BPMN Diagrams vs. Process Diagrams

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iGrafx offers BPMN standard graphics for modeling behaviors in a BPMN diagram. The BPMN behaviors, including messaging and exception flow, are available in process diagrams as well.

In iGrafx process diagrams, all shapes are activities. An activity can have elements of flow control and synchronization, and it can acquire resources and do work. Process diagrams are free-form connected graphics. You can adopt any diagramming convention you choose, supported by powerful graphical program features.

BPMN restricts what behavior is allowed at a given object in the diagram, and uses the appearance of the object to reflect that restricted behavior. iGrafx reinforces BPMN diagramming conventions and restrictions to help you more quickly create a correct-by-construction BPMN diagram, and warns you of violations as explained in BPMN Modeling Errors.

Both Process and BPMN diagrams have exactly the same modeling features. However, the following diagramming behaviors are different in the BPMN template to support BPMN compliance:

Connector line styles change to reflect the meaning of connected shapes. This affects message lines, sequence flow lines, and compensation associations.
Floating swimlanes are the default for creating BPMN pools.
Indicators are different for certain behaviors. These include the styling of container shapes (embedded subprocesses) and the reusable subprocess indicator, the style of border line for the dimension of an event trigger (start, intermediate, or end), the type of event (e.g. a clock for a Timer event), etc. For information on viewing indicators, see Add Notes, Links, and Indicators.
By default, BPMN differentiates between events sending or receiving a message by using ‘throw’ or ‘catch’ styling indicators. In iGrafx, you can choose indicators for sent and received messages, throwing or catching Errors (faults), etc.