CIVE 3062 BIM Project
Topic 4
Process Modelling
Dr Wong Jing Ying 1
Building Information Modelling
Geometry Semantics
Processes
2
Questions to answer
• Process models are created and used to
answer important BIM-related questions:
– What (design, construction, maintenance)
tasks are performed?
– Who is responsible for what task, who
accomplishes when task (roles)?
– When and in which order are the tasks
performed (scheduling)?
– What tools, information and standards are
used?
3
Motivation
• Exchange of building models (digital information)
Building design
• 01 0101
0101
0101
Surveying
Customer 0101
Architecture Struct. analysis
0101
0101 0101
Construction
0101
0101
0101
MEP HVAC
Facility Management
4
Motivation
• BIM based project
Communication
implementation Computer
networks
– Digital information is
created, modified, used
and shared
Organisation
– Several different actors Actors,
are involved Roles
– Processes need to be
coordinated
Coordination Process
• Life-cycle processes models,
Activities,
– Design processes States
– Business processes
– Controlling processes Building
Resources
models,
– Construction processes Methods,
Software
– Operational processes tools
5
Motivation
• BIM requires re-organisation of project implementation
and processes
– Definition of transparent processes
– New way of managing building information (BIM Manager)
– New way of collaboration
• Processes management depends
– Type of project implementation
(design-bid-build, design-build)
– Contract design (JCT, NEC, FIDIC, …)
– Project size (costs, gross floor area, ...)
• BIM based process modelling
– Define what tasks have to be performed by whom using
which tools in what sequence
6
Motivation
• Objectives of (business) process modelling
– Documentation (explicitly define dependencies)
– Simulation (analyse costs, duration, etc.)
– Optimisation (improve costs, duration, quality, etc.)
– Use of information systems (information flow and
requirements are identified)
– Development of Workflow Management Systems
(computer supported coordination of real workflows)
7
Workflow Management
• Workflow
– Formally defined, (semi) automatic process
containing temporal, technical and resource related
requirements
Roles Data
• Workflow Management
Systems Processes Tools
– Modelling and configuring Workflow
processes
– Simulating processes
– Executing and
controlling processes
8
Process Modellling
• Graphical modelling approaches
Control
Data flow Object
flow
oriented oriented
oriented
IDEF Petri Event- Activity
diagrams nets driven diagrams
process (UML)
Data flow chain (EPC)
Nassi-
diagrams Shneider- Sequence
(DFD) Business diagrams
man
Process (UML)
diagram
Model
Flow Notation
diagrams Use Case
(BPMN)
(SADT) diagrams
(UML)
9
Business Process Model and Notations
• BPMN: Standardised graphical notation language
– Is to provide a notation that is readily understandable by
all business user
– Creates a standardized bridge for the gap between the
business process design and process implementation
– Specify and formalise business processes and
workflows
– Set of different symbols
1. Flow Objects
2. Connecting Objects
3. Swimlanes
4. Artifacts
10
BPMN:
1. Flow Object - Events
• Denote that something
happens during the
Start Intermediate End
course of a process
• Usually have cause
(trigger) and impact Message Timer Error
(result)
• Types
– Start event
– Intermediate event
(incl. message, timer)
– End event
(incl. error) 11
BPMN:
1. Flow Object - Activities
• Denote that some work is Sub-process Transaction
done as part of a process Task
• A non-divisible (atomic)
Sub-process (expanded)
activity is called a Task
• An activity that has sub- Task 1 Task 2
tasks is called Sub-process
(non-atomic)
• A Transaction is a Sub-
process in which all
activities are treated as a
whole (“all or nothing”)
12
BPMN:
1. Flow Object - Gateways
• Used to control divergence
and convergence of flows
in a process Exclusive Inclusive Parallel
– Decision (split/fork)
– Coordination
(join/merge)
• Types
– Exclusive
(XOR, exactly one)
– Inclusive
(OR, at least one)
– Parallel (AND, all)
13
BPMN:
2. Connecting Objects
• Sequence flow Sequence Flow
– Used to show the logical
Conditional Flow
order of activities
– Conditional / Default Flow
Default Flow
• Message flow
– Used to show the flow of
messages/information
between participants Message Flow
• Association
– Used to link information
Associations
and Artifacts (e.g. text,
Annotation
data, messages) with Flow
objects 14
BPMN:
3. Swimlanes
• Pool
Pool
– Graphical
representation of a
participant
– E.g. organisation or
company
Lane 1
• Lane
Pool
– Sub-partition in a Pool
Lane 2
to distinguish roles,
responsibilities, people
15
BPMN:
4. Artifacts
• Data objects
– Information about what
activities require to be
Data Object Data Store
performed and/or what
they produce
• Message
– Contents of communication Message
between participants
