The BPSim Resource Perspective

The 'Resource Perspective' targets the involvement of types and roles of workers and other resources in a process, reviewing the required numbers, combinations, costs and availability. Before you define how the resources can be deployed in the process, you must create the appropriate BPMN 2.0 Resource elements within your model. These are then listed in the 'Resource' folder in the Configure BPSim window hierarchy. You can also use ResourceRoles that you might have defined in your model, but it is quicker and easier to create and use any roles you require within the BPSim configuration.

Access

Use one of the methods outlined in this table to open the Configure BPSim window and load a Business Process Simulation Artifact element, using the 'Resource' perspective.

Ribbon

Simulate > BPMN/BPSim > Manage > Open BPSim Manager > click toolbar icon > Select Artifact > [select a Business Process Simulation Artifact] > Set 'Perspective' to 'Resource'

Simulate > BPMN/BPSim > Manage > Open BPSim Manager > click toolbar icon > [select a Package] > Create Artifact : Add New > [provide a name] > Set 'Perspective' to 'Resource'

Simulate > BPMN/BPSim > Manage > Find BPSim Configuration Artifacts > double-click an Artifact in search results > Set 'Perspective' to 'Resource'

Context Menu

In Project Browser or diagram | Right-click Business Process Simulation Artifact | Configure BPSim | Set 'Perspective' to 'Resource'

The Resource Tab

The 'Resource' tab is available when you click on a Resource element in the 'Resource' folder. On this tab, you define how many instances of each resource are available for each calendar period that you have defined, and any roles the resource might be specialized into. You can provide multiple instances of each resource parameter, depending on how the resource availability varies across any defined calendar periods.

When you have finished defining the resource availability, click on the Save button. The 'Resource' tab has no 'Result Request' facility.

Parameter	Description	See also
Availability	In the 'Type' column, select this parameter. In the 'Value' column, click on the drop-down arrow and select either 'True' (the resource is available) or 'False' (this resource is not available). You can also define mechanisms for establishing availability, using the 'Parameter Value' dialog, as long as they result in a value of True or False. In the 'Calendar' column, click on the drop-down arrow and select the calendar period to which this availability applies.	Using the Parameter Value Dialog
Quantity	In the 'Type' column, click on the drop-down arrow and select this parameter. In the 'Value' column, either type in a simple numerical value or click on the drop-down arrow and use the 'Parameter Value' dialog to define a constant or derived value for the quantity of this resource that is available for assignment. In the 'Calendar' column, click on the drop-down arrow and select the calendar period during which this quantity of the resource is available.	Using the Parameter Value Dialog
Role	To add a role to the panel, click on the New Role text and type in the role name. At this point the new roles remain as parameters within the BPSim configuration and are not reproduced in the model.

Parameter

Description

Parameter	Description	See also
Fixed Cost	This parameter defines the fixed cost of calling the resource or activity into use, automatically expressed in the unit of currency defined on the 'Scenario' tab. For example, the call-out fee for an electrician. In the 'Value' column, either type in the cost or click on the drop-down arrow and define how the cost is derived. A derived cost must resolve to a floating or numeric value. If necessary, in the 'Calendar' column click on the drop-down arrow and select the calendar period during which the fixed cost applies.	Using the Parameter Value Dialog
Unit Cost	This parameter defines the unit cost of using the resource or running the activity, automatically expressed in the unit of currency and per the unit of time defined on the 'Scenario' tab. For example, the hourly rate of the electrician. In the 'Value' column, either type in the cost or click on the drop-down arrow and define how the cost is derived. A derived cost must resolve to a floating or numeric value. If necessary, in the 'Calendar' column click on the drop-down arrow and select the calendar period during which the unit cost applies.	Using the Parameter Value Dialog

See also

Fixed Cost

This parameter defines the fixed cost of calling the resource or activity into use, automatically expressed in the unit of currency defined on the 'Scenario' tab. For example, the call-out fee for an electrician.

In the 'Value' column, either type in the cost or click on the drop-down arrow and define how the cost is derived. A derived cost must resolve to a floating or numeric value.

If necessary, in the 'Calendar' column click on the drop-down arrow and select the calendar period during which the fixed cost applies.

Using the Parameter Value Dialog

Unit Cost

This parameter defines the unit cost of using the resource or running the activity, automatically expressed in the unit of currency and per the unit of time defined on the 'Scenario' tab. For example, the hourly rate of the electrician.

