From Diagrams to Production via Process Orchestration

Connecting Developers and Architects: From Whiteboard to Code Production with Process Orchestration (From Diagrams to Production via Process Orchestration)

It’s not surprising that teams are under constant pressure to go faster and be leaner. New technologies become top of mind. Market dynamics change. The C-Suite shifts its focus. Navigating these complexities and delivering great new software on time and with minimal rework requires the careful alignment of really diverse teams. Often, this pressure occurs regardless of whether teams believe those changes will provide the intended value. The tipping point for this pressure often comes from a breakdown in communication between the design (often driven by the architects) and implementation (engineering). Communication, interpretation, and execution gaps between architects and engineers frequently emerge, posing significant risks to business outcomes. These risks include delays, increased costs, and missed strategic goals. The process of translating architectural plans and product requirements into actionable code can be a major challenge.

In this talk, we will address these common problems and explore how process orchestration offers a structured approach to aligning architectural plans with development teams. We will also examine how process orchestration can help break down organizational silos and create seamless connections between teams and systems. We’ll dive into how process orchestration helps by:
Coordinating diverse endpoints (people, systems, and devices),
Bridging gaps and streamlining workflows,
Reducing the risk of costly errors,
Accelerating the delivery of high-quality software

Transcript

1. From Diagrams to Production via Process Orchestration Masterclass WebSummit 2024
2. Who’s this Guy? ▪ Sr. Developer Advocate @Camunda ▪ From: Jacksonville, FL ▪ Fun Fact: Loves Video Games, Huge Nerd, Tabletop RPG Fan (like Dungeons and Dragons) has a Dice Collection in the Thousands Jacob Plicque @DuvalKingJacob He/Him
3. Who am I? ▪ Developer Advocate @ Camunda ▪ Denver, CO, United States ▪ Fun fact: I’m a dance fitness and studio rowing instructor in my free time Samantha Holstine @sholstine620 she/her
4. Agenda ▪ Developers and Architects: a world apart? ▪ How can Architects and Developers work together? ▪ What is Process Orchestration? ▪ How Process Orchestration fills the gaps between both roles
6. Developer
7. Example: Claim handling
8. Scenario 🗣 C Suite 😎 Architect 󰠁 Developer
9. ERP Policy Management System Mainframe What the world looks like today… Customer Interaction System Claim notification letter Money
11. Brittle Lack of visibility into end-to-end processes → Hard to innovate and transform Grown over time “Spaghetti” architecture
12. Pressure to innovate quickly Pressure to transform and future-proof …but, you need to innovate and transform
13. “Quick wins” become technical debt Reflex is to implement point solutions and local automations… Point solutions Automations AI AI And now, also “Point Agents” = More silos + technical debt!
14. Change is scary.
15. So what’s this Process Orchestration?
16. “Process orchestration coordinates the various moving parts (or endpoints) of a business process, and even ties multiple processes together. Process orchestration helps you work with the people, systems, and devices you already have – while achieving even the most ambitious goals around end-to-end process automation. 16
17. Process Automation Process Orchestration Task Automation Automation Digitalization Digital Transformation Cloud Transformation
18. Task Automation Process Orchestration
19. Introducing BPMN ISO/IEC 19510 spec maintained by OMG (Object Management Group) Maintained spec Easily understand complex processes; no more spaghetti! Visualization Simplify discussions with stakeholders; unify design and implementation Bridge communication Bus s P o s M el an N ti
20. Orchestration engine Process definitions Version 1 V1 Version 2 Scheduler Durable state
21. Orchestration! PO isn’t automatically entire process = Automated Engine executes an executable process model Engine communicates with IT Systems Engine decides with tasks/service calls Processes can be long-running and that’s ok!
22. ERP CRM Mainframe EXTERNALIZE THE PROCESS Hard-wired spaghetti process Orchestrated processes ERP CRM Mainframe The “process” From hard-wired to orchestrated… TASK AUTOMATION PROCESS ORCHESTRATION
23. The Power of Process Orchestration Visualize what’s actually happening What’s designed is exactly what is implemented and executed Business/IT speaking the same language Align business and IT using a common, standards-based model and language. Tame Complexity Via end to end orchestration across your Customer Journey Drive Home Business Outcomes Much easier to tie Biz/IT Value Conversation together
24. Ok that’s one E2E Process, where do we go now?
25. 25 1⃣ Locate E2E Process 2⃣ Define customer touch points 3⃣ Define Process Goals / Process KPIs (Optional) Validate Business Case with Process Tracking Strategic Process Orchestration 4⃣ Orchestrate Process and Continuously Improve
26. Claims example DMN (Decision Engine) E-Mail Powered by Camunda as Orchestration layer Customer Domain Policy Domain Legal Domain Docs Domain Payment Domain Claims Domain
27. So, how can I use this to drive value?
28. 28 CTO CIO CFO COO Solution architects Software engineers Operations managers (S)VPs Directors (S)VPs LoB leaders Directors Business analysts Subject matter experts End users / clerks Enterprise architects Product owners Strategy focus Operational focus IT Business
29. Strategic view / senior leadership Operational view / business domains Technical view / solution teams Build strategic value at enterprise scale using process orchestration
30. Strategic view / senior leadership Operational view / business domains Technical view / solution teams Level 4 Business capabilities Level 1 Business area Level 5 Integration capabilities Reusable connectors, executable BPMN used for technical integration flows Executable BPMN might implement some business capabilities Level 3 Strategic end-to-end processes implements implements uses uses implements Vehicle insurance: Claims Vehicle accident Vehicle claim handling Document extraction (relaying to AI) Level 2 ▪ Customer journeys (outside-in view) ▪ Value streams (inside-out view) Claim handling Claim management Disbursement Claim approval Build strategic value at enterprise scale using process orchestration
