Sealark Solutions

The notations available for modelling businesses and software are rich and varied.  When starting out modelling it is best to keep it simple and the approach the SLS has used to date for non architectural modelling is described below.  Architectural modelling is at a level above this approach and the defacto notation for carrying it out is Archimate.  The notation described below is easy to elaborate e.g. messages for data flows can be defined and mapped to attributes in class models and component diagrams can be elaborated to show the platforms they operate on and the protocols and standards used for interchanges.

• Use three models: Conceptual, Logical and Physical (Not all models may be needed e.g. if COTS no Physical, if bespoke Agile development maybe no Logical)
• Capture three key views: Process, Data and Technology
• Get an outside description of conceptual / logical business processes using Ericcson-Penker notation
• Model conceptual business data using Entity diagrams
• Model conceptual / logical business processes using BPMN business process diagrams
• Model conceptual / logical business applications using UML component diagrams
• UML class models define the logical data held by systems
• Model logical software / user interactions using UML use cases and screen mockups
• UML activity diagrams show use case flows and cross use case flows
• BPMN tasks map to UML use cases
• Cross use case flows should map to flows in BPMN process diagrams
• Physical modelling will depend on what makes most sense to the developers.