• Text Annotation Additional
text here to
– Additional text information to annotate
content
annotate content
16
Summary
• Process modelling is a fundamental basis for BIM
– Used to digitally document, simulate, optimise how building
information is created, modified, used and shared
– Includes coordination, communication and collaboration
processes (design, construction, maintenance)
• Business Process Model and Notation (BPMN) as
graphical notation language (diagrams)
– Flow objects, Connecting objects, Swimlanes, Artifacts
• Process models are used
– in Workflow Management Systems
– to describe how building information is exchanged
(IDM, discussed later)
17
References
• C. Eastman, P. Teichholz, R. Sacks, K. Liston: BIM Handbook: A
Guide to Building Information Modeling, Wiley, New York, 2008
• Object Management Group (OMG): Business Process Model and
Notation (BPMN), Version 2.0.2,
http://www.omg.org/spec/BPMN/2.0.2/PDF, 2013
• Object Management Group (OMG): BPMN 2.0 by Example,
Version 1.0, 2010,
http://www.omg.org/spec/BPMN/2.0/examples/PDF/10-06-02.pdf
• M. Laguna, J. Marklund: Business Process Modeling, Simulation
and Design, CRC Press, 2nd edition, 2013.
• A. Grosskopf, G. Decker, M. Weske: The Process: Business
Process Modeling Using BPMN, Meghan Kiffer Pr, 2009
18
Process Modelling: Example
This example is about Business-To-Business-Collaboration. Because we want to model the interaction
between a pizza customer and the vendor explicitly, we have classified them as “participants”, therefore
providing them with dedicated pools. Please note that there is no default semantics in this type of modeling,
which means you can model collaboration diagrams to show the interaction between business partners, but
also zoom into one company, modeling the interaction between different departments, teams or even single
workers and software systems in collaboration diagrams. It is totally up to the purpose of the model and
therefore a decision the modeler has to make, whether a collaboration diagram with different pools is useful,
or whether one should stick to one pool with different lanes, as shown in the previous chapter.
If we step through the diagram, we should start with the pizza customer, who has noticed her stomach
growling. The customer therefore selects a pizza and orders it. After that, the customer waits for the pizza to
be delivered. The event based gateway after the task “order a pizza” indicates that the customer actually
waits for two different events that could happen next: Either the pizza is delivered, as indicated with the
following message event, or there is no delivery for 60 minutes, i.e., after one hour the customer skips waiting
and calls the vendor, asking for the pizza. We now assume that the clerk promises the pizza to be delivered
soon, and the customers waits for the pizza again, asking again after the next 60 minutes, and so on.
Let's have a closer look at the vendor process now. It is triggered by the order of the customer, as shown with
the message start event and the message flow going from “order a pizza” to that event. After baking the
pizza, the delivery boy will deliver the pizza and receive the payment, which includes giving a receipt to the
customer.
In this example, we use message objects not only for informational objects, as the pizza order, but also for
physical objects, like the pizza or the money. We can do this, because those physical objects actually act as
informational objects inherently: When the pizza arrives at the customer's door, she will recognize this arrival
and therefore know that the pizza has arrived, which is exactly the purpose of the accordant message event
in the customer's pool. Of course, we can only use the model in that way because this example is not meant19
to be executed by a process engine.
OMG 2010
Process Modelling: Example
• […interaction between a pizza customer and the vendor …]
• […start with the pizza customer, who has noticed her stomach
growling…]
• […The customer therefore selects a pizza and orders it…]
• […After that, the customer waits for the pizza to be
delivered…]
• […Either the pizza is delivered, …, or there is no delivery for
60 minutes, …the customer skips waiting and calls the
vendor, asking for the pizza.]
• [… vendor process:…It is triggered by the order of the
customer, … After baking the pizza, the delivery boy will
deliver the pizza and receive the payment, which includes
giving a receipt to the customer …] OMG 2010
20
Process Modelling: Example
• […interaction between a pizza customer and the vendor …]
• […start with the pizza customer, who has noticed her stomach
growling…]
• […The customer therefore selects a pizza and orders it…]
• […After that, the customer waits for the pizza to be
delivered…]
• […Either the pizza is delivered, …, or there is no delivery for
60 minutes, …the customer skips waiting and calls the
vendor, asking for the pizza.]
