Modeling with BMM

Business Policy

A Business Policy is a Directive that is not directly enforceable whose purpose is to govern or guide the enterprise. Business Policies provide the basis for Business Rules. Business Policies also govern Business Processes.

Business Process

Business Processes realize Courses of Action; they provide detail of activities, plus sequencing, control, and synchronization that enable the enterprise to undertake its Courses of Action. Business Processes are guide by Business Rules which provide the basis for decisions that need to be made within Business Processes.

Business Rule

A Business Rule is a Directive, intended to govern, guide, or influence business behavior, in support of Business Policy that has been formulated in response to an Opportunity, Threat, Strength, or Weakness. It is a single directive that does not require additional interpretation to undertake Strategies or Tactics. Often, a Business Rule is derived from a Business Policy and guides a Business Processes.

Course of Action

Courses of Action are what the enterprise has decided to do. A Course of Action is more than simply a resource, skill, or competency that the enterprise can call upon. It is a way of configuring some aspect of the enterprise (things, processes, locations, people, time) to channel efforts towards Desired Results - the result of a decision by the enterprise about the best way to use its resources, skills, and competencies.

Directive

Directives are categorized as Business Policies and Business Rules. Business policies are not directly practicable whereas Business Rules are and they need to be defined as such, and managed for consistency and completeness. Business Rules are derived from Business Policies

Influencer

An Influencer is something that can cause changes that affect the enterprise in its employment of its Means or achievement of its Ends. Alternatively, it might confirm that there are no changes where changes might have been expected. Influencers can be Internal (from within the enterprise) or External (from outside the enterprise boundary).

Influencing Organization

An Influencing Organization is an organization that is external to the enterprise being modeled in a given enterprise BMM, and that influences that enterprise. An Influencing Organization is the source of Influencers.

Means

A Means is some “device, capability, regime, technique, restriction, agency, instrument, or method that may be called upon, activated, or enforced to achieve Ends.” It does not include the tasks (business processes and workflow) necessary to exploit it, or responsibility for such tasks. Typically Means are organized into Mission, Courses of Action, and Directives.

Mission

A Mission indicates the ongoing operational activity of the enterprise and describes what the business is or will be doing on a day-to-day basis. A Mission makes a Vision operative articulating the ongoing activity that makes the Vision a reality. A Mission is planned by means of Strategies.

Organization Unit

An Organization Unit is usually the basis for defining the boundaries of the enterprise being modeled. The decomposition of Business Policies, Courses of Action, and Desired Results and assignment of responsibilities within the enterprise is typically consistent with and often guided by the definition of units within the organization structure.

Regulation

An order prescribed by an authority such as a government body or the management of an enterprise.

Strategy

A Strategy is one component of the plan for the Mission and represents the essential Course of Action to achieve Ends (Goals in particular) and usually channels efforts towards those Goals. A Strategy is more than simply a resource, skill, or competency that the enterprise can call upon; rather, a Strategy is accepted by the enterprise as the right approach to achieve its Goals, given the environmental constraints and risks.

Tactic

A Tactic is a Course of Action that represents part of the detailing of Strategies and is said to implement a Strategy.

Acts As

Directive Acts As a Regulation

Affects Achievement Of

Assessment Affects Achievement Of an End

Affects Employment Of

An Assessment Affects Employment Of means

Amplifies

A Goal Amplifies a Vision

Categorizes

Broader Influencer Category Categorizes more Specific Influencer

Channels Efforts Towards

Course of Action Channels Efforts Towards desired result

Claims

A Liability Claims a Resource

Defines

An Organization Unit Defines an End

Delivers

A Business Process Delivers an Offering

Deploys

A Course of Action Deploys an Asset

Determines

Strategy Determines an Organization Unit

Discharges

A Course of Action Discharges a Liability

Effects Enforcement Level Of

A Tactic Effects Enforcement Level Of a Business Rule

Enables

Enabling Course of Action Enables Enabled Course of Action

Establishes

An Organization Unit Establishes a Means

Governs

A Business Policy Governs a Business Process

Governs Use Of

A Directive Governs Use Of an Asset

Guides

A Business Rule Guides a Business Process

Identifies

An Assessment Identifies a Potential Impact

Implements

A Tactic Implements a Strategy

Includes

A Broader Business Policy Includes a more specific Business Policy

Is Formulated Based On

A Course of Action Is Formulated Based On a Directive

Is Judgment Of

An Assessment Is Judgment Of an Influencer

Is Responsible For

An Organization Unit Is Responsible For an Asset

Is Source Of

An Influencing Organization Is Source Of an Influencer

Makes

An Organization Unit Makes an Assessment

Makes Operative

A Mission Makes Operative a Vision

Manages

A Business Process Manages an Asset

Provides

A Fixed Asset Provides a Resource

Provides Impetus For

A Potential Impact Provides Impetus For a Directive

Quantifies

An Objective Quantifies a Goal

Realizes

A Business Process Realizes a Course Of Action

Recognizes

An Organization Unit Recognizes an Influencer

Requires

An Offering Requires a Resource

Supports Achievement Of

A Directive Supports Achievement Of a Desired Result

Uses

A Using Assessment Uses a Used Assessment

BMM in Enterprise Architect

You can develop Business Motivation Model diagrams in Enterprise Architect quickly and easily. The BMM facilities are provided in the form of:

• A BMM diagram type, created through the 'New Diagram' dialog ('Business Modeling > BMM')
• A 'BMM' page in the Diagram Toolbox, providing BMM elements (stereotyped UML elements)
• BMM element and relationship entries in the 'Toolbox Shortcut Menu' and Quick Linker