Introduction
In the knowledge base article How to use Decision Requirements Graphs to visualize ad-hoc tasks in business process modeling, we discussed how Decision Requirements Graphs help visualize ad-hoc tasks. This article was written as a response to often heard comments on ad-hoc task modeling regarding insight and overview when modeling business processes with ad hoc tasks rather than (work)flow oriented tasks. Many people are concerned that - when using ad-hoc tasks - the business process model becomes difficult to understand and maintain.
This article is a follow-up on the article mentioned above and discusses a clear and insightful process design, using phases, (ad-hoc) tasks, decisions and milestones. Below a schematic outline of such a process is shown.
Process design
One of the aspects of the process design shown here is that at the highest level, we speak of phases rather than processes. A phase is a moment within the entire process when you are free to perform a lot of tasks that are applicable in that phase and contribute to the goal of the phase. The goal of the phase is called a milestone (depicted by a diamond 
). Whether a milestone is reached or not is merely a decision, based on availability of data and artifacts, not on the completion of tasks.
The tasks within a phase are mostly ad-hoc or automated, but this is not necessary. Blueriq has the ability to mix ad-hoc and automated tasks with flow-oriented tasks. The most important aspect of this process design is that it the availability and necessity of the tasks depends on the availability of data and artifacts, and not on the completion of other tasks.
Overview
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