Validate and document model

This topic will introduce the skills and knowledge required to validate process models after incorporating changes. We will also discuss how to complete and validate process model documentation effectively.

In this topic, you will learn how to:

• determine the impact of changes
• incorporate the required changes
• create documentation
• validate and complete documentation.

Review business rules

Reviewing business rules before implementing changes in process models is essential to ensure that those changes are in harmony with the organisation's strategic goals, compliance requirements, data quality, and other critical aspects of operations. It helps organisations make informed decisions, reduce risks, and enhance the overall efficiency and effectiveness of their processes.

Why review business rules?

Changes to process models should be determined by reviewing business rules for several important reasons.

The following activity will introduce some of these reasons.

A step-by-step process to determine impact

Using business rules as a guide for determining the impact of changes to a process model ensures that the process remains compliant, efficient, and aligned with the organisation's objectives. It also helps maintain consistency and logic within the process, enabling smoother transitions and improved decision-making.

Here’s a step-by-step process to determine the impact of changes on process models.

1. Identify the change request: Begin by carefully identifying the requested changes. Understand the nature of the change, its purpose, and the desired outcomes. Ensure that the change aligns with the organisation's objectives and goals.
2. Review the process model and analyse the affected elements: Ensure that you,
   • determine which elements of the process model will be impacted by the requested changes
   • consider how changes to business rules will affect data dependencies within the process
   • determine if data inputs, outputs, or validations will be impacted. This may include specific steps, data flows, decision points, roles, or rules
   • evaluate how the changes to business rules may impact downstream processes or systems
   • ensure that the changes do not create inconsistencies or data integrity issues.
   • Ensure that the proposed changes maintain compliance with industry regulations, internal policies, and legal requirements. 
3. Define and document the changes: Clearly document the proposed changes. Use a standardised format or notation to make it easy for stakeholders to understand the modifications. This documentation should include:
   • What is changing: Describe the specific changes to be made.
   • Why it's changing: Explain the rationale or objectives behind the changes.
   • How it's changing: Provide details on how the changes will be implemented, including any new steps, rules, or data flows.
   • Who is responsible: Identify the individuals or teams responsible for implementing the changes.

Case study walkthrough

Determining the impact of changes to process models and making those changes effectively is a crucial aspect of process improvement.

To illustrate this, consider an example scenario from XYZ Manufacturing, where the organisation is looking to improve its order processing and quoting process.

Scenario: XYZ Manufacturing wants to streamline its order processing and quoting process to reduce lead times and improve customer satisfaction.

Expand the following steps to learn how to determine the impact and make changes to process models according to the case study scenario.

Knowledge Check

Complete the three (3) questions in the following activity.

You may repeat this activity as often as you like. Use the arrows to move between the different activities.

Considerations when making changes

When making changes to process models it is important to understand the type of change is required and the specific elements of the process model affected by the change.

What type of change is required?

It is important to analyse and evaluate how the proposed changes will impact the developed process model depending on the type of change that is required to be made.

Consider the following aspects:

• Modifications: If you're modifying an existing process model, assess how the changes will affect the process flow, decision points, and data validation.
• Adding new elements: If you're introducing new activities, processes, events or business rules to the model, determine where they need to be applied and how they will interact with existing elements of the process model.
• Removal of elements: If you're removing activities, processes, events or business rules from the model, identify any dependencies or conditions that will need to be updated or replaced.

What elements are affected by the change?

When determining how the proposed changes will impact the process, consider factors such as:

• Workflow changes: How will the flow of activities and tasks be affected?
• Data flow: Will data inputs and outputs change? How will data be managed and processed differently?
• Roles and responsibilities: Will the changes affect the roles and responsibilities of team members?
• Integration: Are there integration points with other processes or systems that need to be modified?
• Performance metrics: How will the changes impact key performance indicators (KPIs) like lead time, accuracy, or customer satisfaction?

Implementing the changes

Once the impacts of the changes are analysed and areas of inefficiencies, redundancy or opportunities for improvement have been identified, the model should be redesigned to incorporate improvements streamline workflows and optimise resource utilisation.

Considerations when making changes

Execute the planned changes within the process model. This may involve updating process diagrams, revising documentation, modifying procedures, or configuring software systems accordingly.

When modelling the required changes:

• Create updated process models that reflect the proposed changes using the same modelling methodology (e.g., BPMN) as your baseline model.
• Clearly highlight the modifications made to the process. This may involve adding new activities, removing redundant steps, or changing the sequence of tasks.
• Update the process model to reflect the changes made to the business rules. Modify decision points, conditional flows, and validation steps as necessary to align with the new rules.
• Implement a version control system to manage revisions and track changes to the process model. Maintain a record of the history of changes for auditing and reference purposes.

