Which statement best describes a data object in BPMN?

• A. It can be data inputs or outputs and shows data flowing through a process.
• B. It is used to model the organizational structure.
• C. It controls the start of a process.
• D. It defines the performance metrics.

Answer: (A)

In BPMN, a data object represents information that is used by or produced by activities, signaling what data is needed or created as the process flows. It attaches to tasks with a data association to show inputs and outputs, helping you see how data moves through the process without modeling where that data is stored. This is why declaring that data inputs or outputs exist and that data flows through the process best captures the role of a data object.

It’s not about modeling organizational structure—that’s done with pools and lanes. It doesn’t control when a process starts—that function belongs to start events. And it doesn’t define performance metrics—those belong to process measurements or KPIs defined outside the BPMN diagram.