Association (in BPMN 2.0)

Intro

In BPMN 2.0, an Association is a dotted line connecting artifacts, text annotations, or data to flow objects. In EA, it documents relationships without affecting flow.

Key points:

• Connects supporting information to activities or events
• Does not imply control or sequence flow
• Common use cases: link annotations, show input/output data, attach messages to tasks
• Pitfall: using associations where sequence flow is required

Examples:

• Association linking a data object to a task
• Association connecting a text annotation to a gateway
• Association showing message content attached to an event

In practice:

Apply associations consistently in Business Process Management models.

Related terms: BPMN; Sequence Flow; Data Object

FAQs:

Q: Does an association show control flow?
A: No, it is informational only.

Q: When to use sequence flow instead?
A: When the order of activities needs to be defined.

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