Customer Reviews

Workflow Modeling: Tools for Process Improvement and Application Development

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Rarely do I get excited about books on workflow modeling. I have a few good books on the subject, all of which provide solid approaches and most of which are well written. This book stands out because it goes beyond merely "solid" or "well written" by giving one of the most comprehensive approaches to workflow modeling I've had the pleasure of reading.

First, like most books on the topic, none of the components of the approach are new. What makes the approach refreshing is the way the authors take standard techniques and tie them together into a coherent process. Second, this book can be used as a workbook during a workflow modeling project, and is well suited to this because of the numerous checklists and diagrams that will prove invaluable every step of the way. Finally, this is the first book of its kind that incorporates use cases, making it invaluable to project teams that have standardized on UML (Unified Modeling Language)or wish to integrate an object-oriented approach into a workflow modeling project. If you're not familiar with use cases I strongly recommend Writing Effective Use Cases by Alistar Cockburn (the best book on the subject in my opinion); UML Distilled by Fowler and Scott is an excellent introduction to that subject if it's new to you.

The approach is straightforward: frame the process and define its scope, understand the existing process (if there is one), design the "to-be" process and develop use case scenarios. I wish to offer one caveat at this point: if you are reengineering a process that is seriously broken you might consider skipping the "as-is" process. Understanding the existing process is useful if your goal is incremental improvement. Reengineering efforts usually radically transform existing processes, making efforts to understand them both moot and wasted.

Some of the highlights of this book include the authors' clear definitions and way of decomposing complex systems into discrete steps and components. For example, they use a five tier view of processes that ensures you have a complete view of all issues and factors. The views are: (1) mission, strategy and goals (I personally extend goals further into Goal-Question-Metric), (2)business processes, (3) presentation, (4) application logic and (5) data. Note that the last three align nicely to a 3-tier client/server architecture. This observation clearly shows how coherent the authors' approach is and how it can foster alignment of technology to business requirements.

I also like how the authors clarify the key issues in process design by pointing out six enablers that you need to account for during the analysis and design phase: (1)workflow, (2) technology, (3) human resources, (4) motivations and measurements, (5) policies and rules and (6) environmental constraints (facilities, external process capabilities, etc.). There is one minor point of disagreement I have between their workflow modeling technique and the one I use. The authors use swimlane diagrams (also called Rummler-Brache diagrams), while I use deployment diagrams. The difference? Swimlane diagrams do not capture phases or cycles. I always place workflows into the context of Entry Criteria-Task-Validation-Exit Criteria (ETVX), which is nearly identical to the TQM Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) cycle. I insist on ETVX because it allows me to spot missing validation points in an existing workflow, and ensures that I clearly define entry and exit criteria, as well as validation points in a "to-be" workflow. Of course I am stating personal preferences - following the authors' approach verbatim will definitely result in a workflow design that is not only "bulletproof", but will align information systems and business process almost perfectly.

This book is a gem. It's readable, full of ideas and, with the incorporation of use cases into the approach, completely up-to-date with respect to IS/IT methodologies. If you want a fresh, modern approach to workflow design this book is the only one that will provide it.

This book nicely sets forth a detailed methodology for doing swimlane diagramming for workflow business processing. This book is for analysts; the discussion is about the nature of business processes that have workflow as a key characteristic. It is not about the architecture of computer solutions for such processes. If you follow the methodology in this book and flesh out the diagrams with use cases (just briefly touched on here), you will have captured most of the requirements for a business workflow process.

The book is nicely bound and well written. The authors have been around a while and the vocabulary and approach fit nicely with older concepts like business process reengineering. The authors are not unaware of the latest developments and "UML" crops up here and there but not in the index. The diagramming is very simple compared to UML activity diagrams.

This is good reading for the domain experts on a team working on the requirements document and a nice primer for geeks who are forced for the first time to talk to the business side of an enterprise.

Can you clearly identify what is a process and what is not?
Ever wanted to know where things usually go wrong in real life process improvement projects?
Have you ever wondered what should be measured in a business process and what should not?
When should you stop analyzing the current process so you can focus on the new one?
How will you go about designing the new process so it doesn't have the same old problems?
What can be done to help address those internal politics between departments that hinder your process improvement efforts?
How many diagrams should you have?
Should this diagram be a swim-lane diagram, a use case or something else?
What is the most important, quick and easy, diagram to capture at the beginning of your process analysis?
What should be in a flow diagram and what should be written out as narrative?

If you ask these sorts of questions, or get asked these questions, then Sharp and McDermott's book is for you. Their combined experience as process troubleshooters, expert project managers and training consultants comes shining through in every part of the book. They are not trying to sell a product nor are they high on the latest industry buzz juice. They have technical depth that is apparent from time to time, but this is not a technical book. If you want to learn a lot about how to improve almost any kind of organizational process, this is a fantastic book. The approach would have worked well 20 years ago and it probably will 20 years from now. Nevertheless, there is some discussion about IT and how important it is to the effort. In fact, the last part of Workflow Modeling shows how to translate all the process analysis work into Use Cases suitable for a detailed software development effort, but that is not the overall emphasis.

