As-Is vs To-Be Process in BPMN: Model the Change
An as-is model shows how a process works today, and a to-be model shows how it will work after the change. Model an online shop's order check by hand in the free bpmn.io modeler, then turn it into the to-be: remove the printing step and automate the stock check with a service task.
Step by step
Today and tomorrow
- As-is vs to-be. Before you change a process, model how it works today (the as-is). Then model how it will work after the change (the to-be). The example is an online shop's order check, modelled in BPMN and then improved.
- New diagram. Start a new diagram in bpmn.io and name the start event Order received.
The as-is
- As-is model. Model today's process exactly as it runs, even the clumsy parts. Today a clerk prints every order. Click the start event, add a task from its menu and name it Print order. Next, the clerk looks up each item on a stock list. Add the next task after Print order and name it Check stock list.
- Manual task. A person does this check by hand, so show it. Click the task, open the wrench menu and choose Manual task. The small hand icon marks work done without a system.
- As-is model. Then comes the decision. Add a gateway (the diamond) after Check stock list and name it In stock? If the answer is yes, add a task from the gateway called Ship order and label its arrow Yes. End that path with an end event (the thick circle) named Order shipped. If the answer is no, drag an end event from the gateway's menu to the space below it. Name it Order on hold and label its arrow No. That completes the as-is model.
The to-be
- Remove a step. Now the to-be. In a real project, keep the as-is file and change a copy. The new system shows orders on screen, so nobody prints them. Click Print order, then the bin icon to delete it. Deleting the task also deleted its arrows, so close the gap. Click Order received, pick the arrow tool and drop it on Check stock list. Connect in the direction the work flows.
Automate it
- Automate a step. Now automate the stock check. Click the task, open the wrench menu and choose Service task. The gears icon means a system does the work, not a person. The name should match the new way of working. Double-click the task and type Check stock in system.
- The to-be model. Click an empty part of the canvas to see the to-be. It has one step fewer, and the hand has become gears. The gateway and both end events are unchanged, so the change is easy to spot.
Recap
- The rules. In short: model the as-is honestly and mark manual work with the hand. Build the to-be from a copy. Remove steps that go away, reconnect the flow and make automated steps service tasks.
Common mistakes
- Tidying up the as-is. If you leave out clumsy steps like Print order, the to-be shows no change and nobody can see the benefit. Model the process as it really runs today, even the parts you plan to remove.
- Editing the as-is file directly. Then you lose the before picture you need for comparison and sign-off. Keep the as-is file as it is and build the to-be in a copy.
- Leaving a gap after deleting a task. When you delete a task in bpmn.io, its arrows go too, so Order received is left unconnected. Draw a new arrow from the step before to the step after, in the direction the work flows.
- Changing the task type but keeping the old name. A service task still called Check stock list suggests someone reads a list. Rename it, like Check stock in system, so the label matches the new way of working.
When a business analyst uses this
In a process improvement workshop, show the as-is and to-be side by side. Stakeholders can see which manual steps disappear, like Print order, and which become system work. Each difference becomes a requirement for the new system and a change to explain to the people who do the work today.
Questions people ask
What is the difference between an as-is and a to-be process?
The as-is shows how a process works today, including manual and clumsy steps. The to-be shows how it will work after the change, so comparing the 2 shows exactly what changes.
What is the difference between a manual task and a service task in BPMN?
A manual task, shown with a hand icon, is work a person does without a system. A service task, shown with gears, is work a system does automatically.
How do you change a task type in bpmn.io?
Click the task, open the wrench menu and choose the new type, such as Manual task or Service task. The task keeps its place and its arrows.