In the 'Value' column, either type in the cost or click on the drop-down arrow and define how the cost is derived. A derived cost must resolve to a floating or numeric value.

If necessary, in the 'Calendar' column click on the drop-down arrow and select the calendar period during which the unit cost applies.

Using the Parameter Value Dialog

The ResourceRole Tab

The 'ResourceRole' tab is available when you select an Activity element or Business Process element in the 'BPSim Configuration' hierarchy. Its main purpose is to define the resources for an Activity, but if necessary you can assign resources that act within the Business Process definition itself.

You can apply the resources as defined within the model. Alternatively, you can define a combination of resources and roles that is not identified in the model, which overrides the original definition. For example, the model might show that an Activity 'Take Customer Call' is associated with the resource 'Front Office'. In the BPSim configuration you can qualify that relationship to indicate that the Activity actually uses 50 Front Office staff. But you might instead override the model relationship to indicate that the work can be done by 50 resources from either Front Office or Support, if (for example) the Support resources have the role of Switchboard Operators.

The resource selection for the Activity is also displayed as an expression, at the bottom of the tab.

Panel	Description	See also
Resource Roles defined in BPMN	In this panel, you assign a resource to the selected Activity in the BPMN model, as shown: Click on the Add button, which adds a ResourceRole element to the 'Type' column and to the Activity in the model. Click on the 'BPMN Resource' column and on the button, and select a Resource from the Tagged Values browser (which assigns the resource to the 'ResourceRef' Tagged Value of the new ResourceRole element). If necessary, type a role for the resource in the 'Role(Name)' column (preferably using the roles you defined for the resource on the 'Resource' tab). This value is reflected in the ResourceRole element defined for this Activity. In the 'Quantity' column, the quantity of this resource that the Activity uses on each iteration defaults to 1. If necessary, overtype this number with a different value. Click on the Save button. Note that the quantity is reflected in the 'Advanced Override for Single Resource Role' panel. If you need to add another type of resource, or a different role of the same resource, you can repeat steps 1 to 5 or (preferred) use the Advanced Override. Note that the quantity reflected in the 'Advanced Override for Single Resource Role' panel is for one selected ResourceRole entry.
Advanced Override for Single Resource Role	In this panel, you can define a combination of resources to use in place of a relationship defined in the model. All resources currently defined in the model are automatically listed in the panel. The override applies to a single selected ResourceRole entry in the 'Resource Roles defined in BPMN' panel; if you have more than one entry in this panel, set the 'Quantity' value for the other entries to 0. Select the radio button to indicate whether the combination of resources you are defining is an AND relationship (so many of Resource X and so many of Resource Y at the same time), or an OR relationship (0 to n of Resource X OR 0 to n of Resource Y at any time). Double-click in the 'Quantity Required' column and type the required number of each resource for the activity. Click on the Save button. Note that the 'Resource Selection Expression for Activity' panel at the foot of the tab shows the expression that will apply this combination of resources. If a resource is defined in the 'Resource Roles defined in BPMN' panel, a change to the quantity of that resource is reflected in that panel, but the addition of a subsequent resource in the 'Advanced Override for Single Resource Role' panel changes the value of the 'Quantity' field to 'Override'. If you want to make the role of a resource significant in the combination, you must have at least one resource identified in the upper panel. This adds a 'Role' item to the end of the list in the 'Advanced Override for Single Resource Role' panel. Click on the 'Role' item and on the icon in the 'Resource or Role' column. The 'Roles for Selection' dialog displays, listing the roles available for each resource in the configuration (as you defined on the 'Resource' tab, previously). Select the checkbox against the required role (or more than one role, if appropriate) and click on the Save button. The roles are shown in the 'Resource or Role' column. In the 'Quantity Required' column, type in the required number of resources of this role or these roles. Click on the Save button. The 'Role' item moves underneath the appropriate resource name, and another empty 'Role' item is added to the end of the list. The 'Resource Selection Expression for Activity' panel is updated to show the resource roles you have specified. If you do not want to keep a resource or role in the defined combination, set its 'Quantity Required' value to 0. It will remain at this value while you remain on this Activity, but when you return to the Activity after working elsewhere the field is clear.

Panel

Description