Issues for Mailing list of the BPMN FInalization Task Force

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Issue 9410: Update definition of merging behavior of Exclusive Data-Based Gateway
Issue 9615: BPMN Issue: Exclusive Gateway Merging
Issue 10139: Message flows in and out of independent sub-processes
Issue 11151: Page 19 (PDF page 43) Table 8.2, definitionof "Pool".
Issue 12243: Why in paragraph 7.1.1 Uses of BPMN, definition of Collaboration (Global)

Issue 9410: Update definition of merging behavior of Exclusive Data-Based Gateway (bpmn-ftf)

Update the definition of the merging behavior of the Exclusive Data-Based Gateway. Currently, the Gateway just passes all Tokens through. The behavior should be changed to be exclusive in that it will allow the first Token to arrive through the Gateway, but ignore/consume all other Tokens from the same Token family. 

Discussion:
This issue will be resolved during the next BPMN FTF.
Disposition: Deferred   Defer: The potential complications of resolving this issue, particularly surrounding the formal
definition of Token flow, requires that this issue be deferred so that it can be handled in a
better way in BPMN 2.0. However, a couple of modifications to the specification are required to
correct an error in how the Exclusive Data-Based Gateway was applied in an example.
Revised Text:
Section 10.2 "Sequence Flow Mechanisms," page 119:
a) Second paragraph on the page: replace paragraph with the following paragraph:
"Another merging situation is the Workflow Pattern Discriminator. In this situation, the
multiple incoming Sequence Flow are parallel instead of alternative (see Figure 10.32).
Thus, there will be two Tokens arriving (at different times) at the Complex Gateway
preceding activity “D.” To satisfy the Discriminator pattern, the Complex Gateway must
accept the first Token and immediately pass it on through to the activity. When the second
Token arrives, it will be excluded from the remainder of the flow. This means that the Token
will not be passed on to the activity, but will be consumed." (Note: there is a footnote
included with the "Workflow Pattern Discriminator." text)
b) Figure 10.33 ("Workflow Pattern #8 -- Discriminator"): Replace figure with the following
Figure:
Disposition:

The BPMN 1.0 version of the Exclusive Gateway merging (either data or event Gateways) acts as a "pass through" for any Tokens that arrive. This means that there is no "exclusiveness" to the merging as the name of the Gateway would imply. A "discriminator" merging that allows the first Token through and stops any further (parallel) Tokens is a business pattern that cannot be currently modeled. This functionality should either replace the current merging behavior or be added to the behavior.

Where an activity represents an invocation of an independent  
subprocess, the spec does not state how to bin any incoming and  
outgoing message flows to the sub-process. It does state how to bind  
information (input and output sets) but not messages.

Defer: While the Issue may be valid, it represents potentially significant modifications. Thus, this
Issue will be deferred and handled by work on a later version of BPMN. Any changes made for this
version may potentially conflict with later modifications.

Page 19 (PDF page 43) Table 8.2, definitionof "Pool". Should lanes within pools be referred to as "Lanes" or "Swimlane"? Both terms are used. It would be good to be consistent. 

I am beginner in BPM but in order to understand the BPMN standard, I send these questions: 1) Why in paragraph 7.1.1 Uses of BPMN, the definition of Collaboration (Global) Process (page 14) says: The collaboration process can be shown as two or more abstract process communicating with each other (see figure 7.3).... But the Figure 7.3 looks like as "two or more private (internal) business processes communicating with each other", comparing the Figure 7.1 and Figure 7.2 For more emphasis what I saying In the Figure 7.3 both process (patient and Receptionist/Doctor), all activities for both process are shown, this is not agree with definition of Abstract (public) process (page 13), that says: ....All other "internal" activities of the private business process are not shown in the abstract process.... 2) if the difference between Private (internal) business processes and Collaboration (Global) processes is the number of business entities, this mean that : Private (internal) business processes for only one business entity or specific organization. Collaboration (Global) processes for two or more business entities. What about Abstract (Public) processes, how many entities are or can be involved? 3) The Abstract (public) Processes are "abstract" because the activities of the another process or participant are not shown ?, using words of the definition of the Abstract (public) Processes.