Organisation representation framework and design method

• US 20040236618A1
• Filed: 05/13/2004
• Published: 11/25/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CACI Ltd. (CACI International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: The Salamander Organization Limited (Salamander Enterprises Ltd.)
• Inventors: Hodgson, Simon, Whittington, Dick, Smith, Simon
• Granted Patent: US 8,930,853 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/7
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0631 Resource planning, allocation, distributing or scheduling for enterprises or organisations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management

Abstract

The invention relates to a method and apparatus for developing a business and/or technical architecture of an organisation. The invention includes the ability to identify and create specific elements which are required for a specific architecture framework and putting these specific elements together within a set of models or views, and allowing access through a visual representation of the architecture framework, along with an apparatus comprising the technical means to accommodate the method allow selection of one or a number of said elements to generate further visualisations and/or links to further database or operating tools while allowing interaction with know organisational representations.

Claims

1. A method of generating a series of diagrammatic models and visual displays thereof for use within an organizational architecture framework, said method comprising the steps of:

identifying a set of specific elements contextual to the organization or methodology that are required for the architecture that is to be created;

identifying the instances of said contextual elements;

interlinking said contextual element instances in a model integration step; and

generating visual displays of the models to match the diagram features required by the architecture framework and wherein at least one of the said contextual element instances in the visual display is accessible and selectable by a user to allow access to a further display or facility.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein access to a further model is achieved by selecting a contextual element instance in the first display, said selection causing the generation of a further display which provides greater detail relating to the selected contextual element instance.

3. A method according to claim 1 wherein selection of a contextual element instance in the display allows access to another function with which the user can interact.

4. A method according to claim 1 wherein the method includes a trace between the contextual element instances.

5. A method according to claim 1 wherein a first step of the method is the selection of a group of elements which are key to the particular organization architecture.

6. A method according to claim 5 wherein the group of elements include any or any combination of resources, capabilities and/or personnel.

7. A method according to claim 5 wherein the next stage of the method is to analyze contextual elements that are derived from, or based upon the elements selected as key elements.

8. A method according to claim 7 wherein the contextual elements are the elements which are required to be present or performed to allow the organization to be achieved or performed.

9. A method according to claim 8 wherein the element is capability and the contextual elements are process, network node and location that need to be taken into consideration when defining the organization.

10. A method according to any of claim 1 wherein all method steps are performed with reference to the organization or methodology itself and not in isolation.

11. A method according to claim 1 wherein the elements are utilized and integrated as required with reference to a designated architecture framework to generate displays with diagrammatic representations including the elements.

12. A method according to claim 11 wherein the designated architecture framework is a Zachman framework.

13. A method according to claim 11 wherein the designated architecture framework is a US Department of Defense framework.

14. A method according to claim 1 wherein the method includes a search facility for a user to select to search for an element instance which appears in one of the diagrams generated as a result of the method and a database in which the elements and links between the same are stored is searched for the selected element instance.

15. A method according to claim 14 wherein the user is informed of all of the diagrams within the architecture in which the selected contextual element instance is present.

16. A method according to claim 15 wherein the user can review each of the identified diagrams.

17. A method for generating a database of information relating to an organization and fundamental elements, contextual elements and contextual element instances and allowing said organization to be represented in a series of visual displays, said visual display formats prescribed by a designated architecture framework, said method comprising the step of:

analyzing analysing the organisation organization to be represented;

selecting a number of fundamental elements that are key to the performance of the organization;

defining contextual elements based upon these fundamental elements;

modelling and interlinking contextual element instances in accordance with interdependencies between the same; and

generating each of the framework prescribed visual displays in the form of diagrams and including in said diagrams the contextual element instances as required, and wherein said database has stored therein details of the fundamental elements, contextual elements, contextual element instances and links between the same within models, views and diagrams.

18. A method according to claim 17 wherein the database with fundamental elements, contextual elements, contextual element instances and the interlinking between the same within models, views and diagrams is referred to and utilized in the generation of visual displays in a manner dependent upon the designated architecture framework.

19. A method according to claim 18 wherein a plurality of designated architecture frameworks for generating respective sets of visual displays are supported and the stored elements are used along with additional contextual elements which are defined and stored in the database for selected use as required in the generation of one or more sets of visual displays when a particular architecture framework is selected.

20. A method according to claim 17 wherein the fundamental elements, contextual elements and contextual element instances stored in the database can be matched against, updated with, and used to update, fundamental elements, contextual elements and contextual element instances stored in a second database generated by the same method.

21. A method according to claim 17 wherein the fundamental elements, contextual elements and contextual element instances stored in the database can be matched against, updated with, and used to update, data stored in a plurality of database or text file formats generated by any complementary method.

22. A method according to claim 21 wherein the fundamental elements, contextual elements and contextual element instances stored in the database are connected to data stored in a plurality of database or text file formats generated by any complementary method, such that any updates to diagrams or definitions of said elements carried out in a plurality of other tools according to other methods, are reflected dynamically in updates to the data stored in the database, said updates being reflected back into any other tools that are also connected to said data.