What is the purpose of data objects in BPMN?

• A. Data objects store data persistently in a database.
• B. Data objects show data flowing through a process, by passing information into or out of an activity.
• C. Data objects control the sequence of activities.
• D. Data objects define participant roles.

Answer: (B)

Data objects in BPMN are used to represent information that is used by or produced by activities as the process runs. They illustrate data flowing through the process by showing how information is passed into or out of tasks, helping you understand what data each step needs and what it yields. They’re mainly for documentation and clarity about data requirements and outputs, not for storing data long-term. If you need persistent storage, that would be modeled with a data store rather than a data object. Data objects don’t control the sequence of activities or define who participates; those roles are handled by other BPMN elements like sequence flows, gateways, pools, and lanes.