Approach

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	Requirements Analysis: From Business Views to Architecture By David C. Hay
	Table of Contents
	Chapter 4.  Column Two: Activities

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Approach

This chapter will describe the examination of activities in terms of the following techniques:

• Function hierarchy A hierarchical representation of the functions of the enterprise. At the top of the hierarchy is the company's mission, broken into the six, seven, or eight primary functions that contribute to that mission. Each of these is broken out in turn . Start with the overall function of an enterprise or section of an enterprise and break this down into component functions and processes. Each of these can then be further broken down, and so forth.

• Dependency diagram A diagram showing activities and how they depend on each other. That is, one activity cannot be carried out until another activity has been completed. How are activities dependent upon each other?

• Data flow diagram A drawing of the flows of data though an enterprise. It includes a box or circle describing each physical process and lines showing the communications between processes. It also includes representations of data stores, which are the holding of data over time.

• Essential data flow diagram A data flow diagram which is a description of the fundamental processes required to carry out the business of the enterprise. All physical elements have been removed, and the activities have been organized in terms of the events affecting the organization.

• IDEF0 diagram A kind of data flow diagram that places more emphasis on diagraming rigor and activity control and that also shows mechanisms and material movements. It merges the elements represented on both physical and essential data flow diagrams.

• Business process diagram A variation on a physical data flow diagram organized according to participants . Its purpose is specifically to discuss collections of activities with business people, so its notation may be extended to include graphic symbols representing different kinds of activities.

• UML activity diagram A data flow diagram, which, like a business process diagram, is organized in terms of the actors performing the activities.

• UML interaction diagram A diagram showing the interactions between activities and objects (occurrences of entity types).

At the end of the chapter is a matrix comparing the techniques described here. In addition, this chapter will discuss various kinds of detailed activity documentation.

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