Business Process Modeling

A Business Process Model describes the business process followed by an organization to create value to clients.
Below are the characteristics of a Business Process Model:
A Business Process Model
1. Has a Goal
2. Has inputs
3. Uses some resources
4. Has an output
5. Has a set of activities performed in some specific order
6. Creates value to client.

To understand this better, please see below example:
SUGARCANE JUICE VENDOR

A sugarcane juice vendor
1. has a Goal – i.e. Profit
2. has inputs – i.e. Sugarcane, lemon, ginger, etc.
3. uses resources – i.e. vending machine, refrigerator to store sugarcanes, glasses, etc.
4. has an output – i.e. Sugarcane Juice
5. has a set of activities performed in some specific order – i.e. The sugarcane vendor will turn on the vending machine, will take sugarcane from
refrigerator, take lemon/ginger, put sugarcane and lemon/ginger togetheer in the vending machine, pour the sugarcane juice into a glass, serve it to customer.
6. creates value to client – i.e. provides sugarcane juice as per the taste needed by the customer.

Similarly, in the IT industry, a business process model is followed which at the end of the day, should create value to client.

A Business Process can be described through following methods:
1. Flow diagrams
2. Activity diagrams
3. Swimlanes

All of these methods visually distinguishes responsibilities for a sub-processes of a Business Process.