UN/CEFACT's Modeling Methodology (UMM)

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UN/CEFACT's Modeling Methodology, commonly known as UMM is a modeling methodology which is developed by UN/CEFACT.

1 Vision
2 Background
3 Modeling Approach
4 External links
5 Known Implementations

[edit] Vision

A primary vision of UN/CEFACT is to capture the business knowledge that enables the development of low cost software components by software vendors to help the small and medium size companies, and emerging economies engage in e-Business practices. Thus UN/CEFACT’s Modeling Methodology focuses on developing business process and information models in a protocol neutral manner. This approach provides insurance against obsolescence.

[edit] Background

UMM prescribes a standardized way to perform business process and information modeling for E-Commerce.
It uses UML as language (UMM Foundation 1.0 is defined as a UML 1.4 Profile). UMM 2.0 will be defined as a UML 2.1.1 profile and is currently in development.
A modeling process according to the UMM can help to create executable business choreographies in business process languages such as BPEL or BPSS.

[edit] Modeling Approach

In the modeling process, the UMM follows a top-down approach. The methodology is divided in three steps, each of them representing a different level of detail:

The Business Domain View (BDV): In this step, internal as well as interorganizational business processes in the B2B-domain are extracted and organized. This includes the discovery of existing business processes of importance to stakeholders. At this stage, standardized worksheets provide a structured approach. In order to categorize processes, there are classification schemes such as Porters Value Chain, the Supply Chain Operations Reference Model (SCOR) or UN/CEFACT’s Common Business Processes Catalog (CBPC) available.
The Business Requirements View (BRV): The discovered business processes are used in order to identify possible collaborations - which means complementary processes - between the participating business partners and the therefor necessary requirements.
The Business Transaction View (BTV): The further elaboration of the previous view leads to the process's choreography and to more detailed activities. The goal is here to generate reusable transaction patterns. Furthermore, business documents exchanged in business transactions and their structure are described.