Issue #21 [July 10-July14]
Enterprise Classification Framework: The Art of 'How' to Think About 'What' the Enterprise is
The terms Enterprise Taxonomy or Classification, Enterprise Architecture Frameworks and Enterprise Reference Architecture Frameworks are often confused and used interchangeably. This is the starting of the enterprise puzzle. The Enterprise Rubik Cube has now become the prime game for all enterprises. However, "The rules of logic are to mathematics, as those of structure are to architecture." This week's issue will explain the clear differences between each of these three puzzles. Our discussion will build a solid foundation for the mind-boggling enterprise mazes with the help of the labyrinths of enterprise classification frameworks.
What is Enterprise: Decide ‘A’ Versus ‘The’
An enterprise could be imagined as a set of interacting business processes functioning as a whole and distinguishable from its surroundings by recognizable boundaries. The function of an enterprise depends upon the nature and collaboration of the business processes and usually changes if any process is added, removed or modified.
We can easily understand the nature of any enterprise if we try to align these enterprises with how CIMOSA sees an enterprise, as illustrated in Figure 1.
An enterprise, therefore, consists of a few domain process boundaries collaborating with the value chains enabled through business process integration. Figure 1 shows the matrix nature of an enterprise. This diagram is a modified version of CIMOSA based decomposition of Domain Model into granular Functional Entities. This simplified diagram clearly explains the decomposition of an enterprise into a matrix. Each Functional Operation represents functionalities (sub-activities) and Functional entities represent technology (aggregation of resources). Each Functional Operation may be executed by one or more Functional Entities, which means that two different Functional Entities may share a common concern. At this point, Enterprises could be imagined as a matrix of macro level activities and micro level Functional Entities.
Therefore, enterprise could be depicted in UML, as illustrated in Figure 2.
The story starts with the creation of Enterprise Architecture. Enterprise architecture is ultimately a developed landscape to walk with in terms of enterprise business problem solution. This enterprise architecture is eventually a view representation of the entire system from the stakeholders’ perspective and realization of the associated set of concerns. Enterprise views are the input criteria for any enterprise architects to design the right enterprise architecture. Enterprise viewpoint covers the concerns of the enterprise stakeholders, which eventually realizes into specific views. This view versus viewpoints relationship could be compared with the object oriented class concepts where viewpoints are abstract class type natured and views are concrete class type. Figure 3 depicts the relationship between views and viewpoints.
Creation of ‘The’ Enterprise Architecture is therefore an implementation of the associated views of that system boundary that involves following sequential steps:
- Identification of enterprise entity
- Identification of the associated stakeholders (Effective way is to use the onion model as discussed in the last issue)
- Identify the concerns
- Identify the viewpoints
- Derive the views based on the identified viewpoints
- Implement the views
Success of “The” Enterprise Architecture therefore involves a careful consideration of views and viewpoints.
Enterprise Classification or Translation Framework
An enterprise classification framework organizes the explicit knowledge and intelligence of the enterprise business entity in an efficient way on the basis of stakeholders’ views and viewpoints to help build enterprise architecture. On the other hand, Enterprise Architecture Framework builds the enterprise considering classification information. The Enterprise Classification Framework is an analytical tool that facilitates clear descriptive representations of any complex adaptive enterprise system. Figure 4 explains where this Enterprise Classification comes into the Enterprise Architecture Framework Puzzle stack.
Enterprise classification provides the following benefits to Enterprise Architecture:
- Accumulates all disjoint or noncohessive information intelligence about the enterprise business entity
- Elaborates the fuzzy enterprise boundary
- Helps to transform a chaos to an ordered enterprise system
- Enables an integrated operative systems that bridges the gap between the business and technology
- Acts as an analytical information intelligence system that provides enterprise a common integration baseline.
Figure 5 depicts the top-down approach of architecture development process:
Enterprise Classification Framework generates a set of information that helps us build up the actual enterprise architecture easily and quickly.
Enterprise Architectural Concepts and Enterprise Classification Framework Contribution
In Issue 11, we introduced the concepts of Enterprise Architecture as told by GERAM. Table 1 summarizes those areas where Enterprise Classification Framework provides substantial contribution:
Figure 6 depicts the contribution of enterprise classification framework within the Enterprise Architecture Framework context:
The Enterprise Classification Framework and Enterprise Architecture Framework are therefore not a substitution of the other; they are complimentary to each other.
Conclusion
Enterprise Classification Framework is an excellent way to classify or translate the Enterprise Business Entity information into Enterprise Architecture Requirements. This week we have introduced the concept of Enterprise Classification Framework that helps us quickly build a solid EA foundation. Next week, we will introduce the creation of an MDA-based enterprise classification framework called E = MC2 where the Matrix Enterprise is powered by models and driven by cross-cutting concerns. The discussion will also highlight the position of the Zachman framework as an Enterprise Classification Framework.
References
- [GERAM] GERAM: Generalised Enterprise Reference Architecture and Methodology. Version 1.6.3 ( http://www.cit.gu.edu.au/~bernus/taskforce/geram ) also in P.Bernus, L.Nemes and G. Schmidt (Eds) Handbook on Enterprise Architecture, Berlin : Springer (2003) pp 22-64.
- Handbook on Enterprise Architecture, by Bernus, P., Nemes, L. and G. Schmidt (eds.) , Springer, (2003), ISBN is 3540003436
- [CIMOSA] http://www.pera.net/Methodologies/Cimosa/CIMOSA.html
- Extending and Formalising the framework for information systems architecture by J.A.Zachman and J.F.Sowa Published in IBM Systems Journal, 31(3): p 590-616, 1992
