In this section you will find the resources used in the experiments along with the results obtained. If you want to read the results please download the Results Readme for further information on how to use the Excel file.

To enhance the construction of business models, we built a graphic notation based on the components that define the structure of a business model. The symbols are defined in the following catalogue:

NAME	SYMBOL	DEFINITION
Processor		A processor represents an agent in the model capable of performing action. It can be a person, a system or a whole business. It is represented with a circle with a single border and its name in the bottom.
Multiple Leaf		The multiple leaf represents two or more processors that have equal behaviors. It is represented with a doubled border circle with the name of the processor and the number of instances.
Accumulation		An Accumulation represents a component in the model capable of storing value, money or information. It serves to represent resources or to keep track of the number of flowing items. It is represented with a rectangle that has the name of the accumulation in the bottom.
Value Flow and Ports		Value flows represent the exchange of value items between components. Both the value flows and ports are represented with red. The entry port is a red bordered circle and the exit porta red filled circle.
Information Flow and Ports		Information flows represent the exchange of information items between components. Both the value flows and ports are represented with purple. The entry port is a purple bordered circle and the exit port a purple filled circle.
Money Flow		Money flows represent the exchange of money items between components. Both the money flows and ports are represented with green. The entry port is a green bordered circle and the exit port a green filled circle.
Group		Groups allow to manage different levels of abstraction by grouping the processors and accumulations that make up a processor.

In order to test whether BMGL allowed to model and interpret a business model, we conducted two experiments based on an Editorial study case. Below, you will find the description and questions that were given to the subjects when performing the experiment.

The goal of this experiment is to determine your ability to build a business model built using a new modeling language. With this test, we will be able to determine if the language fits the needs of a modeler and adequately represents a business model.

The Alps Editorial (AED) is dedicated to the edition and commercialization of academic textbooks. AED has an operation center in which books are edited and designed, and two satellite offices where clients acquire the books. The business model of the editorial can be described in terms of 5 stages.

Suppliers The editorial works with four suppliers that provide the goods needed to print the books. Two of these suppliers deliver ink, while the other two paper. The editorial manager is in charge of ordering 500 ink units every 15 days and 1000 paper units every 30 days. Along with the orders, the manager sends the corresponding payment. Paper suppliers take 1 day to process the orders while ink suppliers take 6 hours. All suppliers take 2 days to deliver the goods to the editorial’s center where they are stored by the printing chief in the supply warehouse.

Authors The editorial owns a catalog of 200 authors who are invited every 6 months to submit their manuscripts. Out of the 200 authors, 30 answer the call and submit their manuscripts 8 months later. The editorial manager is in charge of inviting authors and receiving the manuscripts to store them in the manuscript archive.

Edition The edition and printing of the books take place in the operation center. Once the manuscripts arrive to the editorial and are stored in the archive, they are removed by the 10 editors who make corrections. The edition takes 20 days per manuscript. Once they are ready, editors store them in the design deposit. 5 designers take the manuscripts out of the deposit to design the book (cover and pages). The design stage takes up to 10 days and once its done, the book is stored in the printing archive. Finally, the printing chief takes out the books and the supplies from the warehouse, to print the copies in 20 printers. Each copy requires an ink and a paper unit, and a whole book can be printed in an hour. At the end of the day, 5 warehouse managers pick the printed copies and store them in the final product warehouse.

Distribution The editorial hires 2 distributors that pick the copies and deliver them to the satellite offices. Distributors pick the copies in the central and take them to both offices (which takes about two hours per office). When the copies arrive, the office manager receives them and stores them in the office warehouse.

Sales AED has 2000 clients who buy the books in the offices. When a client arrives to the office, one of the 4 employees takes the order and receives the client’s payment. Then, it takes the copy out of the warehouse and hands it to the client.

1. Which program/programs are you currently enrolled in?
2. Which semester are you coursing?
3. Do you have experience using modeling languages (BPMN, UML,…)?
   • Yes
   • No
4. If your previous answer was yes, choose from the following list the languages that you have used:
   • UML
   • BPMN
   • Archimate
   • Petri Nets
   • Other:
5. I think that BMGL allows to model a business model.
   • Always
   • In Most of the Cases
   • In Some Cases
   • Never
6. I think that I would use BMGL to build business models.
   • Always
   • In Most of the Cases
   • In Some Cases
   • Never
7. I think that BMGL has too many symbols.
   • Yes
   • No
8. I think that BMGL has redundant symbols
   • Yes
   • No
9. I think that to use BMGL it is necessary to make an effort and have deep knowledge of business models.
   • Yes
   • No

The goal of this experiment is to determine your ability to interpret a business model built with a new modeling language. With this test, we will be able to determine if the language fits the needs of a modeler and adequately represents a business model.

Please identify all the business model components that you find in the model. To do so, use the following formats to fill in the information.

Fill in the processors' information:

Fill in the accumulations' information:

Fill in the ports' information:

Fill in the flows' information:

Based on the identified components, describe in one paragraph what The Alps Editorial does.

1. How would you describe the edition process in the editorial from the arrival of the manuscripts to the printing of the final copies?
2. How long does the edition process of one book takes?
3. Which are the inputs necessary to print a book copy?
4. Which are the functions of the editorial manager?
5. How many orders are made in a month to suppliers? Which suppliers are ordered?
6. Which is the total cost of suppliers' orders?
7. Which is the response rate of the editorial's authors?

1. Which program/programs are you currently enrolled in?
2. Which semester are you coursing?
3. Do you have experience using modeling languages (BPMN, UML,…)?
   • Yes
   • No
4. If your previous answer was yes, choose from the following list the languages that you have used:
   • UML
   • BPMN
   • Archimate
   • Petri Nets
   • Other: __
5. I think that BMGL allows to model a business model.
   • Always
   • In Most of the Cases
   • In Some Cases
   • Never
6. I think that I would be able to interpret business models built with BMGL.
   • Always
   • In Most of the Cases
   • In Some Cases
   • Never
7. I think that BMGL has too many symbols.
   • Yes
   • No
8. I think that BMGL has redundant symbols
   • Yes
   • No
9. Remembering the symbols of the language was difficult while interpreting the model.
   • Yes
   • No
10. I think that to use BMGL it is necessary to make an effort and have deep knowledge of business models.
    • Yes
    • No

In this section you will find the resources used to execute the BMGL experiments along with the results obtained. If you want to read the results please download the BMGL Results Readme for further information on how to use the Excel file.