In order to better manage business processes, they often try to formalize them, describing them with a specific set of rules and presenting them as a certain logical scheme. In addition to the fact that this method contributes to a better analysis and control of commercial activities, it still clearly distributes duties and powers between employees and allows you to find reserves to increase the efficiency of the company. In this regard, the UML activity diagram (the second name is the activity diagram) is very convenient to use, and now you will understand why it is rapidly gaining popularity. Take a look at the following example:
It describes the basic organization of a delivery service.
The concept
In principle, the algorithm of actions can be expressed using the usual flowchart built in the popular Word editor or any other program. However, an activity diagram is something more. This scheme is compiled using the UML language, which has established itself as an object-oriented method for compiling and analyzing business processes, as well as creating applications. Its notation allows you to get five of its representations for any system from the following positions:
- design;
- use cases;
- Deployment
- processes
- implementation.
Moreover, each of the aforementioned methods of displaying a system can comprise a sequence of actions that can be easily represented using an algorithm. This is precisely the activity diagram that has no equal. With its help, you can supplement the dynamic element of the model and thereby clarify its dynamics. Therefore, the activity diagram is perfect for business processes in the company: after all, there activity is inherent in almost every component! In the obtained diagram, it will be possible to see when and how control flows pass from one activity site to another. Moreover, for a single system of such representations, one can construct several. Each such activity diagram will focus on a specific aspect of the system, showing the various actions taking place inside. The main difference between such a scheme and the usual flowchart is that it supports and stimulates the creation of parallel processes. For clarity, consider the following example.
Is this diagram shown? how the behavior of a waiter in a restaurant can be organized.
Creation Recommendations
Let's start with the software. If you are interested in a UML activity diagram, you will need to install on your computer any application that supports working with UML: MS Visio, StarUML, Enterprise Architect. Despite the fact that professionals use commercial versions, at first you can practice with free software. You can also use the services of sites specially created for this, for example, the Gliffy, Cacco or diagram.ly service. The character set for creating the chart is usually the same. The figure below shows the main elements.
In order to identify a business process and build its model, perform the following operations:
- Highlight the most interesting site for you. When designing complex systems, it is simply not possible to display all the important sequences on a single diagram.
- Select business objects that are highly responsible for the individual parts of the selected process. Moreover, in their place can be both real entities and more abstract objects. One way or another, each of them will need to create a separate track.
- Define the initial conditions for the starting state of the process and the final postconditions for its completion. This will help determine its boundaries.
- Starting from the starting state, describe and display on the diagram all the actions and activities that occur at different points in time.
- Many actions or complex actions need to be collapsed into separate states of activity and for each of them to make their own diagram.
- Map the transitions between the states of these actions and activities. First, they start sequential flows, then proceed to branches and at the end consider mergers and divisions.
- When a workflow depends on important objects, they should also be depicted in an activity diagram. If necessary, they show how the value and state of such an object change in order to clarify the essence of its trajectory.