The method the author's apply is given in four steps (p29):
1. Frame the process - Identify what is in and out of scope for being in the process to be improved. Make sure you are working on an actual process and if not, locate one important to the original request so it can be improved. Lots of tips on managing upper level management and non-quantifiable factors such as corporate culture, building grass roots support for the project etc. This is roughly 30% of the book.
2. Understand the current as-is process - This is really the meat of this book. Even if you aren't trying to change a process, but just understanding one, this section makes the book worth its price. Using swim-lane diagrams at various levels of detail the book explains how to analyze the stuffing out of a process without getting bogged down in unnecessary detail. Constructing professional swim-lane diagrams with all the actors, milestones, areas of uncertainty, process enablers and many other important topics are covered in practical, how-to terms. Roughly 40% of the book.
3. Design the new (to-be) process - using all you've gathered from previous stages, systematically apply and manage brainstorming and other creative tools to make sure the important parts of true improvement make it into the new process. Roughly 20% of the book.
4. Develop Use Case Scenarios - For those who will then need to launch development work to support the new process (very common) this shows how to bridge that notorious gap between business needs and technical IT work. Roughly 10% of the book.

The style of the book is almost like a manual, but still interesting. The writing style is very informal and keeps the information personally applicable where it might otherwise become dry and abstract. There is some high level management alignment, strategy information in chapter 7 that probably could have been left out, but even this has its useful points. This book is practical and as easy a read as this topic will allow. Highly recommended.

To me, the chapters on data modeling and use case modeling are the most valuable because I now see them in the context of process modeling. I am wondering if W. H. Inmon's book on the operational data store would help complete this "big picture." Readers of this book benefit from the very extensive experiences of the authors. The authors have seen it all and warn readers which roads are dead ends. This book includes both theory and prescriptions as to how teams can design and document processes and contribute to the alignment of technology with the needs of the organization.

I've found this book to be an invaluable resource for guidance on how to gather requirements for my company's business process improvement projects. The presentation is logical, understandable and most importantly actionable in a real project setting.

Everything started with the creation of a two days workshop: Workflow Process Modeling. The authors have continually improved the workshop with participants' feedback and ideas based on their own hands-on consulting work with many organizations. The book is very well structured and it is based on real world experience. The structure is simple with no unnecessary parts that usually fill other books with redundant content. The content is not a mere recount of personal experiences: there are plenty of references to other publications. Plus, you will find good humor in the book that makes it even more readable.

Although the authors declared their work aimed at application development work as a final outcome, the book is focused very much on the business side with emphasis on process workflow. Nowadays the specialization pushes further and further apart the role of a business analyst from the system analyst, while in the past some would refer to these roles as one. This book might not be very useful for a system analyst because it is not very technically oriented. You will not find yourself drown under zillions of diagrams created with a specific software package, but you will get instead a method of how to approach business analysis from a broad, yet practical, perspective. The book does not bother even to talk too much about UML. I found that refreshing and extremely useful. I have been searching for a book that is more like a thought provoking companion rather than a software tool manual and this book fits that description.

Workflow Modeling is a comprehensive book. It does not focus on a particular stage of business analysis. It provides an inventory of areas the professional business process consultant would have to consider and the rationale for each one of them. Some readers might not agree with the little amount of space dedicated to class modeling which is almost inexistent. On the plus side, the authors talk about approach in dealing with project stakeholders, pitfalls, team building and difficulties and what questions to ask in various situations. The authors appreciate the importance of the final delivery, how to map the road between the as-is process to to-be process and understand the structure of the organization. I found many things that were said here very realistic and valuable; I could relate them to my own experience. The book does not say much about class modeling, but it talks a lot about swimlane diagrams and use cases analysis.

You can use Workflow Modeling to design your own work template that suits your style and formation. You can come back , re-read some parts or the whole book (I have done that) and still get something out of it. I recommend the book as a good investment that will not go out of fashion very soon.

This book is great! It is well written, easy to read, and put together in a logical manner. Everyone that has an interest in improving business processes should take the time to read the book.

For those that are new to the world of process it will be a real eye opener (and a bit of a page turner). For those that are self taught it will save you 20 years of trial and error. For those that are industry experts it serves as a great (and necessary) reminder that if you miss the big picture - your project is off track.

I attended a BPM conference in late 2006 and was amazed at how theoretical and up in the clouds many of the so called experts were. Alec is different, his approach is field tested, practical, and it works.

I'm not done reading the book, but Amazon was nagging me for a review. I can tell you that the process definition section really helped me understand why a project I'm starting is already wonky: there's a blur between the as-is process and desired process. I hope the rest of the book will show me how to get it all under control!

Rigorous, unpretentious, unintentionially debunks requirements management as the end-all of business analysis; reveals and brings together the analytical domains within business analysis: process modeling, requirements, data, use cases, and business rules. Sharp has brought process modeling a long ways from the days when "experts" said to document the "as is" process, identify the bottlenecks, and brainstorm the "breakthrough" innovation that will guide the "to be" process. Yeah, like breakthroughs are a dime an dozen, right? Sharp provides a methodical approach to understanding the as-is process, applying best practices and enabling technologies to systematically move toward to-be process options.
Provides an inviting approach to incorporating assessment of the staff skills, training needs, organizational change needs to support a new business process. Far more useful than the Business Analysis Book of Knowledge. Don't confuse Mr. Sharp's indepth approach to business analysis through process modeling with the "quick and easy" promises of BPM product vendors.

I own both editions. I've used the first edition extensively and really appreciate the pragmatic and comprehensive treatment of swimlane diagrams. I find the organization, structure, and enhanced content of the 2nd edition (2008) to be even more useful and current. It's clear to me that Alec has spent a lot of time learning "in the trenches;" the rest of us can benefit from what he has learned and shares in this book.