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Diagrams
One of the most important sections within the Synthis Process Modeler workspace is the ‘Diagram Window’. This is where you define your process flows and create your process maps. To avoid confusion, all of the other windows have been closed.
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Please note that terms such as “process map”, “process flow”, and “flow chart” are used interchangeably my many industry practitioners. By contrast, a process model typically consists of one or more process maps (two-dimensional pictures) and the associated details that describe each process in more detail.Explorer Tree
The ‘Explorer Tree’, pictured to the left of the ‘Diagram Window’ in the screenshot below, helps organize and manage your diagrams and all of the reusable Elements that are used to create Process Maps and other types of diagrams.
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By default, all of your Process Map diagrams are listed alphabetically in a folder labeled “Process Maps”. Each reusable Element appears either:- Underneath the Process Map(s) it has been assigned to.
- In the “Unassigned” folder.
Stencils
The following screenshot shows the ‘Stencils Window’, located between the ‘Explorer Tree’ and the ‘Diagram Window’. Dragging and dropping a shape from a stencil onto a diagram is the easiest way to create new Elements for a new Process Map.
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The easiest way to begin creating your first Process Map is to drag-and-drop shapes from the stencil onto the diagram, as follows:- Click on a shape in the stencil (hold down the left mouse button)
- Move the mouse to the desired drop location on the diagram
- Let go of the left mouse button
Opening Additional Stencils
When you first launch the Process Modeler, the “People” and “Process Mapping” stencils should be open and visible in the “Stencils” panel. To open and browse additional Stencils:- Clicn on the “File” menu
- Click on the “Stencils” sub-menu
- Click on a stancil in the list to open it in the “Stencils” panel.
Layers
The following screenshot shows the ‘Layers Window’, pictured beneath the ‘Stencils Window’. The ‘Layers Window’ is used to create additional diagramming layers that can be optionally hidden, locked, and merged with other layers.
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Layers are extremely helpful for creating swimlane diagrams, for creating multiple variations of a process flow, and for creating annotation layers that can be optionally shown and hidden.Unassigned Elements
The default view within the ‘Explorer Tree’ automatically sorts all of your Elements based on which Process Maps they are assigned to. All Elements that are not “assigned” to at least one Process Map are listed in the “Unassigned” folder. As Elements become “assigned”, they automatically move out of the “unassigned” folder and are listed under the appropriate Process Map(s).
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Assigned Elements
Elements are considered to be “assigned” to a Process Map if they appear on a given Process Map or if they are linked to a Process Map through one or more object relationships.
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To help illustrate some of the ways in which Elements are automatically classified as “assigned”, all of the Elements in the following example would appear under “Process Map 1″ as “Assigned Elements”:Role A is assigned as the Owner of Process Map 1. Andy is assigned to Role A.
Activity B appears on Process Map 1. Role B is assigned as the Owner of Activity B. Bob is assigned to Role B.
Risk C is assigned to Process Map 1. Control Objective C is assigned to Risk C. Role C is assigned as the Owner of Control Objective C. Chris is assigned to Role C.
Multi-Activity D appears on Process Map 1. Activity D is assigned as a Nested Activity within Multi-Activity D. Role D is assigned as the Owner of Activity D. Dan is assigned to Role D.As was mentioned above, the main purpose of this view within the ‘Explorer Tree’ is to display the Elements in a logical and organized fashion. Additional tree views with different sorting and filtering rules are planned for future releases.
Element Properties
The ‘Element Properties’ window appears below the ‘Diagram Window’ and is used to capture, view, and edit detailed information about a Process Map or Element.
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If the ‘Element Properties’ window is already open, clicking once on any Element that appears on a Process Map diagram displays that element’s properties in the ‘Element Properties’ window. If the ‘Element Properties’ window is closed, a double-click on the Element is required to open and display the selected element’s properties in the ‘Element Properties’ window. The ‘Element Properties’ for an element can also be accessed by double-clicking on the Element in the ‘Explorer Tree’, or right-clicking on the Element and selecting the ‘Edit’ option.Object Relationships
The following screenshot shows the following three Elements in the ‘Unassigned’ folder:- Untitled Role 1
- Untitled Requirement 1
- Untitled Standard 1
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In order to assign ‘Untitled Role 1′ as the ‘Owner’ of ‘Untitled Activity 1′:- Click on ‘Untitled Role 1′ in the ‘Explorer Tree’.
- With your left mouse button held down, drag ‘Untitled Role 1′ to the ‘Owner’ table in the ‘Element Properties’ window.
- Let go of the left mouse button to “drop” ‘Untitled Role 1′ onto the ‘Owner’ table and complete the assignment.
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When complete, you will see each of your “Related Elements” listed in the appropriate section of the ‘Element Properties’ window for ‘Untitled Activity 1′. You will also notice that the Elements no longer appear in the ‘Unassigned’ folder. The ‘Explorer Tree’ has been automatically updated to reflect that these Elements are now “Assigned” to ‘Untitled Process Map 1′ (the Process Map that ‘Untitled Activity 1′ appears on).