Test and validate

After implementing the changes, conduct testing to ensure that the modified process functions as intended. Verify that data flows correctly, decision logic is accurate, and any associated systems or tools work as expected.

Knowledge Check

Complete the three (3) questions in the following activity.

You may repeat this activity as often as you like. Use the arrows to move between the different activities.

Complete documentation

Process model diagrams

Document the updated business rules within the process model documentation. Provide clear explanations of the rules, their purpose, and the rationale behind any changes.

Associated documents

In addition to the process models, it is often required to create associated documents that provide context and explanations. These documents may include:

• Process narratives: Descriptive documents or reports that provide an overview of the process, its objectives, and key activities.
• Standard operating procedures (SOPs): Detailed step-by-step instructions for executing the process.
• Data dictionaries: A reference guide that defines data elements, their attributes, and relationships.
• Rationale documents: Explain the rationale behind specific design choices or process decisions.

Validate documentation with client

It is important to ensure that your process model diagrams and associated documents are comprehensive, accurate, and well-documented, serving as valuable resources for process improvement, decision-making, and organisational communication.

Therefore, process modellers should conduct review sessions to gather feedback, address any concerns and follow internal processes of the organisation to validate the model documentation with clients.

Using tools to create documentation

Process model documentation can be created using the process mapping tool used to create the diagrams. Additionally, other associated documents can be created using other software tools such as Microsoft WORD, Excel, PowerPoint etc.

The following video demonstrates how a process modelling tool provides features to document detailed information on process models and the documents that can be generated automatically.

Seek stakeholder validation

Seek feedback and validation from stakeholders, including those responsible for enforcing the business rules and subject matter experts in the process area. Involve relevant stakeholders, such as process owners, subject matter experts, and end-users, in the validation process.

• Conduct process walkthroughs: The process model should be presented to the appropriate stakeholders by conducting process walkthroughs. During the process walkthroughs, any feedback and concerns should be made note of for reference.
• Update and Iterate: Use stakeholder feedback to make necessary revisions and improvements to the process models and associated documents. This process is often iterative until all stakeholder feedback and concerns are addressed.
• Obtain approval: Once it is confirmed that the modified process models achieve the intended goals without adverse consequences, formal approval should be obtained from relevant stakeholders to ensure that the finalised process model accurately represents the process.
• Finalise and publish: Once the process models are complete and validated, finalise them and publish them for wider distribution within the organisation.
• Maintain and update: Process models are not static and should be regularly maintained and updated to reflect changes in processes, business rules, or technology.

Follow internal processes

Internal processes to document and validate the completed data models are as follows:

• Validation and verification techniques: Conduct an internal review of the completed process models and associated documents. Verify that they accurately represent the real-world processes and data flows. Apply validation techniques to check the correctness of the completed models. Verify that the models accurately represent real-world processes and data flows.
• Version control: Implement version control for your process models. As you make revisions or updates, keep track of changes to ensure you have a clear history of model development.
• Apply changes to associated documentation: Alongside the changes to process models, make changes to the documentation that explains the purpose of the process, the rationale behind design choices, and any assumptions made during modelling.
• Iterate and improve: Be open to feedback from stakeholders and use their input to iterate and improve the models. Process modelling is an ongoing process, and models may need to evolve as the organisation changes.

Communicate changes

Communicate the changes made to the process models to all relevant stakeholders. Provide training or guidance to those who will be affected by the modifications. Ensure that everyone understands their roles and responsibilities in the updated process.

Communicate the changes in business rules to all relevant stakeholders, including process owners, team members, and system administrators. Ensure that they understand how the rules have evolved.

1. Gather feedback: Continuously gather feedback from process users and stakeholders regarding the effectiveness of the changes. Use this feedback to make further adjustments if necessary.
2. Update documentation: Update the process model documentation to reflect the implemented changes accurately. Ensure that all process-related documents, including manuals and guidelines, are kept up to date.
3. Close the change request: Once the changes have been successfully implemented and validated, close the change request officially. Document the outcomes and lessons learned for future reference.

Effective change management is essential when making modifications to a process model. It ensures that changes are well-planned, communicated, and validated to achieve their intended benefits while minimising disruptions to the organisation's operations.

The following video explains the importance of communicating changes effectively and clearly with stakeholders.

Knowledge Check

Complete the six (6) questions in the following activity.

You may repeat this activity as often as you like. Use the arrows to move between the different activities.

How did you go?

Congratulations on completing your learning for this topic Validate model and complete documentation.

In this topic, you learnt how to:

• review business rules to determine the impact of changes on process models
• incorporate identified changes to the data models
• complete process model documentation

Assessments

Now that you have learnt the basic knowledge and skills for this module, you are ready to complete the following assessment event.

• Assessment 4 (Portfolio)
• Assessment 5 (Project)