Method and Apparatus for Defining Enterprise Information Flow

The present invention relates to methods and apparatus for defining an information flow communicated between application activities of an enterprise and supporting planning of an enterprise information system, and more particularly to a method for defining an enterprise information flow suitable for defining all information necessary to the activities of the enterprise by studying communicated information for all combinations of vertical items and horizontal items on a matrix representation having all application activities and external organizations arranged in rows and columns.

In order to cope with severe environment change and enterprise competition, the structuring of an information system which is directly coupled to a business strategy, that is, a strategic information system (SIS) has been demanded by many enterprises. As a result, a need to the information system is complex such as the realization of an information system which really contributes to the business and the structuring of an information system as a business base, and the information system itself has become of large scale and complex.

Consequently, it is necessary to provide information which is conformable throughout the enterprise. In the development of the information system, it is important to make clear an overall system of the information system which the enterprise should have and establish a master plan which is directed to an overall optimization without waste and difficulty. In order to cope with future rapid expansion of the enterprise information system, it is necessary to structure the overall system and clearly define mutual relationships of elements. Methods for defining the overall architecture of the enterprise information system in order to meet such requirements have been proposed. For example, in the IBM business systems planning (BSP) method described in "Strategic Structuring of Information System" NIKKEI McGraw Hills, 1985, application activities called business processes are defined on a vertical axis of a definition chart matrix and information flowing between the applications called data classes is arranged on a horizontal axis in order to define the enterprise information system architecture. For each element at a crosspoint of the vertical item and the horizontal item on the matrix, an identifier C (composition) which indicates whether the application activity composes the information and an identifier U (utilization) which indicates whether it utilizes the information are entered. In this manner, it is made clear which application activity composes the particular information, and which application activity utilizes the particular information. As a result, the communication of information among the enterprise application activities is clarified.

In a Japanese periodical NIKKEI COMPUTER Aug. 28, 1989, pages 63-79, especially pages 66-67, a method for analyzing an information flow among items is disclosed, in which line application activities and staff application activities are arranged on a horizontal axis in a diagrammatic representation, external organizations and business resources are arranged on a vertical axis, and those axes are divided into the line application activities and the staff application activities and into the external organizations and the business resources. In this method, any information flowing between the application activity and the external organization can be defined.

However, in the BSP technique of the prior art, no attention is paid to the definition of the information flow between the application activity and the external organization or an information flow of the activity across a plurality of line and staff resources. In the BSP matrix chart, no consideration is paid to a quick observation of the information flow for a desired application activity.

In the method described in NIKKEI COMPUTER Aug. 28, 1989, no consideration is paid to define the information flow for any combination of the application activities and the external organizations. Further, no definition is made as to which one of the activity/ organization items on the vertical axis and the horizontal axis of the chart is a source and which one is a user.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a method for defining an enterprise information flow to efficiently define the information flow relating to enterprise activities with easiness of updating while overcoming the problems of the prior art, and an apparatus for implementing the method.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an enterprise information flow definition chart which is suitable to define substantially all information necessary for enterprise activities and enables quick observation of the information flow of the enterprise activities.

In order to achieve the above objects, in accordance with one feature of the present invention, the information flow relating to all application activities of an enterprise is defined by setting three elements, that is, line application activities which are a series of application activities for manufacturing products and/or services in the enterprise, staff application activities which are a series of application activities for maintaining and controlling the manufacture of the products and/or services, and external organizations related to the accomplishment of the application activities of the enterprise, on a vertical axis and a horizontal axis in a diagrammatic matrix representation, arranging the items of the external organizations at the ends of the axes, dividing the vertical axis and the horizontal axis into the line application activities and the staff application activities, and preparing a matrix in which one of the axes is an information source and the other is a user of the information. The matrix representation is displayed on display means as an input screen. An application activity corresponding to an information user or a name of information to be supplied to an external organization is entered from an application activity corresponding to an information source or the external organization to a column at a crosspoint of the corresponding item on the vertical axis of the matrix and the corresponding item on the horizontal axis. The name of information, the source of the information and the user are stored in storage means in the form of a table. The information is read from the storage means as required to print out a chart of the matrix which defines the information flows between the application activities and between the application activity and the external organization.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the above table is read, a functional information relational chart which shows a relationship among information prepared by the application activity and the external organization and its user, and information to be used by the designated application activity and external organization and its source, for the designated application activity and external organization, and the chart is visually displayed.

Since the matrix having the axes comprising three elements, that is, the line application activities and the staff application activities of the enterprise and the external organizations related to the accomplishment of the application. Activities of the enterprise, crossed by the vertical axis and the horizontal axis is generated and displayed, the user can assume and define all information flows among any combinations of the application activities and the external organizations.

Since the external organizations are arranged at the ends of the axes or on outer most sides of the axes' crossings, the information flows of the line application activities and the staff application activities in the enterprise can be collectively arranged.

