
Why ShiftX is not using Business Process Model and Notation (BPMN)

How does your business actually work?
Who is involved where? And who is responsible for what?
The answer is often spread across numerous documents, tools, and the know-how of different people. It might live in a two-year-old strategy document, a slide deck from last year, or in the mind of a colleague that is currently on vacation.
If this sounds familiar to you, then you are probably lacking a usable and accessible “single source of truth” on how your business operates. We are not the first to try to solve this problem, but we do approach it from a very different perspective.
Traditional tools
The need to communicate business processes is nothing new and is something leaders do on a daily basis. Often in a textual form or using simple diagramming tools.
High barrier to join in on the mapping
Visualizing business processes, on the other hand, is usually left for trained specialists working with customer journeys, compliance, or enterprise architecture. There are a lot of tools built for these specialists. Many are built around, or at least support BPMN, Business Process Model, and Notation – a graphical and computer-readable notation for describing business processes. This makes for a high barrier of entry.
Demand training
Deciphering and working with BPNM often demands a substantial amount of training and explanation, which again limits the impact your mapping has on your organization since only a fraction of your organization takes part.
Looking for the right software to help you visualize and communicate your business processes? Read our article about the things to consider when choosing a tool for process mapping.
A user-friendly alternative – for inclusion
We strongly believe there is a smarter and more efficient way to go about this. A way to unify the need for visualization with the need for communication. A way for leaders and specialists to work together on understanding, communicating, and improving the business.
To solve this we knew we had to move past BPMN and create a much simpler notation that anyone could use. We had to make the complex art of process modeling into a simple form of storytelling.
With ShiftX, we have built a tool that requires no training to get started using and that gets better as more people join in building a visual and ever-improving representation of how your business works. Read more about what ShiftX does and how it works here.
Try ShiftX for free
Set up your own single-user, free-forever account, or try ShiftX free for 14 days with the rest of your colleagues.