Communication Bridge: Picture my Business


Each year, millions of dollars dissipate via projects that provide little residual value to their sponsors and end users. The source of the problem: an ever-widening communication gap between complex business needs and convoluted technical capabilities.

Yet there is hope. One of my favourite bridging devices is a powerful visual modeling standard called Business Process Modeling Notation (BPMN). Currently undergoing acceptance by the OMG, BPMN aptly crosses the chasm, clarifying business value and contextualizing technical capability through the following characteristics:
  • Uses a common modeling language, easily understood by business and technical stakeholders
  • Facilitates efficient process knowledge sharing for Business to Business (B2B) applications
  • Addresses problems with previous attempts in using "software oriented" UML notation for business modeling
  • Provides round trip engineering with XML based business processing languages like BPEL4WS
Download an HTML version of the BPMN specification from Visual Paradigm, or use their process modeling tool to explore how BPMN can impact your current project communication and planning challenges.

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