Animating business process diagram

By animating a business process diagram with Animacian, you can see the flow of tasks within a process, from the beginning until the end. This does not only help to understand a process, but also trace the bottleneck and look for improvements.

Launching an animation

1. Select Modeling > Animacian... from the main menu.
2. In Business Process Diagram Animacian dialog box, select a path and then click Play.
   

   Clicking Play in Business Process Diagram Animacian dialog box

   NOTE:

   Animacian can also be started by using any of the ways below: Right-click on the diagram background and select Utilities > Animacian... from the popup menu. Click the drop-down menu of Modeling Tools and select Animacian... on the toolbar.

Overview of Animacian

The Business Process Diagram Animacian dialog box will pop out after clicking Animacian.... This dialog box is where you can select an execution path to play an animation.

Business Process Diagram Animacian dialog box

No. Name Description 1 Backward Move one shape backward in the flow. 2 Play Play or continue to play the animation with Animacian minimized. 3 Stop Terminate the animation. 4 Forward Advance to the next shape in the flow. 5 Slider It is used for controlling the flow of animation. 6 Paths It provides two ways of producing animation for the possible paths. Automatic: It is chosen by default. This helps you to detect all possible paths automatically. Manual: Choose this option when you want to select the possible path(s) manually. 7 Paths list It lists all possible ways of executing a business process. By default, paths are named as Path1, Path2, and so forth. You can rename them by double clicking on them and giving meaningful names. 8 Components list It displays all components of the selected path. Pressing on a component will highlight the first shape of the chosen path until the chosen shape in the diagram. 9 Refresh It is used for re-identifying the paths base on filter assignment and diagram content. 10 Filter... It helps removing the non-selected paths by specifying the end result of fork nodes. 11 Filter invisible shapes A shape can be set invisible on a diagram, or become invisible due to belonging to an invisible layer. By checking this option, invisible shapes will be ignored when calculating paths. By unchecking, invisible path will be included when calculating paths. By unchecking, you will see a black ball fly on diagram without attaching to the invisible shape(s) when executing a path. 12 Flow It provides three options for viewing the possible paths in Paths list. All Flow: Make a path continue when reaching sequence and message flow. Sequence Flow Only: Ignore message flows on diagram. When a path reaches a message flow, end the path. Message Flow Only: Ignore sequence flows on diagram. When a path reaches a message flow, end the path. 13 Export to Flash... Select an output path for exporting this diagram's animation to Adobe Flash. 14 Minimize Click to minimize this dialog box. 15 Options pane The Options pane helps you to configure animation. Show invalid paths: It lists not only the valid and selected path, but also the invalid and non-playable paths in the Paths list. Dim other path: It dims the components that are not a part of the selected path. Show start node when switch path: Jump to the first node of the selected path, or keep staying at the current viewing field. Minimize when play: It minimizes this dialog box when playing an animation. Lock diagram when playing: It locks the diagram when playing the animation to prevent accidental editing. Show documentation when playing: It shows documentation of shape at the bottom right of diagram when playing the animation. Play voice when playing: Voice can be recorded as documentation of model element. Check this if you want to play recorded voice when running animation. 16 Advanced Options... It provides the color and speed options for animation. 17 OK Click this button to confirm the settings and close Animacian. 18 Cancel Click this button to close Animacian without saving the editing.

Description of Business Process Diagram Animacian dialog box

Advanced options

Advanced Options dialog box

Name Description Visited error fill color The background color of visited shape that cause an error. An error means the flow object that causes a path invalid. Visited fill color The background color of visited shapes. Active shape initial fill color When playing an animation, a tiny black ball will traverse the chosen path, from one shape to another. When it reaches a shape, the shape will render with a transition effect that means transiting from an initial color to visited fill color. This option manages the initial background color for visiting shape. Visited line color The line color of visited shapes. Visited font color The font color of visited shapes. Visited line width The thickness of visited shape's border. Ball color The color of ball that goes through a path during animation for indicating the progress of flow. Speed The pace of animation. Flash progress bar background color 1 The background color for the top of progress bar in exported Flash movie. Flash progress bar background color 2 The background color for the bottom of progress bar in exported Flash movie.

The description of Advanced Options dialog box

Naming a path

The Paths list displays all possible animation paths of your diagram. Each path represents a possible way to go through the diagram. By default, paths are named as Path1, Path2, and so forth. It is recommended to name to the path(s) for better clarification.

1. To rename a path, move the mouse pointer on a path in the list and double click on it.
2. Enter the name of path.
3. Press Enter to confirm editing.
   

   Naming the paths

Creating a manual path

In Business Process Diagram Animacian dialog box, all paths are listed in Paths list by default. However, you can manage the flow of animation with your own choice. To create a manual path:

1. Select Manual in Paths.
   

   Selecting Manual in Paths

2. Press Add Path to insert a new path.
3. Select the shapes that are shown on the Components list to direct the flow of animation.
4. Click OK to confirm editing.

Handling decision

You should choose an outgoing flow when there is a gateway in the flow. Different decisions will lead to different forks and make a different outcome for the flow of animation. Make either decision to view the outcome.

Making a decision for the flow of path

Reviewing an animation

1. When everything is ready, click Play to start the animation of the selected path.
2. After click Play, Business Process Diagram Animacian dialog box will be minimized to the bottom of your diagram, with several buttons and a slider revealing on it.
   

   Button Name Description Backward Move one shape backward in the flow. Pause Temporary stop playing the movie. Press Play to continue to play. Play Play or continue to play the animation. Forward Advance to the next shape in the flow. Stop Terminate the animation. Maximize Maximize Animacian.

   Description of Animacian bar

3. When the animation starts, a black ball will appear at beginning of path and traverse through the path until the end.
4. When the black ball reaches a shape, the shape will turn into purple.
   

   Reviewing the animation