Date post: | 03-Sep-2014 |
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Process Model versus PRPC Discovery Map
by Declan Chellar
Discovery Maps According to Pega
• A Discovery Map is a flexible process mapping tool that captures a project's high level processing steps in business terms.
• Steps are color-coded to indicate a flow shape:• Sub Process - Blue• Human Based Step - Green • Automated Step - Yellow• Integration - Red
(Pega Developers Network article PRKB-26125)
An Example Process Model
An Example Process Model
Based on a real process for making payments
against an account using a Credit Card.
An Example Process Model
This diagram reveals the top-level of the
process from start to all possible ends.
An Example Process Model
Sub-process can equate to Sub-process shapes on a Discovery Map.
An Example Process Model
But the nature of the business trigger cannot
be shown on a Discovery Map.
An Example Process Model
Nor can end results be shown on a Discovery
Map.
An Example Process Model
And manual steps cannot be shown on a
Discovery Map.
An Example Process Model
Branch points cannot be modelled on a Discovery Map.
An Example Process Model
Not least when those branch points reflect
human choices.
An Example Process Model
As a result, overall process flow cannot be
modelled in a Discovery Map.
Consider the amount of useful information in
this top-level business process model.
An Example Process Model
An Example Process Model
Then remove what Discovery Maps cannot
model at this level.
An Example Process Model
However, Discovery Maps represent
automated process flow.
What does Customer
want me to do next?
Whereas many top-level processes are user
driven.
An Example Process Model
What does Customer
want me to do next?
An Example Process Model
So the top level of the process cannot be
modelled as a single Discovery Map
An Example Process Model
Each sub-process becomes a DM on its own, losing the top
level view inside PRPC.
An Example Process Model
Let’s take a look inside one of the sub-
processes.
The “Take Payment” Sub-process
The “Take Payment” Sub-process
Let’s convert this sub-process into a
Discovery Map.
The “Take Payment” Sub-process
Any User/System interactions are
represented by green shapes.
Any steps the System carries out without
input from the User are yellow.
The “Take Payment” Sub-process
The “Take Payment” Sub-process
Except for steps where the System integrates with another system,
which are red.
The “Take Payment” Sub-process
An understanding of any manual steps is key
to understanding the business need.
The “Take Payment” Sub-process
But a Discovery Map cannot show manual
steps.
The “Take Payment” Sub-process
Nor can a Discovery Map show end results.
The “Take Payment” Sub-process
Or branch points and their alternate paths.
The “Take Payment” Sub-process
A Discovery Map does know the sequence of steps in the “Happy”
path.
The “Take Payment” Sub-process
By virture of the sequence in which you place the steps on the Discovery Map itself.
Input Payment Details
Check whether duplicate payment
Submit payment request to Bank
Display payment confirmation
The “Take Payment” Sub-process
But since a Discovery Map does not know
about branch points or alternate flows…
The “Take Payment” Sub-process
…it has no idea what the correct sequence of
alternate steps is or where they fit.
Input Payment Details
Check whether duplicate payment
Submit payment request to Bank
Display payment confirmation
Save payment details
Display error message
? ?
The “Take Payment” Sub-process
So alternate steps are lumped together after
a red divider on the Discovery Map.
Save payment details
Input Payment Details
Check whether duplicate payment
Submit payment request to Bank
Display payment confirmation
Display error message
The “Take Payment” Sub-process
Let’s remind ourselves of the wealth of
information in the visual process model.
The “Take Payment” Sub-process
Versus what the equivalent Discovery
Map can show us.
Save payment details
Input Payment Details
Check whether duplicate payment
Submit payment request to Bank
Display payment confirmation
Display error message
The “Take Payment” Sub-process
“A Discovery Map is a flexible process mapping tool that captures a project's high
level processing steps in business terms.” (Pega Developers Network)
Save payment details
Input Payment Details
Check whether duplicate payment
Submit payment request to Bank
Display payment confirmation
Display error message
The “Take Payment” Sub-process
PRPC can automatically generate a Flow Rule
from a Discovery Map.
Save payment details
Input Payment Details
Check whether duplicate payment
Submit payment request to Bank
Display payment confirmation
Display error message
Start
Check for Duplicate Payment
CapturePayment Details
Submit Payment Request to Bank
Display Confirmation
Display Error Message
Save Payment Details
Our Discovery Map would generate a Flow
Rule like this.
The “Take Payment” Sub-process
Start
Check for Duplicate Payment
CapturePayment Details
Submit Payment Request to Bank
Display Confirmation
Display Error Message
Save Payment Details
Notice the absence of branch points.
The “Take Payment” Sub-process
Start
Check for Duplicate Payment
CapturePayment Details
Submit Payment Request to Bank
Display Confirmation
Display Error Message
Save Payment Details
And how the alternate flows are poorly
represented.
The “Take Payment” Sub-process
Start
CapturePayment Details
Submit Payment Request to Bank
Display Confirmation
Display Error MessageSave
Payment Details
Duplicate Payment
ImmediatePayment
Not Duplicate
Future
Duplicate
Immediate
Submit Successful
Not Successful
Successful
The draft Flow Rule we really need would be
more like this.
The “Take Payment” Sub-process
But the DM cannot generate the actual
draft Flow Rule needed.
The “Take Payment” Sub-process
Start
CapturePayment Details
Submit Payment Request to Bank
Display Confirmation
Display Error MessageSave
Payment Details
Duplicate Payment
ImmediatePayment
Not Duplicate
Future
Duplicate
Immediate
Submit Successful
Not Successful
Successful
Recap
Save payment details
Input Payment Details
Check whether duplicate payment
Submit payment request to Bank
Display payment confirmation
Display error message
The Discovery Map is supposed to model the
business process.
Recap
Save payment details
Input Payment Details
Check whether duplicate payment
Submit payment request to Bank
Display payment confirmation
Display error message
But at best all it can model is this.
Recap
Instead of this.
Start
Check for Duplicate Payment
CapturePayment Details
Submit Payment Request to Bank
Display Confirmation
Display Error Message
Save Payment Details
The “Take Payment” Sub-process
A Discovery Map is supposed to generate a
Flow Rule.
Start
Check for Duplicate Payment
CapturePayment Details
Submit Payment Request to Bank
Display Confirmation
Display Error Message
Save Payment Details
The “Take Payment” Sub-process
But the best it can do is this.
Recap
Start
CapturePayment Details
Submit Payment Request to Bank
Display Confirmation
Display Error MessageSave
Payment Details
Duplicate Payment
ImmediatePayment
Not Duplicate
Future
Duplicate
Immediate
Submit Successful
Not Successful
Successful
Instead of this.
Recap
When you go into your DCO sessions armed
with this…
Recap
Start
CapturePayment Details
Submit Payment Request to Bank
Display Confirmation
Display Error MessageSave
Payment Details
Duplicate Payment
ImmediatePayment
Not Duplicate
Future
Duplicate
Immediate
Submit Successful
Not Successful
Successful
…it takes only minutes to produce this Flow
Rule manually.
Discovery Maps in Reality
• A Discovery Map is NOT flexible because it cannot model branch points or alternate flows.
• Because DM shapes indicate Flow Rule shapes, a DM does NOT model in business terms, but in PRPC implementation terms.
• A DM can only model what is to be implemented in PRPC, so does NOT model the entire business process.
Recommendation
• If you want to document business process within PRPC:1. Model the process using BPMN before your Pega
project starts2. Build your Flow Rules manually based on the
process models (it only takes minutes if your models are robust)
3. Attach the process model to the relevant Flow Rule (that is DCO too, you know)
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