Since the vertical axis and the horizontal axis cross to divide the line application activities and the staff application activities, the line application activities and the staff application activities are displayed in opposing quadrants so that it can be easily viewed.

Since the crossing area of the external organization on the vertical axis and the external organization on the horizontal axis, that is, the ninth quadrant is blank, the information flow between the external organizations which the enterprise has no connection cannot be predefined.

For the two crossing axes, one is used as the information source and the other is used as the information user. Accordingly, a direction of the information flow between the application activities and between the external activity and the external organization can be represented.

The matrix is applied as the input image and the sets of the information sources, the information users and the information flowing therebetween are stored in the storage means in the form of a table. Accordingly, the functional information relational diagram which defines the input information and the output information for the application activities and the external organizations selected by the user can be automatically prepared by a program. Accordingly, the trouble in preparing the chart is eliminated and the missing of the information flows is prevented.

FIGS. 1A to 1C show flow charts of a process in one embodiment of an apparatus for supporting the analysis of an enterprise information flow in accordance with the present invention,

FIG. 2 shows a diagram of a format of an enterprise table which manages a data table, in accordance with the present invention,

FIG. 3 shows a format of an application activity/ external organization management table which manages the application activities and the external organization of an enterprise,

FIG. 4 shows a format of an information source/ user definition table which manages the application activities and the external organization of an information source in an enterprise, the application activities and the external organizations of an information user, and the information flowing therebetween,

FIGS. 5A-5P show, in combination, an information flow definition/analysis matrix which defines information flowing between the application activities of an enterprise and between the application activities and the external organizations,

FIGS. 6A-6B show a functional information relational diagram which illustrates an information flow between designated application activity and external organization of the application activities and the external organizations of an enterprise, and

FIG. 7 shows a block diagram of a configuration of an enterprise information flow defining apparatus of the present invention.

A method for defining an information flow relating to the application activities of an enterprise in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention is now explained in detail with reference to FIGS. 1 to 7.

FIG. 2 shows a format of an enterprise table which manages a data table in the present embodiment.

In FIG. 2, a first column 201 holds names of enterprise, a second column 202 holds names of application activities/external organization management tables of the enterprises. It holds the names to uniquely identify an application activity/external organization management table (FIG. 3) stored in a data table storage file 3. A third column 203 holds names of information source/ user definition tables which manage information sources and information users for the information relating to the application activities and the external organizations of the enterprises. It holds names to uniquely identify the information source/user definition tables (FIG. 3) stored in the data table storage file 3.

In FIG. 3, a first column 301 holds codes to identify types of the application activities and the external organizations. In the present embodiment, LA (line activity) represents line application activities which are a series of application activities for manufacturing products and/or services in the enterprise, and SA (staff activity) represents staff application activities which are a series of application activities for maintaining and controlling the manufacture of the products and/or services in the enterprise. EO (external organization) represents external organizations which relate to the accomplishment of the application activities of the enterprise. A second column 302 holds names of specific line activities, staff activities and external organizations of the enterprise.

In FIG. 4, a first column 401 holds names of application activities and external organizations which are information sources. A second column 402 holds names of application activities and external organizations which are information users. A third column 403 holds names of information from the information sources to the information users.

FIG. 7 shows an enterprise information flow defining apparatus which embodies the present invention.

In FIG. 7, a numeral 1 (denotes a processor, numeral 2 denotes an input/output device including a keyboard, a pointing device and a display screen, numeral 3 denotes a data table storage file, numeral 4 denotes a printer, numeral 5 denotes a program-driven data table file input/output control portion or controller, numeral 6 denotes a program-driven matrix generating portion or generator, numeral 7 denotes a program-driven matrix data image input/output control portion or controller, and numeral 8 denotes a program-driven matrix output control portion or controller. The processor 1 processes the input/output operations of the data table with the data table storage file 3, the communication of the matrix data with the input (output device 2 and the output operation of the matrix data to the printer 4. The input/output device 2 displays the matrix data and processes the data input/output operation of the matrix. The data table storage file 3 stores an enterprise table (FIG. 2), application activity/external organization management table (FIG. 3) and an information source/user definition table (FIG. 4). The printer 4 prints out an information flow definition/analysis matrix (FIG. 5A-5P) and a functional information relational diagram (FIGS. 6A-6B). The data table file input/output controller 5 controls the input/output operation of the data tables (FIGS. 2, 3 and 4) with the data table storage file 3, and transfers the data tables (FIGS. 2, 3 and 4) with the matrix generator 6. The matrix generator 6 generates the information flow definition/analysis matrix (FIGS. 5A-5P) based on the data tables (FIGS. 2, 3 and 4) entered by the data table file input/output controller 5. The matrix generator 6 also inputs and outputs the information flow definition/analysis matrix (FIGS. 5A-5P) to and from the matrix image input/output controller 7 and outputs the information flow definition/analysis matrix (FIGS. 5A-5P) to the matrix output controller 8. It also generates the functional information relational diagram (FIGS. 6A-6B) by a known generation program based on the information source/user definition table (FIG. 4) and outputs it to the matrix data image input/output controller 7 and the matrix output controller 8. The matrix data image input/output controller 7 outputs the information flow definition/analysis matrix (FIGS. 5A-5P) and the functional information relational diagram (FIGS. 6A-6B) supplied from the matrix generator 6 to the input/output device 2. It also sets the data supplied from the input/output device 2 to corresponding positions on the information flow definition/analysis matrix (FIGS. 5A-5P). The matrix output controller 8 outputs the information flow definition/analysis matrix (FIGS. 5A-5P) and the functional information relational diagram (FIGS. 6A-6B) supplied from the matrix generator 6 to the printer 4.

