Workflow modelling

[Roehlen, Peter]

All,
 
There has been some discussion on the best way to technically document
workflows and it has prompted me to recommend the Top/down modelling
approach for designing/building new workflows, which I have been following
with some success here at my company.  This approach is very useful where
the functional or technical design documents are either non-existent or are
light on specifics.  The added benefits are that the design stage is made
quicker by the workflow/business object builder and waste is reduced in that
the design actually ends up becoming the productive development.
 
The technique is documented in the R/3 library, but basically the steps I
have been following are as follows:
 
1) Model the workflow template(s).
Sit down with relevant business process owner and model the whole workflow
template using the workflow builder with the standard workflow tools and
steps.  Where a standard task (that does not yet exist) needs to be included
in the workflow, I use the SAP provided modelling task (It's called
TS30100074 in 4.6b) which allows me to nominate which events are the
outcomes for each step.  This process often fleshes out some of the detail
that would otherwise be missed in a different approach to design (ie with
flowcharts in Visio etc).  Simple containers can be created to incorporate
business object type attributes that do not yet exist etc.  When the
modelled workflow template is finished, you can print it out for the
business process owner to take away and review.
 
2) Model the business object type(s).
When the model has been signed off by the business, a developer models the
business object type.  This task is made easier by the previous step where
it has been determined exactly what attributes/methods will be needed.  The
object type might be a new one or an existing one with new modelled
attributes and/or methods.  This step is useful as it determines what
table/fields are going to be required and what relationships might exist
between different object types.  Note: no coding is performed nor are
tables/fields actually created at this point.
 
3) Create the standard task(s).
Standard tasks are now created for each instance of the SAP modelling task
incorporated in the workflow template.  Full descriptions of the task can be
made incorporating the modelled attributes and the task can reference any of
the modelled methods.
 
4) Backfill the workflow template.
Before commencing, a new version of the workflow template is generated, thus
preserving the original design.  The newly created standard tasks are now
incorporated in the workflow template and the SAP modelling task is removed.
Any 'dummy/modelling' containers can now be replaced with the modelled
attributes from the business object type.  The whole process is ready for
final review.
 
5) After signoff of the whole design, any coding/table building can now
commence with some certainty that the design is complete.
 
Hope this of some benefit,
 
Regards
 
Peter Roehlen.
 
 
 
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