Chapter 2: Accountants as Business Analysts

activities

In business process modeling, activities represent specific steps in a business process.

activity models

Models that describe the sequence of workflow in a business process or processes.

annotations

Model elements that allow the modeler to add additional descriptive information to the model. Annotations are modeled with text inside a bracket connected to other model symbols with a dashed line.

business analysis

The process of defining business process requirements and evaluating potential improvements. Business analysis involves ascertaining, documenting, and communicating information about current and future business processes using business process modeling and related tools.

business model canvas

A one-page representation of the nine building blocks of a company’s business model.

Customer Segments,

Value Proposition,

Revenue Streams,

Channels,

Customer Relationships,

Key Activities,

Key Resources,

Key Partners,

Cost Structure

Business Model

A simple abstract representation of one or more business process a business model is typically a graphical depiction of the essential business process information

business process

A defined sequence of business activities that use resources to transform specific inputs into specific outputs to achieve a business goal.

business process modeling notation (BPMN)

A standard for the description of activity models.

data flow diagram (DFD)

Another type of activity model that graphically shows the flow of data through a system and also incorporates elements of structure models.

documentation

An information transmission and communication tool that explains how business processes and business systems work.

events

(UML) Classes that model the organization’s transactions, usually affecting the organization’s resources, such as sales and cash receipts; (BPMN) important occurrences that affect the flow of activities in a business process, including start, intermediate, and end events.

flowcharts

Visualizations of a process activity; they are activity models much like models using BPMN.

gateway

Shows process branching and merging as the result of decisions. Basic gateways are depicted as diamonds. Usually, gateways appear as pairs on the diagram. The first gateway shows the branching, and the second gateway shows merging of the process branches.

swimlanes (or lanes)

BPMN symbols that provide subdivisions of pools to show, for example, functional responsibilities within an organization.

message flows

BPMN represents exchanges between two participants (pools) in the same process as message flows, which are modeled as dashed arrows.

pools

BPMN symbols used to identify participants, actors, or persons that perform activities and interact with other participants in a process.

process maps

Simplified flowcharts that use a basic set of symbols to represent a business process activity.

sequence flows

BPMN symbols that show the normal sequence of activities in a business process. Sequence flows are modeled as solid arrows, with the arrowhead showing the direction of process flow.