Approaching Multi-Level Modeling
Modeling is always about a certain level of detail. There always is a level of detail below the lowest model level, which is not modeled. But the model or models themselves can span multiple level of details.
This can be done without a special method. Intuitively model designers may create models, which cover different detail levels. They might even define certain levels for themselves. Or they might use a predefined definition of modeling levels. Even then, the relation between those model levels are intuitive in such a way, that there is no formal relationship. The compliance of the models between the different levels is made sure by the model designer or by a governance process.
Im am not speaking here about the BPMN model element sub-process. This is a defined modeling method within one model. I am speaking of two or more set of models, that cover two or more levels of details of a process. This is important, because the sub-process construct has only limited ability to cover certain dependencies on the detailed level. It is for example not possible to define a sequence flow between activities, which are inside different sub-processes, whereas in having two set of models for different layers, it would be allowed to model more dependencies on the lower level set of models.
If it is required to define a more formal relationship between models of different levels, then more needs to be done. It is necessary to identifiy or relate activities with each other on the different levels and to define how constraints defined on the higher modeling levels apply to the lower modeling level. If there is such a definition, it may be possible to check compliance of models of different levels.
However this is an area of research with regards to BPMN. See also Umfrage zu Alignment von Prozessmodellen.
In BPMN 2.0 a similar case is the relation of public abstract processes and private processes.

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