BPMN Basics: Understanding Business Process Modeling Notation

Written by Jens on 03 Sep 2025

BPMN Basics: Understanding Business Process Modeling Notation

Business Process Model and Notation (BPMN) is a standardized graphical notation that enables the representation of business processes in a visual format.

It is widely used for modeling, analyzing, and improving business processes across various industries. BPMN provides a common language for stakeholders, including business analysts, process participants, and technical developers, to communicate effectively about process workflows.

Business Process Management (BPM)

Business Process Management (BPM) is a systematic approach to improving an organization’s business processes. It involves the design, execution, monitoring, and optimization of processes to achieve organizational goals. BPM aims to enhance efficiency, effectiveness, and agility in business operations.

BPM Lifecycle

Advantages of BPM

Improved Efficiency: Streamlining processes to reduce waste and increase productivity.
Enhanced Transparency: Clear visualization of processes for better understanding and communication.
Better Compliance: Ensuring processes adhere to regulations and standards.
Continuous Improvement: Ongoing analysis and refinement of processes to adapt to changing business needs
Reduced Costs: Identifying and eliminating inefficiencies to lower operational costs.

Here are some basic BPMN elements with their symbols:

BPMN Elements

Example BPMN Diagram

Here is a simple example of a BPMN diagram representing a customer order process:

BPMN Example Customer Order (Source: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/259031977/figure/fig1/AS:297292696440834@1447891510500/Business-process-for-handling-the-orders-of-an-online-shop.png)

BPMN Editors and Tools

There are several tools available for creating BPMN diagrams, some of which I tested and liked:

Camunda Modeler: A free and open-source tool for modeling BPMN diagrams.
Signavio: A cloud-based platform for business process modeling and management.

Conclusion

BPMN is a powerful tool for visualizing and improving business processes. By using its standardized notation, organizations can enhance communication, streamline workflows, and drive efficiency in their operations. Whether you are a business analyst, process manager, or developer, understanding BPMN basics is essential for effective process modeling and management.