Introduction
Modeling conventions help ensure the quality and readability of process models and introduce a uniform understanding of modeling styles. They also help with the adoption and standardization of BPMN 2.0 modeling. By selecting a modeling language, you determine which notation will be used to define processes within your company. For process modeling, you should use BPMN 2.0. For each modeling language you can also activate or deactivate essential modeling elements such as tasks, gateways, or events.
Best Practices
Consider which modeling elements should be used depending on the target group in SAP Signavio Process Collaboration Hub. This way you set the level of process complexity and ease the deployment of new processes in the company.
A new SAP Signavio workspace always comes with predefined element sets, such as the BPMN (Core Elements) and the BPMN (Complete) sets. On the one hand, selecting the core elements might not be enough, on the other hand, the complete set contains way too many elements (including some that you would never use).
Screenshot of SAP Signavio Process Manager
You should think about which modeling elements meet your organization's requirements. Many of them are already available in the Editor of SAP Signavio Process Manager. It makes sense to cut them down to the most important ones in order to achieve readability of your diagrams and to avoid confusion. Learn how to define a subset of diagram element types.
Recommendation: After defining the subset, deactivate (uncheck) all other subsets so that your modelers can only select elements of your defined subset.
Screenshot of SAP Signavio Process Manager
Continue with the definition of modeling conventions that your modelers should adhere to. Use the mandatory attributes function to ensure that information which is very important in a given process does not get lost. For this click on the tab Modeling rules and scroll down to the section "2.2 Definition of mandatory attributes" and click on on "Add new rule":
Screenshot of SAP Signavio Process Manager
A new window pops up, where you can name your set of mandatory attributes. In our example we simply named it "Mandatory attributes". Now select all the attributes that you would like your modelers to take care of in each and every BPMN 2.0 diagram:
Screenshot of SAP Signavio process Manager
As a last step, click the red tick box in the "Mandatory attributes" row:
Screenshot of SAP Signavio Process Manager
If these mandatory attributes are not set during modeling, the modeling conventions syntax check displays them to the modeler when saving the diagram.
Use the Modeling Conventions report and perform the syntax check for several processes simultaneously to search for deviations from the modeling guideline across your process landscape.
Screenshot of Modeling Conventions Report in MS Excel
For futher information, please also have a look at the overview of common modeling guidelines.
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