A process to generate the information flow definition/analysis matrix (FIGS. 5A-5P) and the functional information relational diagram (FIGS. 6A-6B) by the matrix generator 6 is now explained with reference to the flow charts of FIGS. 1A-1C.

A name of enterprise to be defined and analyzed for the information flow is first entered by the input/output device 2 (step 101). The enterprise table (FIG. 2) is read from the data table storage file 3 (step 102). Whether the inputted enterprise exists in the first column 201 of the enterprise table (FIG. 2) or not is determined. If it exists, a step 111 is executed. If it does not exist, an application activity/external organization management table (FIG. 3) for that enterprise is prepared (step 104). The matrix generator 6 outputs the application activity/external organization management table (FIG. 3) to the input/output device 6 (step 105), inputs the application activities and the external organization of that enterprise to the table, and reads the input data (step 106). Then, the matrix generator 6 registers the input data into the application activity/external organization management table (FIG. 3) (step 107). Then, the information source/user definition table (FIG. 4) for that enterprise (step 108) is generated. Then, the generated application activity/ external organization management table (FIG. 3) and information source/user definition table (FIG. 4) are stored into the data table storage file 3 (step 109). Then, the name of the enterprise, the name of the application activity/external organization management table for the enterprise and the name of the information source/ user definition table for the enterprise are registered in the enterprise table (FIG. 2) (step 110). Then, the information source/user definition table (FIG. 4) for the enterprise is read from the data table storage file 3 (step 111). Then, the application activity/external organization management table (FIG. 3) for the enterprise is read from the data table storage file 3 (step 112). Then, the external organization, the line application activity and the staff application activity in the application activity/external organization management table (FIG. 3) are arranged, in this sequence, on the vertical axes from the top to the bottom, and on the horizontal axis from the left to the right to generate an information flow definition/analysis matrix (FIGS. 5A-5P) on a memory (step 113). The vertical axis and the horizontal axis on the matrix chart cross to divide the line application activities and the staff application activities. The matrix chart (FIGS. 5A-5P) is displayed on a display screen of the input/output device 2 (step 114). The user enters a name of information having the users including the external organization, the line application activity and the staff application activity arranged on the vertical axis, with the source including the external organization, the line application activity and the staff application activity arranged on the horizontal axis in the information flow definition/ analysis matrix (FIGS. 5A-5P) displayed on the screen, into a frame at the crosspoint of the item on the horizontal axis and an item on the vertical axis. The input name of information is written into the matrix generator 6 (step 115). Then, the information source/user definition table (FIG. 4) for the pair of information source and the information user of the information is registered (step 116). Then, whether the information flow definition/analysis matrix (FIGS. 5A-5P) is to be printed or not is determined (step 117), and if it is not to be printed, a step 119 is executed. If it is to be printed, the information flow definition/analysis matrix (FIGS. 5A-5P) is outputted to the printer 4 (step 118). Then, whether the functional information relational diagram (FIGS. 6A-6B) is to be generated or not is determined (step 119), and if it is not to be generated, a step 125 is executed. If the functional information relational diagram (FIGS. 6A-6B) is to be generated, the related application activity or external organization is inputted by the input/output device 2 (step 120). A line which contains the external enterprise or the application activity entered into the first column 401 or the second column 402 of FIG. 4 is extracted (step 121). Then, the functional information relational diagram (FIGS. 6A-6B) which illustrates a relationship among the information source, the information user and the information flowing therebetween is generated and it is displayed by the input/output device 2 (step 122). Whether the functional information relational diagram (FIGS. 6A-6B) is to be printed or not is determined (step 123). If it is not to be printed, a step 125 is executed. If it is to be printed, the functional information relational diagram (FIGS. 6A-6B) is outputted to the printer 4 (step 124). Then, the information source/user table (FIG. 4) is stored into the data table storage file 3 (step 125).

In accordance with the present invention, since the framework which can define all application activities and external organizations relating to the enterprise activities and the information flowing therebetween are displayed, all information of the source and user of the application activities and the external organizations can be represented in a list and the information flows of the enterprise activities can be defined without missing.