Exercise 13

Bank robbery

Background

You are a member of a robbery gang that is planning to rob a bank. There are three members in your group. The characters and their duties are described below. Your trainer will tell you for which member you are assigned to model the process.

HINT: Communication between gang members is key to a successful robbery. Ensure you model signals and messages correctly.

Big Boss (Leader)

You are the big boss. You recognize your gang is broke. Therefore, you are planning a bank robbery.

First, you case a bank. You base your decision on the number of security guards. If a bank has more than five security guards, you case another bank. If the bank has five or fewer security guards, you continue to plan the robbery. You are a superstitious person, so you read your horoscope every day. If the horoscope for a given day is positive, you feel ready to commit the robbery. That is the day when you tell all of your gang members that the theft is on and you wait for two messages. One from Pia Pyro (the safecracker) and one from Burke Burger (the driver) telling you that they are ready. When both messages have arrived, you go on and enter the bank. After entering the bank, you point your gun and shout at the people to get down. If anyone doesn’t follow your orders, you repeat this action till everyone lies on the ground. When everyone is down, you call Pia Pyro and phone your mom (the real leader of the crime gang). Then you wait until one of the following happens:

  • The police arrive! In that case, you would inform the gang that the robbery is called off.

  • 20 Minutes have passed. In this case, you call the robbery off, too.

  • Pia Pyro is successful. In this case, you get into the car, which means that you robbed the bank successfully. Still, it could happen that Burke Burger (your driver) has disappeared with the car. Then you are in big trouble!

Optional subprocess:

If you’ve managed to model the above process, convert the “phone mom” task to a call activity and model the following situation: Dial your mom's number and wait until she answers the phone. Tell your mom you’re robbing a bank – if she likes the idea, take all the credit. Otherwise, blame your gang members. Also if at any point she puts your dad on the phone – hang up!

Assignment:

  • Model the process of your character in one pool

  • Later, you will meet up with other attendees who have modeled the same character

  • After that, you will be part of a group to form a gang. All three models will be put into the same file with a pool for each character. Discuss your model and try to come up with the message flows between the pools. Your models will likely need adjustment to take the other gang member’s activities into account.

Pia Pyro (Safe cracker)

You are the safecracker. You will get a signal from your boss if the robbery is on. Then you start packing your tools. After that, you need to wait for your companion Burke Burger (the driver) to pick you up with a stolen car. He will let you know when he arrives at your house. After you got the message, you load your tools into the trunk, get into the car and when you arrive at the bank, tell your boss that you are ready.

Then you wait till your boss tells you to enter the bank. You make your way to the safe. Now the tricky part starts. You need to bypass the alarm and work on opening the lock. If the alarm is triggered during one of those two activities, you need to be very fast. You will take out your TNT and blow up the safe. When the safe is open, you get the money and inform your boss. Together, you get into the car and celebrate the coup.

It could happen that during the safecracking part your boss calls the robbery off. In that case, you need to run out of the bank and escape.

Optional subprocess:

If you’ve managed to model the above process, convert the “Bypass Alarm” task to a call activity and model the following situation: Disconnect the blue wire, then the yellow wire – if a red light flashes while doing this, quickly reconnect the cables and try again. Otherwise, you have successfully disabled the alarm.

Assignment:

  • Model the process of your character in one pool

  • Later, you will meet up with other attendees who have modeled the same character

  • After that, you will be part of a group to form a gang. All three models will be put into the same file with a pool for each character. Discuss your model and try to come up with the message flows between the pools. Your models will likely need adjustment to take the other gang member’s activities into account.

Burke Burger (The driver)

Your job is to drive the car. You will get a signal from your boss as soon as the robbery is on. That means you have to steal a car. After you have stolen a car, you pick up your chum Pia Pyro (the safecracker). Let her know when you arrive at her house (blow the horn), wait until she has entered the vehicle and drive to the bank. If she didn’t show up after five minutes, toot the horn again and keep doing so every five minutes until she eventually recognizes you. Then you tell your boss that you are ready. Your work is almost done. In fact, for you, the most anxious moment is to steal the car.

Now you just need to wait till for one of the following events to happen:

  • If your boss and the safecracker jump into your car, you need to drive to the hideout.

  • If your boss calls the robbery off, you drive off, burn the car and hide.

  • You are a very foody person, so if you feel hungry, you would leave the bank and go with the car to the nearest burger place. After eating your hamburger, you will realize that you have left your gang in trouble. If that happens, you got kicked out of the group.

Optional subprocess:

If you’ve managed to model the above process, convert the “Steal a car” task to a call activity and model the following situation: If it comes to food you might be not the most reliable person, but you are inalienable for stealing a car. For stealing a car, you do the following: You go to a big parking area and case a car. If a car has just two doors, it is not suitable for a robbery. Only if a car has four doors and a trunk, you go on with committing the theft. Then you need to unlock the car and turn off the alarm. If you succeed, you go on and hot-wire the vehicle. You will hear the motor, and you know your thievery has been successful. If someone noticed that you are stealing a car after you broke into it, run off and start over by making your way to another big parking area.

Assignment:

  • Model the process of your character in one pool

  • Later, you will meet up with other attendees who have modeled the same character

  • After that, you will be part of a group to form a gang. All three models will be put into the same file with a pool for each character. Discuss your model and try to come up with the message flows between the pools. Your models will likely need adjustment to take the other gang member’s activities into account.

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