In this tutorial, we will show you how to use the ad hoc analysis to easily and quickly visualize and analyze complex interrelationships between database items. Furthermore, you will learn how to browse the database in real time regardless of ARIS model definitions with just a few mouse clicks.
Using the ad hoc analysis, you are able to find answers to typical questions such as: Which functions do my employees carry out? Which data do they need? Which employees use which application systems?
Let´s start with the “New tab” view in ARIS. Click on "Ad hoc analysis". Select the database you want to analyze. The "Ad hoc analysis tab" opens. There, you can choose between two procedures: you can run your ad hoc analysis either automatically or step-by-step.
If you choose the automatic procedure, you usually know which start and target items you want to use for your analysis. Start items can be groups, models or objects. Add the intermediate steps you want the analysis to run through. Then specify one or multiple targets. The procedure is as simple as defining a route in your route planner.
In the given case, we want to find out which data a certain business role needs to have access to for its daily business. Enter the name of the role, add the object type “Function” as an intermediate step, and enter the “Cluster/Data model” object type in the "Target" field. In the next step of your analysis, the interrelationships are displayed graphically as analysis paths.
If you switch to the step by step analysis, you can analyze interrelationships between database items step by step. Select an item as the starting point. In the "Successors" box all of the possible successors for the start item are listed in categories. Click on a successor. The successor is added to the analysis path. You can browse the database to any depth according to your requirements by adding as many steps as you want.
To facilitate working with complex analysis paths you can also reduce the content displayed by hiding paths. Select the items you want to hide, click the right mouse button, and select “Hide”. All partial paths with the selected items are hidden and listed in the "Hidden paths" bar.
If the analysis result meets your requirements, you can output the entire analysis or parts of it as a graphic or in a table. Click “Create graphical view”. Select the required items and use drag and drop to move them to the "Output" area. All ARIS symbols are then displayed in the output using the symbol defined in the method filter. You can also enhance this graphic by adding other graphic objects or text. This will definitely increase the quality and comprehensibility of your analysis results.
Now, save the result of your ad hoc analysis. By the way, various output formats – such as graphics and tables – will automatically be saved with the analysis, too.
If you switch to the "Explorer" tab, you can reopen the analysis.
We can say that the ad hoc analysis paves the way towards more transparency of your business. You have learned how to browse an ARIS database regardless of ARIS model definitions, and how to analyze complex dependencies in the database using a simple procedure.
