outgoing Connection (JOIN)
A sequence of Rules is possible.
An EPC is generally closed with the same operator like it was opened.
You end the EPC with an Event.
Logical operators
In an EPC you can use following Rules:
SPLIT: The processing steps that follow the rule occur in parallel and have to be performed.
JOIN: All processing steps for incoming connections must be completed so that the
processing steps that follow the rule can be performed.
SPLIT: Exactly one of the following rule processing steps must be executed.
JOIN: Only one of the processing steps for incoming connections may be completed
so that the processing steps that follow the rule can be performed.
SPLIT: At least one of the following rule processing steps (or even several or all
processing steps) must be performed.
JOIN: At least one processing step (or even several or all processing steps) must be
completed, whereupon the processing steps that follow the rule can be performed.
For logic operations between Events and Activities, there are special rules, which
are shown in the ARIS Express model attached to this post. For your convenience, I also added a
screenshot of the rules below:
I put this summary of the rules next to my monitor while modelling. It helps me a lot. I hope it helps you,
too! So long, have fun modelling till my next post.
Schwenker recipe as Event-driven Process Chain
(EPC)
by Ramona Baureis in Professional ARIS posted on 2010-03-09
Process modeling is not as difficult as you might think. Just imagine the steps you need to do to achieve a
task and write them down. That’s it!
A good starting point to learn process modeling is cooking recipes. Visualizing them as process models is
a good way to understand how process modeling works.
As we at IDS Scheer are based in the German region called Saarland, I like to present a typical regional
menu to you.
“Eating is a bit of joy in the Saarland and a feast for the senses”, so the tourist office of Saarland.
We people of Saarland have actually a simple cuisine, which varies from a hotpot to the meat of home
slaughtering. And for all that, there exists typical menus of Saarland like:
Dibbelabbes ( cracker cake of potatoes)
Schales (potato pancake)
Or also Hoorische (potato dumpling) and more.
And what would the Saarland be without the “Schwenker”? A “Schwenker” is a marinated pork neck roast,
which is consumed with enthusiasm by the people of Saarland on one of the numerous folk festivals.
Especially when spring begins, the grill season starts all over Saarland. A barbecue in Saarland without a
„Schwenker”, that is inconceivable!
By the way, not only the steak is called “Schwenker” but also the cook.
Therefore, let´s start.
As side dishes, you can offer potato salad, salad of tomatoes, leaf salad, baked potato, baguette etc.
You see, process modeling is very easy!
In my next post, I am going to show you how preparing “Mehlknepp” could be modeled. So long, have fun
exploring other recipes.
by Ramona Baureis in Professional ARIS posted on 2010-03-22
In my last post, I showed you how process modelling works by visualizing cooking
recipes. Of course, I haven´t modelled straight on, but I had to follow some "basic rules
of EPC modelling".
Therefore, I show you today which basic rules exist.
An Activity (or Function) describes an incidental task that typically
consumes time and resources. Therefore, it is an active component and
has decision-making authority.
An Event describes, in accordance with DIN 69900, an occurred defined
condition that causes a sequence of activities. Therefore the event is a
passive component and may have no function in contrast to the decisionmaking authority. Events can trigger functions. Functions are triggered by
events. Events describe an occurring condition.
Short overview of Rules
Generally, you start with an Event, if you model an EPC.
A number of Activities can follow an Event. In the past, it was said, that Events and Activities must
alternate. This leads to very long process models with a lot of trivia events. Therefore, we suggest today
to only add an event, if an important state change needs to be documented.
Recommendation, when using Events:
at the beginning of the process or after start-process interfaces
at the end of the process or before the end of process interfaces
Decision events by XOR or OR connectors
for important events, for example Milestones in project
Activities or Events must not have more than one outgoing or incoming Connection.
The control flow of the process is modelled using Rules (gateways).See afterwards, which Rules exist.
Rules can be used as follows:
Of exactly one ingoing Connection follow a number of outgoing Connections (SPLIT).
Of a number of ingoing Connections follow exactly one outgoing Connection (JOIN)
A sequence of Rules is possible.
An EPC is generally closed with the same operator like it was opened.
You end the EPC with an Event.
Logical operators
In an EPC you can use following Rules:
SPLIT: The processing steps that follow the rule occur in parallel and have to be performed.
JOIN: All processing steps for incoming connections must be completed so that the
processing steps that follow the rule can be performed.
SPLIT: Exactly one of the following rule processing steps must be executed.
JOIN: Only one of the processing steps for incoming connections may be completed
so that the processing steps that follow the rule can be performed.
SPLIT: At least one of the following rule processing steps (or even several or all
processing steps) must be performed.
JOIN: At least one processing step (or even several or all processing steps) must be
completed, whereupon the processing steps that follow the rule can be performed.
For logic operations between Events and Activities, there are special rules, which
are shown in the ARIS Express model attached to this post. For your convenience, I also added a
screenshot of the rules below:
I put this summary of the rules next to my monitor while modelling. It helps me a lot. I hope it helps you,
too! So long, have fun modelling till my next post.
Schwenker recipe as Event-driven Process Chain
(EPC)
by Ramona Baureis in Professional ARIS posted on 2010-03-09
Process modeling is not as difficult as you might think. Just imagine the steps you need to do to achieve a
task and write them down. That’s it!
A good starting point to learn process modeling is cooking recipes. Visualizing them as process models is
a good way to understand how process modeling works.
As we at IDS Scheer are based in the German region called Saarland, I like to present a typical regional
menu to you.
“Eating is a bit of joy in the Saarland and a feast for the senses”, so the tourist office of Saarland.
We people of Saarland have actually a simple cuisine, which varies from a hotpot to the meat of home
slaughtering. And for all that, there exists typical menus of Saarland like:
Dibbelabbes ( cracker cake of potatoes)
Schales (potato pancake)
Or also Hoorische (potato dumpling) and more.
And what would the Saarland be without the “Schwenker”? A “Schwenker” is a marinated pork neck roast,
which is consumed with enthusiasm by the people of Saarland on one of the numerous folk festivals.
Especially when spring begins, the grill season starts all over Saarland. A barbecue in Saarland without a
„Schwenker”, that is inconceivable!
By the way, not only the steak is called “Schwenker” but also the cook.
Therefore, let´s start.
As side dishes, you can offer potato salad, salad of tomatoes, leaf salad, baked potato, baguette etc.
You see, process modeling is very easy!
In my next post, I am going to show you how preparing “Mehlknepp” could be modeled. So long, have fun
exploring other recipes.