Workflow/Business Process Management (BPM) 
Service Pattern

• This pattern shows how business process management (BPM) tools can be used to implement business processes through the orchestration of activities between people and systems. 
• This pattern can be viewed in layers:
  • The User Interface layer can be implemented either through the web-based tools provided with the BPM software, or via custom user interface development which interfaces with the BPM software.
  • The BPM Tools layer provides the core BPM functionality (see Workflow/BPM Brick).
  • The Storage layer provides repositories for both business process models and corporate data.
  • The Interfaces layer provides means to exchange data with the BPM Tool.
• This solution provides the user with the ability to access the business process management tools through a Web-enabled interface or through the organization’s email system. Access is controlled through the mechanisms specified in the Security Architecture.  
• This solution provides access to external repositories, allowing NIH organizations to house and to manage their own data. 
• NIH applications may also utilize the BPM functionality through common interfaces. 
• BPM tools can exchange task information with each other by adhering to established BPM data exchange standards.
• Inter-application communication and data exchange is accomplished through the NIH’s enterprise services bus technology (see Integration Broker Suites (IBS) Brick).

Please view the Workflow/Business Process Management (BPM) Service Pattern below:

 
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• BPM tools provide business users with the ability to model their business processes, implement and execute those models, and refine the models based on as-executed data. As a result, BPM tools can provide transparency into business processes, as well as the centralization of corporate business process models and execution metrics.
• BPM suite software provides programming interfaces (web services, application program interfaces (APIs)) which allow enterprise applications to be built to leverage the BPM engine.
• Modeling and simulation functionality allows for pre-execution “what-if” modeling and simulation. Post-execution optimization is available based on the analysis of actual as-performed metrics.