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A '''Functional Software Architecture''' (FSA) is an architectural model that identifies enterprise functions, interactions and corresponding IT needs, which can be used as reference by different ___domain experts to develop IT-systems as part of a co-operative information-driven enterprise. In this way both software engineers and enterprise engineers are able to create an information-driven, integrated organizational environment. ▼
▲A Functional Software Architecture (FSA) is an architectural model that identifies enterprise functions, interactions and corresponding IT needs, which can be used as reference by different ___domain experts to develop IT-systems as part of a co-operative information-driven enterprise. In this way both software engineers and enterprise engineers are able to create an information-driven, integrated organizational environment.
As the boundary of an enterprise is extended, it becomes increasingly important that a common “big picture” of needed business, people and IT system activities is developed and shared by all the parties involved [1]. A Functional Software Architecture does this by breaking down the organisation in business functions and corresponding IT needs. In this way the enterprise engineer provides a rich schematic reference that can be used by the software engineer in the development of these IT-systems.
==Development of a FSA==
The development of a Functional Software Architecture can be done by a number of (combined) methods and techniques. Figure 1 outlines the methods and techniques that will be discussed in this paper. Filling in the “gab” between the enterprise engineers and software engineers through the use of different combinations of methods and techniques will be the main objective of this paper. However, this objective can only be reached when combined methods result in clear and rich Functional Software Architectures that are developed and used by both parties.
[[Image:FSA-network.PNG]]
''Figure 1: Methods and techniques for the development of FSA''
The different methodologies, methods and techniques discussed in this paper are presented as boxes. The boxes can be connected with each other by lines, which indicate a combination of methods. All boxes within the rectangle of Functional Software Architecture are connected with the Enterprise Engineering box, which outlines the fact that these methods/methodologies can be used in Enterprise Engineering. Only the UML and Petri Net boxes are directly connected with the box containing Software Engineering. That is, these two are commonly used by software engineers for the design and coding of a system. The red lines indicate for which methods/techniques examples are given and extensively discussed in this paper. However, for all methods/methodologies and techniques some background information is given
At the top-level it shows the Enterprise Engineering field. Optimizing the internal and external business processes through process reengineering is one of the main objectives an enterprise can have in times of high external pressure. A business process involves value creating activities with certain inputs and outputs, which are interconnected and thereby jointly contribute to the final outcome (product or service) of the process. Process reengineering covers a variety of perspectives of how to change the organization. It is concerned with the redesign of strategic, value adding processes, systems, policies and organizational structures to optimize the processes of an organization [2]. This paper considers process (re)engineering as part of the broader enterprise engineering field.
==Modeling the business==
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**The actual production by authors and assembly by editors happens on operational level. The first two function modules are given in detail, which outlines the potential for certain IT implementations within business functions. These detailed schemes can be drawn and used by both enterprise engineers and software engineers for the development of integrated software implications. Lower level EFD could hereby be transformed in detailed UML schemes.
[[Image:EFDpublishing.PNG]]
''Figure 2: EFD of a publish company producing books and digital material''
So, maybe EFD could be used as a business front-end to a software modeling language like UML. The major resemblance with IDEF as a modeling tool indicates that it can be done. However, more research is needed to improve the EFD technique in such a way that formal mappings to UML can be made (see dashed line figure 1). Work of Kim et. al. [1] about the complementary use of IDEF and UML has contributed to the acceptance of IDEF as business-front end. A similar study should be done with EFD and UML.
==Conclusion==
Bringing the best of both worlds together and incorporate it in a clear Functional Software Architecture; this is one of the first objectives an organization has to reach when business process efficiency has to be improved. This rich schematic reference must be constructed by the right combination of methods and techniques in order to set detailed software specifications into the wider enterprise context. Figure 1 shows the methods and techniques that can be used or combined. Further research must reveal which combination is best in filling in the gab between business and software.
==References==
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