BPMN 2.0 has been submitted to the OMG. How to leverage success using BPMN 2.0?
Integration of Software Systems is the realization of the underlying Business Processes. Realizing As-Is Processes often leads to suboptimal results. No doubt – As-Is processes Analysis needs to be done. But Process Design is ImhO the decisive part.
It must be absolutely clear, which parts of a process are tightly coupled and which parts are loosely coupled. Tightly coupled means for example: A Customer Order can not be created unless the price determination is done. Loosely coupled means: A Customer Order can be created independent from the creation of the Delivery. The delivery creation is a loosely coupled followon process.
However, of course there are interaction between loosely coupled process parts. These need to be defined – i.e. designed. BPMN 2.0 gives the possibility to model them in a way never possible before.
In BPMN 2.0 tightly coupled process parts are those within a pool. Loosely coupled process parts are those that are modeled cross pools in Collaborations or in Choreographies.
The cut of the process – thightly or loosely coupled – is decisive for success. It is not only a system modeling or implementation question. It is also a business process question. Or why do companies outsource parts of their operations? Because they want to loosely couple, what was tightly coupled earlier. This principle makes sense within companies as well, because of enhanced flexibility.