A Method for Extracting BPMN Models from Textual Descriptions Using Natural Language Processing

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Business Process Model and Notation (BPMN) is a standard for formally modeling complex business processes. Manual creation of BPMN models can be time-consuming and error-prone, prompting a need for automation. Existing approaches, such as rule-based methods, machine learning, and machine translation, have progressed but face accuracy and real-world applicability challenges. In this research paper, we propose a novel method for automated extraction of BPMN models from textual descriptions using natural language processing (NLP) tools and deep learning models, including the spaCy library for text processing, a fine-tuned BERT model, and state-of-the-art large language models like GPT-3.5-Turbo and GPT-4. We utilize Graphviz, an open-source graph visualization software, to visualize the extracted processes. Our method supports representing tasks, exclusive gateways, parallel gateways, and start and end events in the generated BPMN models. The evaluation of 31 textual descriptions shows that our method generates process models with 96% accuracy using GPT-4 and 80% accuracy using GPT-3.5-Turbo large language models. Although subject to certain limitations, such as occasional inaccuracies in model outputs and reliance on well-formed input text, our approach offers a valuable contribution to the growing body of research on automating BPMN model generation.