Designing processes - EMC Community Network

Planning and Designing the Application
• The Data Model
Do not think of these areas as being independent from one another. For example, requirements for
BAM reports can suggest data fields to incorporate into the data model. In turn, these fields will be
entered into forms by task processors (or captured in automated activities). One corollary of this
observation is that the user interface architect must communicate frequently with the information
architect to ensure consistency and completeness.
The delivery team must understand the interdependence of the Process Definition, UI, BAM, and Data
Model so they can properly advise the client. Ideally, the project team creates templates to facilitate the
client’s understanding of the interdependencies. If the client wants to change the model, then the client
understands the corresponding impact on cost. This also helps the client to understand the importance
of the information the client provides to the delivery team.
The guiding principle of this phase is Iterative Design. This means that a solution cannot be designed
in a single step, but you need a series of workshops to reveal the design. It is not a linear path and
the design can change several times, which is relatively easy to do in the planning phase. After the
data model is finalized and development begins, fundamental changes can be disruptive. For example,
changing the field definitions in the data model causes forms to break (since forms link to data through
xpath). Complete the data model in the design phase and then lock it down.
Prototyping and Workshops
Dedicate one-quarter to one-third of the project to functional prototyping and client workshops. It is
easy to prototype and make changes in designs within xCP during the prototyping stage. Do not move
into the development phase in your project until the design is stable.
Combine prototyping with workshops in which you present the design to the client and solicit
feedback. These workshops should have a consistent structure and format. Use a set of predefined
templates to present the information and collect feedback. These workshops can ensure that the design
meets the true needs of the client and that the client understands and agrees to the solution. Initially,
these workshops can be done in a storyboard manner using a whiteboard with hand-drawn screens. As
you progress in the design, conduct the workshops using real screens in TaskSpace or BAM.
At the beginning of the project, it is important to convince the project sponsor to make client resources
available for workshops. Negotiating this agreement ensures that clients take the time from their
schedule to meet with you, understand the design, and provide input.
Example: Process Builder
Articulate that the application is based on a process. Sometimes clients have a Visio diagram that
shows the process exactly as they want it. Other times, the desired process is not well defined. In the
latter case, map the process first at the business level; that is, the process shows only the activities that
are significant in a business sense, dispensing with technical steps like process data mapping. One tool
that is useful for this purpose is the Process Analyzer. In a series of interviews with the client business
users, the process can be defined to the appropriate level of detail. This process can take a few days to
complete, assuming that you have access to the subject matter experts. The following is a swim-lane
process diagram in Process Analyzer depicting the hand-offs between two roles in a process.
EMC Documentum xCelerated Composition Platform Version 1.6 Best Practices Guide 21