Developing an IT Application Using Advantage:Gen  Activity Modeling

Objectives of Activity Analysis u To understand the processes of the firm independent of organization structure, existing IS, and technology u To verify the understanding with users u To lay the foundation for system design

Business Activities u Function – a high level process, a group of activities that together completely support one aspect of furthering the mission of the business (e.g., AMP of Resources, Conversion, MSC of Products/Services) u Process – a group of related events u Elementary process – an event, and maintenance of RALs (CRUDE)

Processes u Results from the decomposition of a function u A process is a lower level activity (or activities) that does one of: –produce outputs necessary outside the business –gathers new information for the business –produces new information for the business –controls things in the business

Naming a Process u Processes (events) are named using a verb (action) plus a noun (an entity type or attribute), e.g. TAKE ORDER, STAFF PROJECT

Process versus Procedure u Process - what the business does, a specific action the business requires, e.g. CHARGE CUSTOMER u Procedure - how the action is carried out, e.g. PRINT INVOICE

Activity Analysis Techniques u Decomposition - Functions decompose into smaller functions or processes, processes into smaller processes. This is represented in the Activity Hierarchy Diagram u Dependency Analysis - This shows the conditions necessary to enable one process/event to execute and thus the dependency of one process/event on another. This is shown in the Activity Dependency Diagram (ADD confirms the AHD).

Hierarchy Diagramming ROOT FUNCTION A FUNCTION B PROCESS X PROCESS Y

Decomposition Rules u Functions may be decomposed into sub-functions or processes u Processes may be decomposed into sub-processes, and ultimately, elementary processes u An activity that is decomposed must be broken down into two or more activities (parent has at least two children) u An activity is totally described by its subordinates (sum of children should explain entire parent)

Functions and processes may exist at the same level, but only as decompositions of different parents FUNCTION A SUB-FUNCTION F SUB-FUNCTION G FUNCTION B PROCESS X PROCESS Y A is a more complex function than B

Decomposition Using Business Events u Identify process that follows an important business event u Event - Customer returns defective product u Subsequent events (making up the process) - Give customer an exchange, Refund money, Return defective product to supplier

Elementary Processes, the Lowest Level of the Hierarchy u Achieves a useful business result u Leaves the business in a consistent state, i.e. preserves referential integrity, data integrity of attribute values, and integrity of the business transaction u In general performed by one person, in one location, until complete

Integrity of the Data u The two events should be modeled as one elementary process, because executing only one means that the value of inventory is inconsistent with the sale recorded. u These would be sub-elemental SELL PRODUCT REDUCE INVENTORY Can users trust the data stored in the database?

Activity Dependency Analysis u Determines the conditions necessary to enable the execution of a process (lowest level process is an event or maintenance of RALs). u Since one process (or event) can supply the conditions necessary for another process to execute, this shows dependencies between processes (events).

Activity Dependency Diagramming u Verifies the process decomposition u Adds to business understanding by identifying data needed to execute a process and the information that it provides

Activity Dependency Occurs When u The post condition of one process is the necessary precondition of another process REVIEW INVENTORY ITEM LOW STOCKPLACE ORDER

Dependency Types Sequential Dependency SELECT PRODUCT SELECT DISTRIBUTOR NEGOTIATE PRICE

Dependency Types Parallel Dependency RECEIVE ORDER INSTALL ASSET PLACE IN WAREHOUSE PAY FOR ORDER Prerequisite event Dependent events

Dependency Types Mutually Exclusive Dependency O INTERVIEW APPLICANT MAKE JOB OFFER REJECT APPLICANT

Activity Dependency Diagram for “Acquire and Pay for Fixed Assets” Sequential dependency Mutually exclusive dependency Parallel dependency

Events and External Objects u An external or temporal event is something that occurs which then triggers some response, e.g. End of Month can trigger INVENTORY REVIEW u External objects (agents) provide data to a process or receive some results from the process e.g. CUSTOMER, VENDOR, GOVERNMENT AGENCY u Both (1) external events and (2) external objects can be depicted in ADD’s