The CAP Framework for Business Process Modelling

Business process modelling is an area of work that is increasingly used in conjunction with software development. For example, many development methods note the importance of strategic or business modelling, typically as a prerequisite to analysis. In addition, Systems Engineering for Business Process Change suggests the need to model the business process in maintaining and evolving existing (legacy) systems. In order to model business processes, one needs to consider what notations are most suitable, and what methods to adopt. However, the most appropriate notation typically depends on a number of contextual issues, the purpose of the modelling, the audience for the models and so on. Furthermore, this context changes with the progress of the modelling. Hence, the modeller needs guidance about appropriate approaches at different points in the modelling programme. This paper introduces a framework for business process modelling that provides such guidance without prescribing particular notations. This is achieved by describing business process modelling in terms of three iterative and generic categories or phases: Capture, Analysis and Presentation. The paper shows how different kinds of notational approaches can be used within these categories, discussing the choices available to the modeller. The (CAP) framework is generally applicable, and is illustrated both by a simple theoretical example, and b