Oracle Designer : Process Modeler vs. Dataflow Diagrammer

Question

Hi,
I have several questions about the integration between Process Modeler and DF Diagrammer, they seem to be quite similar, even if in the first we can define Organization Units (that are equal to Business Units), while in the second tool we can add the information about the entities and attributes related to a certain function, specying better the data flow between business functions.
So, it seems that both tools are necessary to decompose business process, to specify which organization units perform a certain activity, to definy dataflow and which entities/attributes are related to a certain business function.
In this case, what is the correct way to use both these tools, avoiding creating double diagrams (one with the Process Modeler, the other with the Dataflow Diagrammer) ? Does anyone know if there is any guideline provided by Oracle ?
My idea is to create a huge DFD, using all the process steps defined within the Process Modeler at the lowest level of the diagram (including them as global functions), specifying the dataflow between each other and the entities related to the single process steps (in the DFD they are called business functions).
Has anyone ever followed an approach like this ?
Thank you very much !!
Flavia & Rodrigo

Answer 1

Unfortunately, these two diagram tools are not as well integrated with Designer as I would like. They also do not play well together. Normally, I want a process model to show an overview, and want to choose whether to hide the details of a process, requiring a drill down, or expand them on the same diagram. In a DFD, however, I always want to drill down to expand each process. In Designer, you must choose, break processes into sub-processes, or have one big process, you can't have it both ways. Effectively, I must choose to use the Process Modeller or the Data Flow Diagrammer, but not both. For communication with users, I prefer Process Models, but having one big process not only screws up the DFD, it also screws up the Functional Hierarchy Diagrammer, which eventually can screw up any menus you generate.
There is also a problem with the "swim lanes" in the Process Modeler. They have nothing to do with the External data sources and sinks in the DFD. They also don't generate security and role information in the physical design.
These are areas where Designer could use some improvements, but it isn't going to get them. Oracle has decided that Designer is "mature" and is now in maintenance mode.