MDA Radar

Issue #25 [August 21-August 25 2006]

Harmony, the Enterprise Classification Framework: “The Eixample and Modernisme”

The latest issue elaborates the capability of harmony enterprise classification framework to simplify the enormous complexity of the enterprise classification. This week I’ll also detail how this classification framework can be married with the GERA recommended enterprise features and enterprise master plan, which are the master formulae to establish a successful enterprise...

Introduction

In this column I have articulated the discussion of enterprise reference architecture framework, enterprise architecture framework and enterprise classification framework relationships several times. Overuse of the term ‘enterprise’ has distorted and misinterpreted the true meaning of the ‘enterprise’ and ‘framework’ resulted self-proclaimed confusions. Last week, I introduced the harmony enterprise classification framework with the context of enterprise architecture framework. The harmony classification framework helps to mandate the capability to accumulate the enterprise best practice standards, which effectively manages the enterprise operations at its best capacity. Harmony helps us to derive right set of enterprise descriptive representations that attempts to define an enterprise not only from business point of view, but true model driven enterprise information systems point of view. This classification framework maintains a semantic coherence between the enterprise standards and represents a holistic enterprise that becomes interoperable with others. This issue elaborates the capability of harmony enterprise classification framework to simplify the enormous complexity of the enterprise classification. This week I’ll also detail how this classification framework can be married with the GERA recommended enterprise features and enterprise master plan, which are the master formulae to establish a successful enterprise.


Enterprise Entity Identification

Entity identification is the first and foremost step before using the enterprise classification framework. Harmony classification framework re-enforce the importance of the enterprise identification step as obvious reason. During the entity identification stage, the first step is to identify the type of operation oriented entity. There are three possibilities as stated in the Figure 1:





Figure 1: Operation Oriented Enterprise Entity and their Relationship

Successful identification of operation-oriented entity distinguishes the nature of enterprise, which may be product vendors, ISV, ISP or Consulting Service Providers. Once the operation type is identified recursive entity comes into the picture (as described in Figure 2).






Figure 2: Recursive Enterprise Entity and their Relationship

Entity identification is therefore one of the most vital steps behind the creation of successful enterprise architecture plan. Unfortunately, most of the enterprise architecture framework omits this step. Harmony classification framework recommends this entity identification step as the foundation stone of your enterprise. Figure 3 explains the importance of the enterprise entity and their importance within the enterprise life cycle activities.






Figure 3: Enterprise Entities and their Relationship with the Enterprise Life Cycle Activities

Figure 3 justifies why identification of the enterprise entity has a significant impact within the enterprise life cycle activities. That is one of the other reasons why harmony classification framework specifically recommends this enterprise entity identification exercise.


Table 1 shows the list of entity types recommended by GERA and how the harmony classification framework satisfies that recommendation.






Enterprise Views

Enterprise Views is an important concept, which I detailed in the issue, ‘Enterprise Views: The Kaleidoscope.’ Figure 4 summarises the relationship between the GERA recommended enterprise views:






Figure 4: Enterprise Views Identified by GERA

Table 2 describes the compatibility of the harmony enterprise classification framework in terms of GERA recommended enterprise views.






GERA identified views help enterprise visualise the requirements better. Therefore, supporting these enterprise views is one of the critical success factors for the enterprise. Table 2 explains that the harmony classification framework satisfies almost all of the GERA recommended views. Table 3 briefly highlights the Entity Model Contents Views since these views are extremely helpful from a user-oriented process-representation perspective:


Figure 5 briefly depicts these views and shows how the harmony enterprise classification framework complies with these views:






Figure 5: Entity Model Content Views

The efficiency and strength of any enterprise architecture is effectively reflected by its views and viewpoints support. The enterprise landscape reaches its perfection with the existence and guidance towards more views. GERAM does not recommend deriving all these views in every single entity architecture representation scenario. At the same time, GERAM also recommends that we extend these views as required. For example, an economic model could be derived in the case of an economic value driven enterprise architecture. The harmony classification framework echoes the same recommendations.


Enterprise Life Cycle Activities

GERA defines seven life cycle activities for any enterprise or any of its entities that are pertinent during the life of the entity. These activities may be subdivided further into several lower level types of activities (based on the customary subdivision in many industries of design into preliminary- and detailed-design activities). The life cycle diagram used in the description of the life cycle of an entity is itself a model of the enterprise engineering methodology. Table 4 summarises the support coverage provided by harmony enterprise classification framework:






Life History Aspect Coverage Life history is the actual sequence of steps (also known as activity types). Any enterprise entity has its own history that captures the main events, or milestones, in the life of the entity. Change processes that may happen simultaneously (and may need to be captured) as parts of the operational processes are inevitable within the history of an entity. One entity may go through several events-based behavioral states to perform its functionality during its entire life history.


Enterprise deals the cross-system issues more occasionally. These cannot be captured easily with only the enterprise life cycle.






Figure 6: Enterprise Life History

The critical difference between life cycle phases and timeline aspect is that the evolution of the enterprise entity through time is not covered in the life cycle phases. Life history is composed of life cycle phases that occur irreversibly in time. Life history of any entity describes its evolution and adaptability towards any change in business environment. This demonstrates that any event in the life history of the entity may affect the life history state of other entities which may be described as follows in Figure 7.





Figure 7: Enterprise Life History Aspects

The life history diagram points to the need for managing systems and projects at an enterprise level. Harmony enterprise classification framework emphasises that each classification is based on identified entity. In this way, harmony classification framework helps to easily identify the entity dependencies and track the impact of the changes upon them. This particular feature of the harmony classification framework helps to maintain the enterprise life history aspects.


Enterprise Concepts

GERAM as a true enterprise reference architecture framework introduced certain enterprise concepts. They are as mentioned in Table 5:






Table 5 also explains the support coverage provided by the harmony enterprise classification framework.


Enterprise Master Plan

The enterprise master plan is the most important recipe for any successful enterprise implementation. Therefore, this concept is the fundamental prerequisite for any enterprise leadership thought. Harmony classification framework does not step back providing the support of enterprise master plan. Table 6 summarises the enterprise master plan support provided by harmony enterprise classification framework:











Figure 8: How does Harmony Enterprise Classification Framework help populating Enterprise Master Plan

Harmony Enterprise Classification Framework in High Level Enterprise Picture

The harmony enterprise classification framework bridges the gap between true enterprise concepts. Considering GERAM as an empty bookcase providing all required shelves, harmony framework adequately fills up those shelves with relevant books. See Figure 9.






Figure 9: Enterprise Classification Framework and its relationship with Enterprise Architecture Framework

Harmony classification framework therefore enables all the best practice enterprise standards and helps you to accumulate all relevant knowledge bases to successfully architect your enterprise.


Conclusion

"Harmony classification framework opens your enterprise to take the enormous opportunity of enterprise processes, models, human oriented concepts and technology-oriented concepts. In upcoming issues I will explain how to successfully integrate enterprises with the help of harmony classification frameworks and elaborate those individual 64 cells of the harmony enterprise classification framework.

References