Modeling process input/output

Started by TEK, June 29, 2022, 09:52:29 AM

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TEK

Hi

I'm having a issue that I do not quite understnad why I'm having as it is so basic that it should not be a issue at all. However, it is and I really would appricate some input.

I want to model a process. The process has input and it produces a resultat (output).
This is from the archimate 3.1 specification:
"A business process represents a sequence of business behaviors that achieves a specific result such as a defined set of products or business services."

Lets say this example:
I have a process, "Baking bread".
To perform the process I need flour, so flour is input to the process. The process produces bred, so Bred is output from the process.

My issue is that I cannot for the life of me figure out how to actually model this simple process with one input and one output.
Could anyone share how they would do it?

Process: Baking bread
Input: Flour
Output: Bread

Jean-Baptiste Sarrodie

Hi,

In your example, the basic idea is to have one Business Process (Baking bread) and two Business Objects (Flour and Bread). Your Business Process accesses both Business Objects with one nuance: it has a "read" access relationship with Flour and a "write" access relationship with Bread.



Regards,

JB
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TEK


I think I was hung-up on the "realises" connection. I really wanted the process to realize the result, and that was not possible, and then I got limited in my thinking.

Your suggesting on using the accesses, and then utilize the option to describe the access should work great. Thanks a lot for your help.

Jean-Baptiste Sarrodie

Hi,

Quote from: TEK on July 01, 2022, 08:41:09 AMI really wanted the process to realize the result

It indeed does, but not the way you think : the Business Process realizes a Business Service which in turn can be part of Product.

Regards,

JB
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ChampagnePerry

Hi,
I think that I would use the Material object for Flour and Bread as they are very physical concepts.
Screenshot 2022-07-04 130304.png
Business Objects are more usually used to represent data concepts.
Could also expand to show the oven providing a service to the process.
Regards
PP

Jean-Baptiste Sarrodie

Hi,

Quote from: ChampagnePerry on July 04, 2022, 13:05:25 PMI think that I would use the Material object for Flour and Bread as they are very physical concepts.

It all depends of the goal you have when modeling the process. If the goal is to further describe the management of stocks of Flour and Bread, then you need them on the Business Layer so that you can anchor your "IT" Data Object on them.

Quote from: ChampagnePerry on July 04, 2022, 13:05:25 PMBusiness Objects are more usually used to represent data concepts.

Not really true (that's mainly an IT bias) in ArchiMate, Business Object are used to represent anything (including information, material elements, energy...). That's the reason why Business Object can be realized by both Data Object (for information) and Material (for material elements, energy...).

Regards,

JB
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ChampagnePerry

Quote from: Jean-Baptiste Sarrodie on July 04, 2022, 16:12:16 PMNot really true (that's mainly an IT bias) in ArchiMate, Business Object are used to represent anything (including information, material elements, energy...).
Thanks JB that's useful to know, I've never seen them used that way but it makes a lot of sense.
I wish the operations weren't read and write it would be better if they were something like consume and produce.
I had wondered why material could realise a business object in the tool, it doesn't mention this in the ArchiMate specification, it just mentions representations and data objects, perhaps we could lobby to get this updated.

Jean-Baptiste Sarrodie

Hi,

Quote from: ChampagnePerry on July 05, 2022, 12:41:24 PMI wish the operations weren't read and write it would be better if they were something like consume and produce.

The meaning of Access relationship is broad and indeed includes "consume" and "produce". If you look at section 11.2.1 of the specification, you'll read that it can also mean "create", "use", "store", "move", "transforme"...

Quote from: ChampagnePerry on July 05, 2022, 12:41:24 PMI had wondered why material could realise a business object in the tool, it doesn't mention this in the ArchiMate specification, it just mentions representations and data objects, perhaps we could lobby to get this updated.

It is indeed already allowed in the specification (Business Object is realized by Technology Object which is an abstract type containing Artifact and Material).

Regards,

JB
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