Why BPMN May Not Work For Your Process Mapping Needs

by Anna Roebuck

Using BPMN (Business Process Modelling Notation) or considering using BPMN for process mapping but not sure it’s right for you?

We understand.

Business Process Modelling Notation can be a fantastic tool for process maps, but it does have its downsides. In this article, we’ll go over three main reasons why it may not work for your particular needs and suggest some alternatives that might be easier and simpler to get to grips with.

BPMN training

The first problem with BPMN is that you can’t just pick up and start using it in a day. To create a process, to update it, to understand or read it – any map with BPMN requires training and knowledge to do anything with it.

What do we mean by training? Well, there’s a PDF of 538 pages and certifications by an over-arching board involved.

There is always a place for this type of skilled business process mapping. And having a solid training foundation is key to success. However, while BPMN was initially created to provide business analysts the tools and focus needed when mapping processes, this ultimately becomes a problem when you need all your staff to be able to understand it as well.

The creators of BPMN understood that flowcharts or swim lane diagrams were not enough on their own to avoid confusion. Business Process Modelling Notation was created to have specific notation for specific meaning within similar diagrams and charts, getting rid of any possible miscommunication. However it can become overly complex.

Because at the end of the day, a process map or chart needs to be simply and easily understood by all levels of an organisation. It’s only with a clear process map that employees can contribute and understand their contribution to the company as a whole. When they understand it, they can help you spot flaws or areas for improvement and even suggest fixes themselves.

In addition, often process maps need more information added such as roles or risks but it can be very tricky to add in this layer of detail without making a process map confusing. If staff, especially new hires, cannot understand this information then processes are unclear and followed incorrectly.

BPMN workshops are lengthy

Because BPMN is such a complex notation, workshops and the follow up can take quite a long time.

Firstly you need to make sure everyone understands your process map, agree the steps are correct, remember all the conversations noted down in the workshop, translate this to a BPMN process mapping tool and ensure this information is shared and signed off. It is impossible to “map at the speed of conversation”, something you can do with a tool such as Liberty Spark which is based on Universal Process Notation (UPN) instead.

In a BPMN workshop, you will need to take notes, then go back and input the changes into a process after a workshop. You have to remember and replicate the context of conversations for this to be achieved. It is very easy to misinterpret or forget certain parts of the conversation after the event.

After all, while BPMN was created to be as specific as possible and provide anyone mapping processes with many options, it results in a risk of interpretational differences if someone is not a BPMN expert. The different shapes and their meanings actually end up resulting in less standardisation instead, as team members may map out processes in a different way to others.

Plus, BPMN working in this way means it is impossible to get a sign-off from a stakeholder during a workshop. Everyone needs to go back and digest what was discussed and then be sent the new process. You’ll find yourself chasing after stakeholders and relevant Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) for weeks to come to an agreement and may in fact find yourself being sent back to the drawing board instead.

This delays your transformation projects as you wait for the initial processes to be agreed. Companies that use BPMN may thus find they are frustrated with the longer time needed and perhaps should consider a different notation such as UPN which helps organisations adapt faster and make the necessary changes quickly.

BPMN does not include all the extra data

Finally, for all the complexity of Business Process Mapping Notation these maps cannot include all the necessary data concisely. And often when attempted, they result in incredibly large maps with too much real estate that are too complicated to read and share with others.

With Liberty Spark, our process mapping and improvement solution, we value simplicity in our process maps.

The cleaner and more straightforward a process map can be, the easier it is to read and follow along for all employees.

Our process maps offer the possibility of attaching relevant information and documentation, in any formats, from URLs to attachments for certain tasks. Additionally, Spark makes it possible for team members to leave comments or suggestions.

Unlike BPMN which can be daunting and unclear if you do not have any prior training, UPN makes it easy for anyone to look at a process map and understand how it works. Thus, employees from any part of your organisation can contribute to processes and suggest improvements, encouraging collaboration and engagement.

UPN is based on clear simple shapes that answer simple process questions, mostly What? (the task) and Who? (done by a particular role).

You do not require additional certification or knowledge of different symbols to easily understand a process map on Spark. And should you need further clarification or documentation to complete a task, it is possible to simply attach it to the specific step.

In Spark, instead of creating large, hard to read maps, you can create a hierarchy so sub-processes drill down to the detail. This enables you to go into the weeds with team members when needed but also have a high level process to share with stakeholders. Everything in one location.

By having all of this information on the map itself, it also becomes a lot easier to run a workshop for improvement. You do not need to fetch any additional information, as all the documentation is on the map itself and you can ask pertinent questions or find the bottlenecks quite easily during the workshop itself. Your stakeholders will be able to see it clearly as well, without the need for additional explanations as is required with BPMN. Plus, Spark’s simple design means you can create processes quickly at the speed of conversation meaning your processes are completed in the workshop, ready to be signed off and shared there and then.

Spark is easy to access online, ensuring that comments and suggestions can be made before after or during a workshop or even after during a monthly check-in to review processes. This means anyone involved in a process can access all the relevant information and help find an improvement opportunity at any time.

Business process mapping tools made easy.

Process mapping has become overcomplicated over time and we’re on a mission to change that.

After all, process mapping is meant to lead to continuous improvement and process reviewing, allowing your company to grow steadily and successfully, constantly adjusting to changes as needed. If you take too long to make those changes, it can cost you dearly.

With the right business process mapping tool, you should be able to make those adjustments at a good pace for them to make the correct impact on your strategy. This means involving all the relevant employees, as they are the ones that typically use them every day and know what may be taking too long or what needs to change.

To do that, they need to be able to understand a process map well enough and understand their contribution to the overall process. If they can’t do that, then they can’t help you find problem areas and troubleshoot them. They may even begin to feel quite indifferent to their overall role for your company if it’s not clear to them what their impact is.

If you’d like to learn more about BPMN alternatives and why we use UPN, then get in touch.

About the author

Anna Roebuck

Marketing Manager – Liberty Spark

Anna Roebuck is a marketing expert with a passion for clear communication who strives to engage teams through collaboration and simplified and effective processes. With over 20+ years experience, through Liberty Spark, she focuses on the power of process improvement to enhance both team performance and customer experience. Her background in executive coaching brings a people-first approach to transformation and change.