BPMNben

BPMNben is a term used in the field of business process modeling to denote a set of recommended practices for using BPMN 2.0 diagrams. It is not an official standard, but a concept that practitioners describe in tutorials and forums to improve diagram quality.

Originating in community discussions around BPMN notation, BPMNben is applied as guidance for making process models more readable, maintainable, and interoperable across teams and toolchains.

The core ideas of BPMNben include prioritizing readability through clear naming and limited nesting, using subprocesses to encapsulate detail, and applying consistent gateway and event usage to avoid ambiguity. It also emphasizes modularity by decomposing complex processes into reusable components, and it recommends disciplined use of pools and lanes to reflect organizational roles. Documentation is encouraged through text annotations and concise descriptions, while avoiding excessive data objects and overly long symbol strings.

In practice, BPMNben supports teams who share models across tools such as Camunda, Signavio, and Visio, by promoting common conventions for diagram structure, naming, and versioning. It remains a guidance framework rather than a formal methodology, allowing organizations to adapt its rules to their governance needs.

Critics note that BPMNben is subjective and can lead to recycling or over-polishing of diagrams if applied rigidly. Because it is not codified, adherence depends on community norms rather than an accreditation process.

See also: BPMN, Business Process Management, Process modeling guidelines.