Event Context

Intro

An event context is the set of activities that can be interrupted by an exception in BPMN. It matters because modeling context boundaries clarifies where interrupts apply.

Key points:

• Can be one task or a group within an expanded sub‑process.
• Defines the scope for boundary intermediate events.
• Common use cases: timeouts, cancellations, external messages interrupting work.
• Pitfall: attaching interrupts without clear context, causing unexpected behavior.

Examples:

• Order picking interrupted by a cancellation message.
• Data load task interrupted by a timeout event.
• Verification sub‑process interrupted by an error event.

In practice:

Explicitly mark the activity or sub‑process scope for each boundary event and test interrupt paths.

Related terms: intermediate-event; boundary-event; sub-process

FAQs:

Q: Can multiple interrupts apply to one context?
A: Yes; each boundary event defines a distinct interrupt path.

Q: Do non‑interrupting events change the context?
A: They run in parallel without stopping the activity.