Process description management
Using TOGAF terminology, the breakdown into levels that we have just discussed consists of defining a set of viewpoints dedicated to processes:
• The “identification” viewpoint, which presents high-level views that are simple to use but which provide a summary of the main process-related information.
• The “qualification” viewpoint, which is the result of analysis of the process, its characteristics, and possible improvements.
• The “modeling” viewpoint, which describes process content in a more or less detailed way, using BPMN-type notation.
This structuring in the architecture repository enables more efficient communication and reduces the risk of uncontrolled proliferation of process descriptions.
In practice, the aim is not to define all the enterprise’s processes in one “big bang” operation. Priority will be given to “core business” processes or opportunity-driven processes (optimizations, evolutions). Generally speaking, the number of “identified” processes is greater than the number of “qualified” and “modeled” processes. We strongly recommend that the switch from one level to another be clearly justified, notably for modeling, in view of the investment necessary for this type of work.