31. Foundation to innovate and to transform Build strategic value at enterprise scale using process orchestration
32. Using process orchestration, build strategic value at enterprise scale Provide centrally to the organization ▪ Platform & Accelerators ▪ Enablement function
33. Adding a Process Orchestration platform as a technical capability will enable efficient solution creation Business capabilities (implemented via legacy systems, COTS, microservices, etc.) Technical capabilities (enabling efficient solution creation) Omnichannel integration End-to-End Process End-to-end process orchestration (e.g. account opening) Fraud Check Payment KYC … Customer Process Orchestration Data Storage, DBs and MDM (Metadata) Logging and Monitoring Event Streaming … API API As a Service API
35. Planning
36. Analysis
37. Design
38. Implementation
39. Testing
40. Maintenance
41. Claims Example DMN (Decision Engine) Claims Domain REST Call Human Work via modern JS UI E-Mail gRPC API Job-Worker Message Queue SOAP Call Home grown legacy Tasklist Camunda 8 out of the box connector Powered by Camunda as Orchestration layer
42. Enterprise Process Orchestration Platform
43. Process orchestration platform installation Solution team owns process model and glue code State managed by the platform, isolated by tenants or cluster Platform state is owned by the solution team (runtime version, contained data, platform configuration, access control) Owned by solution team Led by the business domain Supported and enabled by CoE Owned by CoE Process orchestration platform provisioner Provisioning and management of process orchestration platforms Provisioned and managed as a service Provided by CoE (aaS) Owned by solution team Business capability Technical capability Delivery scope Enterprise scope (CoE) Deployed onto platform that is provided as a service Process solution BPMN A centralized platform improves time to value for projects while maintaining agility
44. Discover Model Develop Run Monitor → Define use case → Capture business objectives and define success metrics → Understand system landscape & process complexity → Define business case → Define technical approach → Define ownership and roles → Model as-is and to-be processes → Define concrete KPIs → Understand the E2E process but define iterations → Define the journey (tracking, human orchestration, step-by-step automation, ...) → Link business and technical model → Detail the model with technical attributes → Set up solution project according to solution architecture → Write glue code → Use (and potentially build) connectors → Write tests → Operate solution in production → Implement change management → Continuously measure KPIs → Analyze problems and propose improvements → Report achieved value internally & externally → Department leaders → Process/product owners → Subject matter experts → Enterprise architects → Business/process analysts → Developers → Enterprise/IT architects → SMEs → Process/product owners → Developers → Enterprise/IT architects → Low-code developers → DevOps → Operations → Clerks → Process/product owners → Business analysts → Whiteboard → Miro → Slides → … → BPMN and collaborative tooling → Process orchestration platform → BPMN modeler → Integrated development environment (IDE) → Process orchestration platform (especially operations tooling) → Process orchestration platform (especially process intelligence tooling), BI tooling WHAT WHO TOOLS Continuous development Iterative development Typical project lifecycle
45. Claims Example 😎 Architect 󰠁 Developer 🗣 C Suite
47. Enterprise Adoption Phases Successful adoption path’s deliver incremental business value and gradually increase process orchestration maturity to onboard more and more teams to the platform in a scalable operating model. Process Orchestration Maturity ▪ Define goals, expected value, scope, and roadmap of your program ▪ Sketch out adoption architecture (incl. CoE setup) ▪ Set up platform ▪ Deliver lighthouse project ▪ Communicate achieved value ▪ Establish structured use case discovery process ▪ Federate delivery and roll out use cases in multiple domains ▪ Develop CoE ▪ Mature platform (accelerators and reusable components) ▪ Communicate value and share knowledge ▪ Onboard further delivery teams ▪ Pull+push principle for new use cases ▪ Support additional use case categories ▪ Enable further personas ▪ Systematically track business value Business Value Scale Establish Launch
48. Discover Typical high-level adoption Roadmap 48 Deliver Scale Vision & Motivation Structure Solution Delivery Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Strategy Alignment Develop roadmap Define operating model and team structure Build Center of Excellence Technology Setup Camunda as integrated platform Design architecture and governance Build accelerators Domain A Use Case 1 Use Case 2 Use Case 3 Discovery MVP Live Prod Delivery Focus Setup Refinement Discovery MVP Live Prod Domain B Use Case 1 Use Case 2 Enablement Focus Discovery MVP Live Prod Measurement Continuous Value Tracking & Reporting Discovery MVP Live Prod Discovery MVP Live Prod Discovery MVP Live Prod Operations and Continuous Improvement
49. 1 2 3 Let’s review Visualize and Implement the Truth in Every Environment Not just Whiteboarding anymore Business/IT on the same Page Speaking the same language via BPMN and Process Orchestration Top Level Strategic Diagram first! Then model the business process, then dive deeper as long as you still have a business outcome in mind
50. 1 2 3 Let’s review Orchestration Hour and BPMN Battles! Twitch.tv/orchestrationhour and https://www.youtube.com/@CamundaTeam Camunda Academy Certification Program too! Community Forum! Join the convo with Biz folks, Devs, and Enterprise Architects!
51. Visit the Camunda Booth! Booth #E343 Play trivia, donate to charities Ask questions Girls Who Code // Oceana // World Food Programme
52. Thank You samantha.holstine@camunda.com jacob.plicque@camunda.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/samantha-holstine-77598916b/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/fanaticgamer1986/ @SamanthaHolstine on GitHub @DuvalKingJacob on all the Socials