Creating a relationship between applications and functions

PRH User on February 5, 2020

Hello,

I would like to create a relationship between the functions(tasks) in my process maps and the application(s) that support them. I have quite a few process maps grouped by the "Business Function" they apply to e.g HR, Payroll, Technology etc..

I have the following questions :

1) Is creating a matrix between the functions and applications (and establishing a connection between them) the best way to represent the relationship between the two or is there another way of doing this. Ideally, I would like the relationship to be visible in the "IT Systems" column on the overview tab when the process is viewed through ARIS Connect.

2) Should I create a single matrix for all the functions and applications (across all business functions) or create a separate matrix for each group of processes pertaining to a business function.

3) I would like to be able to report on all the functions that are impacted by a particular application, so if a decision is made to replace or retire an application then I can ascertain which processes are impacted. Can such a report be generated?

4) Can such a report be run to pick up data from a matrix? If yes, would having several matrices (Refer point 2) cause a problem? Can a report be run across several matrices?

Thanks

Tags: #arisarchitect; #reports

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M. Zschuckelt on February 5, 2020

Hi,

a fact sheet is even more primitive than a report. I attach an example from the United Motors Group. Here it is the "Overview" fact sheet for an organizational unit.

The part I marked in red is what we call the fact sheet. It is configurable. Here it is the Overview fact sheet for the organizational unit object type. You can place the attributes and related objects like here for example the list of subordinate departments. The links are navigable and take you to the respective objects.

If you configure a fact sheet for the application system type, which contains a list of supported processes you are there. No downloading of spreadsheets or PDFs. Simply inspecting the fact sheet of the object is sufficient to get the information you are looking for. It contains the information you modelled without confusing people not knowledgable of your diagrams, matrices and symbols.

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MZ

M. Zschuckelt on February 5, 2020

1) An alternative would be to have a function allocation diagram for each function object and associate the applications there. This way you make it the task of every function owner to maintain that.

2) It does not matter how many matrix models you create. Consider who is maintaining them. Give each responsible role their matrix. With matrix models you always edit the connections at definition level.

3) You can report on the connections globally. Idea: use a fact sheet for the application object and show all supported processes on that.

4) Matrix models directly edit the connection definitions. A report can be agnostic, if the connection occurs in any matrix model.

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PU

PRH User Author on February 5, 2020 as Reply to M. Zschuckelt

ok, thanks. Is a fact sheet a type of report? Are there any out of the box reports that will report on the relationship between applications and functions or do I need to create one ?

Regards

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MZ

M. Zschuckelt on February 5, 2020

Best reply

Hi,

a fact sheet is even more primitive than a report. I attach an example from the United Motors Group. Here it is the "Overview" fact sheet for an organizational unit.

The part I marked in red is what we call the fact sheet. It is configurable. Here it is the Overview fact sheet for the organizational unit object type. You can place the attributes and related objects like here for example the list of subordinate departments. The links are navigable and take you to the respective objects.

If you configure a fact sheet for the application system type, which contains a list of supported processes you are there. No downloading of spreadsheets or PDFs. Simply inspecting the fact sheet of the object is sufficient to get the information you are looking for. It contains the information you modelled without confusing people not knowledgable of your diagrams, matrices and symbols.

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Ralf Angeli on February 6, 2020 as Reply to PRH User

The report "Output system fact sheet (PDF)" contains a section called "Processes supported by the system" which shows the functions to which the system is assigned.

There is also a standard query called "Functions associated with the application system type" which outputs this kind of information in a spreadsheet. You can find it in the category "Public > 2. ARIS Frameworks & Views > c. Queries on applications and IT assets". In order to use it, select an Application System Type object and click on "Start query" in the "Evaluate" tool bar.

Note that there is also a Connect fact sheet for IT systems (which was already mentioned) but it does not contain a list of functions associated with the respective system. Instead it shows you a list of processes, i.e. process models, in which the system is used. See the following screenshot. So if you want to see the supported functions here, you'd indeed have to change the fact sheet.

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PRH User Author on February 6, 2020

Thank you both. That was very useful

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Creating a relationship between applications and functions

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