• [… vendor process:…It is triggered by the order of the
customer, … After baking the pizza, the delivery boy will
deliver the pizza and receive the payment, which includes
giving a receipt to the customer …] OMG 2010
21
Process Modelling: Example
OMG 2010
22
Process Modelling: Example
Eat pizza
Hungry Hunger
for pizza satisfied
OMG 2010
23
Process Modelling: Example
• […interaction between a pizza customer and the vendor …]
• […start with the pizza customer, who has noticed her stomach
growling…]
• […The customer therefore selects a pizza and orders it…]
• […After that, the customer waits for the pizza to be
delivered…]
• […Either the pizza is delivered, …, or there is no delivery for
60 minutes, …the customer skips waiting and calls the
vendor, asking for the pizza.]
• [… vendor process:…It is triggered by the order of the
customer, … After baking the pizza, the delivery boy will
deliver the pizza and receive the payment, which includes
giving a receipt to the customer …] OMG 2010
24
Process Modelling: Example
OMG 2010
25
Process Modelling: Example
Eat pizza
Hungry Hunger
for pizza satisfied
Select pizza Order pizza Pay pizza Eat pizza
Hungry Hunger
for pizza satisfied
OMG 2010
26
Process Modelling: Example
• […interaction between a pizza customer and the vendor …]
• […start with the pizza customer, who has noticed her stomach
growling…]
• […The customer therefore selects a pizza and orders it…]
• […After that, the customer waits for the pizza to be
delivered…]
• […Either the pizza is delivered, …, or there is no delivery for
60 minutes, …the customer skips waiting and calls the
vendor, asking for the pizza.]
• [… vendor process:…It is triggered by the order of the
customer, … After baking the pizza, the delivery boy will
deliver the pizza and receive the payment, which includes
giving a receipt to the customer …] OMG 2010
27
Process Modelling: Example
Select Order Pay Eat
pizza pizza pizza pizza
Hungry Hunger
for pizza satisfied
OMG 2010
28
Process Modelling: Example
Select Order Pay Eat
pizza pizza pizza pizza
Hungry Pizza Hunger
for pizza received satisfied
Ask for
pizza
60 min
OMG 2010
29
Process Modelling: Example
• […interaction between a pizza customer and the vendor …]
• […start with the pizza customer, who has noticed her stomach
growling…]
• […The customer therefore selects a pizza and orders it…]
• […After that, the customer waits for the pizza to be
delivered…]
• […Either the pizza is delivered, …, or there is no delivery for
60 minutes, …the customer skips waiting and calls the
vendor, asking for the pizza.]
• [… vendor process:…It is triggered by the order of the
customer, … After baking the pizza, the delivery boy will
deliver the pizza and receive the payment, which includes
giving a receipt to the customer …] OMG 2010
30
Process Modelling: Example
Pizza
received
Select Order Pay Eat
pizza pizza pizza pizza
Hungry Hunger
Student
for pizza satisfied
Ask for
pizza
60 min
Pizza vendor
OMG 2010
31
Process Modelling: Example
Pizza
received
Select Order Pay Eat
pizza pizza pizza pizza
Hungry Hunger
Student
for pizza satisfied
Ask for
pizza order pizza money
60 min
pizza receipt
Pizza vendor
Bake Deliver Receive
pizza pizza paym.
Order
received
OMG 2010
32
Process Modelling: Example
Pizza
received
Select Order Pay Eat
pizza pizza pizza pizza
Hungry Hunger
Student for pizza satisfied
Ask for
pizza order pizza money
60 min
pizza receipt
clerk
Order
received
Pizza vendro
delivery boy pizza chef
Bake
pizza
Deliver Receive
pizza paym.
OMG 2010
33
Process Modelling: Example
Pizza
received
Select Order Pay Eat
pizza pizza pizza pizza
Hungry Hunger
Student for pizza satisfied
Ask for
pizza order pizza
60 min money
receipt
Calm
clerk
customer
Order Where is
received my pizza?
Pizza vendro
pizza chef
Bake
pizza
pizza
delivery
boy
Deliver Receive
pizza paym.
OMG 2010
34
