Message Event vs. receiveTask

[Farrukh Najmi]

I am wondering what are the guidelines as to when to use a Message
Event vs. a receiveTask. They both seem to do something very similar
which is to wait for a message to arrive.

Any one have any guidance?

[Keith Swenson]

As you mention, you have a choice, and it is pretty much up to personal preference.  Personally, I have never seen the point of the "receive task".  I prefer to use rounded rectangles for things where you are "doing" something, and waiting for a message is not really active enough to qualify.  Thus I would recommend always use the message event when waiting for a message, and never the receive task.  I believe I have seen Bruce Silver recommend the same thing.

The flip side of this argument is between the "send message event" and the "send message task".  In this case, the sending of a message is a much more active thing, and I prefer to use always use the task (rounded rectangle) and never the event that sends a message.  I personally think that consistently using an activity to send, and an event to receive, makes diagrams more readable.

-Keith

[Farrukh Najmi]

Many thanks! The pattern you suggest and the rationale behind it seems to make good sense.

Still waiting for my copy of Bruce's book ( http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0982368100/ref=oss_product ) to arrive which I hope will improve the quality of my questions :-)

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Regards,
Farrukh

[Bruce Silver]

Technically, a task has a ‘performer’ while an event does not, so you could make the argument that a lane has meaning for Send/Receive task but not for message event.  However, in a process initiated by request (message), it is nice to return final status from message end events.  If you want lanes in the diagram to indicate the sender of a message, it is ok to adopt the convention that the lane has significance for message events as well.

 

BPMN messages pose some problems in aligning Level 1 descriptive non-executable modeling with Level 3 executable.  At Level 1, message means any communication between the process and outside, including paper mail, phone call, etc.  At Level 3, it really means application-to-application message like SOAP or JMS.  I often try to split the difference, using a User task to send or receive but showing message flow.

 

Bruce Silver

Principal, Bruce Silver Associates/BPMessentials

br...@brsilver.com

www.brsilver.com

+1 831.685.8803