Learn BPMN: guides & references
Everything you need to read and build BPMN 2.0 diagrams, explained in plain English. New to the notation? Start with What is BPMN? then work through the symbol references.
- What is BPMN? A plain-English guideBPMN (Business Process Model and Notation) is the ISO 19510 standard for diagramming business processes. Learn what it is, why it matters, and its core symbols.
- How to create a BPMN diagram: a beginner's guideA step-by-step guide to creating a BPMN diagram, even if you don't know the notation. Learn the process by hand, or generate one from plain English with AI.
- BPMN symbols explained: the complete 2.0 referenceA complete BPMN 2.0 symbol reference: events, tasks and activities, gateways, sequence and message flows, pools and lanes, and data objects — in plain English.
- BPMN gateways explainedUnderstand BPMN gateway types — exclusive, parallel, inclusive and event-based — with plain-English rules for when to use each and how to avoid deadlocks.
- BPMN events explainedUnderstand BPMN events — start, intermediate and end — plus message, timer and error triggers. Plain-English rules for using events correctly in BPMN 2.0.
- BPMN pools and lanes explainedLearn BPMN pools and lanes: how swimlanes show who does what, when to use multiple pools, and the difference between sequence flows and message flows.
- BPMN vs flowchart: what's the difference?BPMN vs flowchart, explained simply: flowcharts are informal and general; BPMN is a formal standard with precise semantics, swimlanes and executable XML.
- BPMN vs UML activity diagram: which should you use?BPMN vs UML activity diagrams compared: both model flows, but BPMN targets business processes and execution while UML targets software behaviour and design.
- 10 common BPMN mistakes and how to fix themThe most common BPMN modelling mistakes beginners make — unbalanced gateways, wrong flow types, missing end events — and simple rules to fix each one.
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