Modeling of Time aspects in Zachman Framework

[Esche]

I have started recently to use Enterprise Architect for doing ZF modeling. In general it works well. However, the modeling of lifecycle concepts in the When column and the Business Management/Owner row doesn't seem to be properly supported. There doesn't appear to be a model element for representing intervals.

Has anybody done that kind of modeling? Help would be highly appreciated.

I am also a bit puzzled regarding the example model. According to John Zachman himself, you are not supposed to have any composites (primitives from more then one cell in the model for a cell) in any of the ZF cells. I am not quite sure how to interpret this.

Thanks,
  Wilko

[smither]

Hi,

The example model is not perfect .. As a for instance, the EventNodes in the Business Cycle diagram do not have the tagged values defined by the Zachman Framwork Add-In.  Try creating your own Business Cycle and dropping a Business Event on it.  Open the properties dialog by double clicking on the Event and look at the ZF tab/category.  There you will find Time Period and Timer Value properties.  How you use them is a matter of modelling conventions....

As to primitives and composites .. the way I interpret it is that all the elements of a particular type should be mastered in the correct cell, but can be used in the diagrams in the other cells as appropriate.  In row2 for instance data entities should be mastered in col1 and process activities in col2, events in col5. However a BPMN2.0 diagram in cell2,2 can (and should) show both events and activities, and also reference the data that is being processed by the activities.

Hope this helps

[Esche]

Hi,

I appreciate the response.

However I have trouble to actually do what you describe regarding "dropping the Business Event on it". Also looked in the documentation but couldn't find the instructions for handling "Business Cycles". Can you please provide more specific information on this? Maybe a link to the documentation that I was not able to find?

Even if I were able to do what you describe, it still wouldn't be able to do what I need to do. I need to model business events with an interval element between two business events. That would allow me to link particular activities from Row 2, Column 2 to the interval those activities are supposed to be executed.

Regarding the handling of primitives and composites, I am *very* confident that a BPMN diagram is not supposed to be put into Row2, Column 2. Adding events to that cell is against the rules of ZF. A BPMN diagram is a composite which you create outside of the ZF cells; such a diagram pulling together the primitives from Row 2 cells like Column 1 (Data), Column 2 (Process), Column 4 (People, for the lanes/pools) and Column 5 (Time; for time cycles, with events and, between them, intervals). This is how you exploit the power of ZF by being able to manage the primitives individually and independently, keeping the primitives aligned with the changes of the enterprise. And only if you need to work on resolving a problem or coming up with a solution, you pull together the involved primitives (together with the linkages between them) from the ZF cells and create a diagram like a BPMN diagram (which should be considered a shapshot of the changing enterprise).

Anyway, I appreciate if you could provide me the requested information. And it would be nice to have the sample model be properly aligned with what the ZF is actually about (otherwise the confidence that Enterprise Architect is a good tool for ZF model fades a bit ).

Thanks again,
  Wilko

[smither]

Sorry .. I misread your first post and was looking at the Framework that gets added to a model when you 'Insert New Framework Model' from the extensions menu, rather than the supplied example model.

You are of course correct in stating that composite models do not belong in particular cells.  If the ZF cells are used only to catalog the primitive elements, another package structure is required to hold and manage the composite models that make use of the primitives.  Model management is a bit more complex but purity is maintained.

For modelling the interval between events, you can use the 'Event Schedule' diagram (Add Diagram/ Owner (Zachman Framework)/ Event Schedule).  Drag a Business Cycle from the toolbox on to the diagram and then drag two Event Nodes from the toolbox and drop them in to the middle of the Business Cycle.  The Event Nodes will attach themselves to the outline of the Business Cycle.  Use the first Event Node as a base or trigger event and set the trigger for the second event to 'Timer'. Set the Time Period to the interval you need between the two events. You can display the Time Period on the diagram by linking a Note to the Tagged Value.  I would insert an image of the result, if I knew how to paste an image into one of these messages

The only documentation I know of is the ZF User Guide, which I'm sure you will already have downloaded from http://www.sparxsystems.com/downloads/pdf/ZFUserGuide.pdf.  In common with all Sparx documentation it is good at telling you what is there, but very light on guidance on how to apply the features in a real model.

[Esche]

Sorry that it took me a while to get back to you.

Thanks for the advice with the Business Cycle. I am able to handle Business Cycles and Event Nodes now. However, I am still not able to link an Action element (for example) to the Interval between two Events, to express that the Action takes place in that Interval. Hmm.

From what I can tell the Business Cycle element doesn't support that. Do you agree?

Thanks,
  Wilko

PS: Regarding pasting an image, I just saw an Image button above the editing window, top row, third button from the left.