Value chains and process models down to a still very high-level layer, such as a layer 3, can be modeled by process experts without involving technically skilled people. They should omit all technical details.

To provide the foundation for automated processes, we need to add more details about domain knowledge and some technical details. Therefore, these domain process experts meet with BPM tool experts to jointly define the next level of detail in BPMN. In an analogy to the practice of pair development in agile methodologies, you could call this kind of collaboration pair modeling.

Ideally, the process expert(s) and the tool expert look at the same screen and discuss how to improve the flow of the process model, while the visual representation evolves into variances, exceptions, and better understanding of the involved business objects.

For many organizations that are used to a waterfall process, this is a fundamentally new way of requirement...