Lesson 3 of 3
The rule
Every task in a BPMN diagram should be named as a verb followed by a noun: Approve Request, Review Invoice, Notify Customer, Schedule Interview, Validate Identity.
This is not a stylistic preference. It is a naming convention that the BPMN community, Camunda's modelling guidelines, and Bruce Silver's Method and Style all independently specify — because it produces consistently clearer diagrams.
Why it matters
- Forces clarity — you cannot write 'Admin Work' and call it a task name. The verb forces you to name the action; the noun forces you to name what it acts on.
- Makes diagrams scannable — a stakeholder can skim task names alone and reconstruct the process sequence.
- Bridges to requirements — user stories follow the same verb-noun pattern. 'As a Finance Clerk, I need to review invoices' maps directly from the task label.
- Bridges to automation — verb-noun names translate cleanly to service names and method calls in executable BPMN.
Common mistakes
| Bad name | Problem | Correct name |
|---|---|---|
| Invoice review | Noun first — reads as a document, not an action | Review Invoice |
| The Finance team reviews and approves all submitted invoices | Too long — belongs in a Text Annotation, not a task label | Review Invoice / Approve Invoice (two tasks) |
| Process 3 | Meaningless — no business language | Process Payment |
| Do stuff | Never acceptable | Whatever the actual work is |
| Handle it | Vague — forces the reader to infer what 'it' is | Resolve Invoice Discrepancy |
| Approval | Noun only — missing the verb | Approve Invoice |
| Check if invoice is approved | Describes a gateway condition, not a task | This should be a Gateway label, not a task |
Quick test
Cover every task name on your diagram and ask a colleague to describe what the process does from those names alone. If they can reconstruct the sequence without reading anything else, the naming is clear enough.
Sub-process and gateway naming
The same verb-noun rule applies to Sub-processes: Handle Invoice Discrepancy, not Discrepancy Handling. For gateway labels, a question form works well: Amount above limit? or Invoice matched? — these make the decision logic immediately readable.
✓ When to use
- Every task in every BPMN diagram, without exception
- Sub-process labels — same convention applies
- Sequence flow condition labels — short condition phrases ('In stock', 'Amount > £5,000')
✗ When not to use
- ✕Don't apply verb-noun to gateway labels — use a question form there
- ✕Don't include the lane/role name in the task name — it is redundant