Functional software architecture: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 00:34, 29 April 2006

Revision as of 14:58, 21 May 2006

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EFD is a used modeling technique for the representation of enterprise functions and corresponding interactions. Different business processes can be modeled in these representations through the use of “function modules” and triggers. A starting business process delivers different inputs to different functions. A process flowing through all the functions and sub-functions creates multiple outputs. Enterprise Function Diagrams hereby give a very easy-to-use and detailed representation about a business process and corresponding functions, inputs, outputs and triggers.

In this way EFD has many similarities with IDEF0 diagrams, which also represent in a hierarchical way business processes as a combination of functions and triggers. Difference is that an EFD places the business functions in an organization hierarchical perspective, which outlines the downstream of certain processes in the organization. On the contrary, IDEF0 diagrams show responsibilities of certain business functions trough the use of arrows. Also, IDEF0 has a clear representation of inputs and outputs of every (sub)function.

Figure 4 shows an EFD of a publish company producing books and cdCD-romsROMs for educational purposes. It gives a clear view of a publication process within an organization:

**Different modules represent the different business function on multiple organizational levels, which is highlighted by the different colors. On strategic level (yellow) a certain publication project with corresponding products is determined. This is based on certain triggers like sales forecasts, product information.