Editing Business process modeling (section)

=== Business process integration ===
[[File:Process and data modeling.svg|thumb|320px|Example of the interaction between business process and data models<ref name="SS93"/>]]
A business model, which may be considered an elaboration of a business process model, typically shows business data and business organizations as well as business processes. By showing business processes and their information flows, a business model allows business stakeholders to define, understand, and validate their business enterprise. The [[data model]] part of the business model shows how business information is stored, which is useful for developing [[software code]]. See the figure on the right for an example of the interaction between business process models and data models.<ref name="SS93">Paul R. Smith & Richard Sarfaty (1993). [http://www.osti.gov/energycitations/servlets/purl/10160331-YhIRrY/ Creating a strategic plan for configuration management using Computer Aided Software Engineering (CASE) tools.] Paper For 1993 National DOE/Contractors and Facilities CAD/CAE User's Group.</ref>

Usually, a business model is created after conducting an interview, which is part of the [[business analysis]] process. The interview consists of a facilitator asking a series of questions to extract information about the subject business process. The interviewer is referred to as a facilitator to emphasize that it is the participants, not the facilitator, who provide the business process information. Although the facilitator should have some knowledge of the subject business process, but this is not as important as the mastery of a pragmatic and rigorous method interviewing business experts. The method is important because for most enterprises a team of facilitators is needed to collect information across the enterprise, and the findings of all the interviewers must be compiled and integrated once completed.<ref name="SS93"/>

Business models are developed to define either the current state of the process, resulting in the 'as is' snapshot model, or a vision of what the process should evolve into, leading to a 'to be' model. By comparing and contrasting the 'as is' and 'to be' models, business analysts can determine if existing business processes and information systems require minor modifications or if reengineering is necessary to enhance efficiency. As a result, business process modeling and subsequent analysis can fundamentally reshape the way an enterprise conducts its operations.<ref name="SS93"/>