What is an Activity Model Step?
An activity model is a structured representation of a process, system behaviour, or workflow. It breaks down complex activities into manageable steps or actions.
A step in an activity model refers to a discrete action or unit of work that contributes to the completion of the overall activity. Each step represents a specific operation, decision, or transition that must occur for the process to move forward.
Think of an activity model as a flowchart or a BPMN diagram: each box or symbol in that model represents a “step” — that’s what we’re calling an activity model step.
Characteristics of an Activity Model Step
- Atomic: Usually represents a single action or decision.
- Sequenced: Has a defined order in the workflow.
- Contextual: Only meaningful within the scope of the full activity model.
- May Have Preconditions or Postconditions: Some steps depend on others to be completed.
Synonyms and Equivalent Terms
Depending on your domain (e.g., business, software engineering, systems modeling), here are context-specific alternatives:
| Term | Use Case / Context |
|---|---|
| Process Step | Business process modeling, general workflows |
| Workflow Step | Automation, task routing systems |
| Task | General term in project or systems modeling |
| Operation | More common in software, technical processes |
| Action | Generic, often used in UML/activity diagrams |
| Activity Node | Specific to UML Activity Diagrams |
| Function Step | Functional decomposition or systems engineering |
| Event | In event-driven modeling or simulation contexts |
Examples
- Business Process Model:
- Activity: Order Fulfillment
- Steps: Receive Order, Check Inventory, Process Payment, Ship Product
- Each of these is an activity model step.
- Software Workflow:
- Activity: User Registration
- Steps: Enter Info, Verify Email, Create Account
- These are atomic actions in the model.