BPMN Course

Lesson 1 • The BPM Lifecycle

Introduces the design, implement, monitor, and optimise cycle that governs process management. Shows where BPMN modelling fits within each lifecycle phase.

Lesson 2 • What Is a Business Process

Defines processes as structured activity sequences that produce value. Establishes the vocabulary needed for all subsequent BPMN modelling work.

Lesson 3 • Overview of Process Modelling Notations

Surveys major modelling languages including flowcharts, EPC, and UML activity diagrams. Positions BPMN as the international standard for process communication.

Lesson 1 • Artifacts: Data Objects and Annotations

Introduces data objects, data stores, groups, and text annotations as supplementary information carriers. Artifacts enrich diagrams without altering process flow logic.

Lesson 2 • Swimlanes: Pools and Lanes

Teaches how pools represent participants and lanes represent roles or departments. Proper swimlane use clarifies responsibility and enables collaboration modelling.

Lesson 3 • Connecting Objects and Sequence Flow

Explains sequence flow, message flow, and associations that link elements. Correct use of connectors determines whether a diagram is syntactically valid.

Lesson 4 • Reading and Validating Simple Diagrams

Applies all core symbols to interpret and critique existing process diagrams. Students practise spotting common notation errors before creating their own models.

Lesson 1 • Inclusive Gateways for Conditional Parallelism

Handles scenarios where one or more branches activate based on conditions. Inclusive gateways combine decision logic with potential parallelism for complex routing.

Lesson 2 • Parallel Gateways for Concurrent Work

Enables simultaneous execution of multiple branches using AND logic. Students learn when parallelism improves efficiency and how to synchronise parallel paths correctly.

Lesson 3 • Exclusive Gateways for Decision Modelling

Models single-path decisions using XOR split and join patterns. Exclusive gateways are the most common control element and the foundation for all other gateway types.

Lesson 4 • Complex Gateway and Mixed Patterns

Addresses advanced routing scenarios that require complex gateway conditions or combinations of gateway types. Students practise resolving ambiguous flow logic.

Lesson 1 • Start Event Types and Triggers

Covers message, timer, signal, conditional, and error start events that initiate processes. Selecting the correct start event type ensures accurate trigger representation.

Lesson 2 • End Event Types and Outcomes

Distinguishes termination, message, error, escalation, and compensation end events. Correct end event selection communicates the intended process outcome clearly.

Lesson 3 • Intermediate Events in Process Flow

Explains catching and throwing intermediate events placed within sequence flow. These events model waits, signals sent mid-process, and deliberate pauses.

Lesson 4 • Boundary Events on Activities

Attaches events to task or sub-process boundaries to handle exceptions without stopping the main flow. Boundary events are critical for robust exception handling.

Lesson 1 • Call Activities and Global Processes

Reuses independently defined global process definitions through call activities. Students learn how call activities enable consistent reuse across multiple parent processes.

Lesson 2 • Process Hierarchy and Decomposition Strategy

Establishes principles for deciding when and how to decompose a process into sub-levels. A clear hierarchy improves maintainability and stakeholder communication.

Lesson 3 • Compensation and Transaction Sub-Processes

Handles rollback scenarios using compensation handlers and BPMN transaction sub-processes. Students model undo logic for processes that require atomicity guarantees.

Lesson 4 • Embedded Sub-Processes

Models a contained process within a parent activity boundary using embedded sub-processes. This technique reduces diagram complexity while preserving contextual detail.

Lesson 1 • Modelling Cross-Functional Handoffs

Applies collaboration and data modelling to real-world cross-department or cross-company scenarios. Students practise identifying and resolving handoff ambiguities in complex processes.

Lesson 2 • Conversation Diagrams Overview

Introduces conversation diagrams as high-level views of message exchange groups between participants. This diagram type supports executive communication about integration scope.

Lesson 3 • Collaboration Diagrams with Multiple Pools

Constructs diagrams showing two or more participants exchanging messages across pool boundaries. Collaboration diagrams reveal integration points and handoff responsibilities.

Lesson 4 • Message Flows and Choreography Basics

Models communication between separate pools using message flows and choreography tasks. Students distinguish internal sequence flow from external inter-participant messaging.

Lesson 1 • Simulation and What-If Analysis

Uses process simulation to test performance hypotheses before implementing changes. Simulation reduces redesign risk by predicting throughput, cycle time, and resource utilisation.

Lesson 2 • To-Be Process Design and Redesign

Constructs improved future-state models based on analysis findings and design principles. Students apply lean, automation, and restructuring patterns to create measurable improvements.

Lesson 3 • As-Is Process Discovery and Documentation

Captures current-state processes through interviews, observation, and document review. Accurate as-is models are the baseline for all subsequent analysis and redesign.

Lesson 4 • Process Metrics and KPI Alignment

Links process design decisions to measurable performance indicators and organisational goals. Students embed measurement points into BPMN models to enable ongoing monitoring.

Lesson 1 • Deploying and Testing Process Definitions

Covers deployment packaging, version management, and automated testing of executable processes. Students practise deploying a process definition and validating it against test scenarios.

Lesson 2 • Task Types for Automation

Covers service, send, receive, user, script, and business rule task types used in executable models. Each task type maps to a specific automation mechanism in process engines.

Lesson 3 • Descriptive vs. Executable BPMN

Distinguishes communication-focused models from technically precise executable specifications. Understanding this gap prevents common errors when handing models to development teams.

Lesson 4 • Error Handling in Executable Processes

Implements technical error handling using error events, boundary catchers, and retry logic. Robust error handling prevents process instance failures from causing data loss.