Metastorm ProVision User Forum

Importing Visio diagrams

grayoron — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 13:19:47 GMT

How do you import Visio diagrams and is there a list of Visio shapes mapped to ProVision objects?

Here is what I have found so far:
The Visio Exchange function provides a direct interface with Visio. This interface makes it possible to populate Metastorm ProVision models from Visio diagrams.

Since Visio is a diagramming tool, not a modeler, its objects do not carry significant meaning. This requires the user to be more actively involved in mapping Visio objects into Metastorm ProVision objects. The mapping is accomplished in three key steps:

Select Source and Target: Visio Exchange will ask the user to select a Visio diagram and then select how the diagram is to be interpreted. In effect, it asks the user to select a Metastorm ProVision modeler to map the diagram into.
Map Objects: Visio Exchange will map the diagram objects into the objects which apply in the selected modeler. This detailed object-by-object mapping is then presented to the user. This saves the user from mapping each object one-by-one.
Refine Mapping: The user may now go through each mapping decision an object-by-object basis.

Forum: Interfaces

Resolved Issues in ProVision V6.0.2

Admin — Sun, 04 Nov 2007 02:51:51 GMT

Support Case ID Resolution
3571, 12744 Publishing to Word no longer truncates text for a Bridge start/end object.
9353 Attempting to publish a deleted model no longer causes an abnormal termination.
11881 For all model zoom levels, the correct artifact will display when selected.
11970 A custom object in a model that has two different contexts in Workflow Models no longer refreshes repeatedly.
12061 All Property Grid columns can now be resized.
12246 Trailing spaces are not allowed in object names.
12281, 13225 The characteristic link between the message and service operation now shows in the Navigator model.
12306 Context objects not displaying under certain conditions has been corrected.
12352 A typo was corrected in the Import Provision Objects dialog.
12427 Translator now imports Stereotype values correctly (non-zero).
12530 An Association moved from one connector to another now retains the new connection.
12642 The default value for a custom property in the Customization Control Panel can now be removed.
12722, 12856 In the process model interpretation, component objects are now sequenced in numerical order.
12814 Copying the contents of a Workflow Model that includes a custom link no longer causes an abnormal termination.
12826 A layered Sequence Model no longer loses links when opened and closed.
12832 Properties of a finalized activity will no longer be modifiable in the activity usage dialog.
12846 A typo in the Model Detail Page tab has been corrected.
12961 Importing dimensions of the same name, but different types via Translator is now supported.
13085 Customized links no longer disappear under certain conditions.
13107 Objects that had been rotated were causing abnormal termination when copied; this has been corrected.
13108 An incorrect error message for adding new Business Processes has been fixed.
13108 An incorrect error message when renaming Business Domains has been fixed.
13159 Custom links can no longer appear between workflow lanes and activities.
13202 Transit times in workflows are no longer reset to zero when you close the dialog.
13212 Child folders are no longer deleted incorrectly in Property View.
13235 In the Sequence Model, numbers will display on operation objects and the number will be used in the interpretation sort order.
13236 Right clicking on the Index bar displays the appropriate context menu.
13241 Exporting a gallery and importing its objects into another gallery now updates the objects instead of adding.
13248 A Where Used grid cannot be created without tick marks.
13264 An Activity association now displays in the Artifact dialog.
13313 The drill-down indicator no longer shows for objects that are not the subject of any model.
13384 Power Add no longer creates duplicate objects in Object Inventory.
- The Publisher no longer allows the creation of a new publish list without a name definition.
- Activity usage properties such as resources are copied when a substitution is performed.
- Adherence and custom links to the same Rule object can now be disassociated.
- Double clicking the name of an object in an association grid now brings up the Details dialog.
- A text truncation issue has been resolved in the Import Objects dialog.
- Role text is no longer reversed in an association grid.
- Objects in the Navigator now show their names with Packages.
- Association Grids now show Packages, Classes and Interfaces with their Package Namespaces.
- Substituting a projection for an object no longer drops operations on its stem.
- Opening and closing a Property Grid in a notebook seen in Explorer View no longer causes abnormal termination.
- Opening and closing a Property Grid in the Process category seen in Explorer View no longer deletes the grid.
- A custom default modeling language imported through a new repository is now retained correctly.
- A CRUD bookmark has been added to the business class template file.
- The check box object size (for new objects) string is no longer truncated when the Revert to Defaults option is used.
- Running Discrete Event Simulation and Monte Carlo Simulation on a workflow model now creates valid Activity State Charts.
- Renamed clone projections are now differentiated from the original clone.
- A typo has been corrected in the System Data Exchange Object dialog, Properties tab, Protection Duration dropdown list.
- An �invalid argument� error in exporting to BizTalk has been corrected.
- In customization, updating the style of business domains will no longer update the activity style.
- A minor HTML formatting issue was corrected.
- Files are no longer deleted if a checkin fails.
- A linked custom Property is now generated correctly when published to HTML.

Forum: Releases

Enhancements in ProVision V 6.0.2

Admin — Sun, 04 Nov 2007 02:49:49 GMT

Support Case ID         Enhancement
12294         Linux and UNIX path naming conventions are now supported for images.
12802         Custom links are now available in association and property grids, regardless of their membership in a model
-         The Modeling Language Import dialog now allows users to specify the desired handling of data type collisions.
-         Toolbar settings are now retained after an uninstall of a previous version of ProVision.
-         XPDL export is now supported.
-         BPEL support has been added for Microsoft BizTalk and WebSphere Integration Developer.
-         Microsoft Word 2007 and Excel 2007 formats are now supported by Translator.

Forum: Releases

Top 10 reasons to use Metastorm ProVision for Requirements Analysis

Admin — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 01:08:07 GMT

Requirements Analysis

Getting the Requirements Right

Failure to obtain accurate and complete business requirements has long been the sour note of application development. Lack of communication between the developers and business users leads to more project failures than any other single cause. Metastorm's model driven solution for requirements analysis can change that.

Metastorm ProVision enables business and IT teams to establish consensus on how business processes should work, which business processes are best served through automation, and how technology will support those business processes. It includes detailed business models that eliminate ambiguity and provide a clear, detailed definition of business requirements. The resulting model-based deliverables are a reliable basis for designing an automated solution.

Before your organization launches its next package selection, implementation or upgrade, make sure you identify the right requirements. Metastorm ProVision will significantly reduce requirement errors and thus improve software quality.
Who does Requirements Analysis?

    * System Engineers
    * Business Analysts



    * Developers
    * Project Leaders



    * Product Managers
    * Design Engineers

Top 10 reasons to use Metastorm ProVision for Requirements Analysis:

   1. No requirements modeling tool is easier to use! Your requirements modeling tool most likely will be used by the same analysts who use MS Office. Metastorm ProVision was designed to be intuitive for MS Office users. The portal, a powerful and easy-to-use graphical user interface for Metastorm ProVision, provides an intuitive way to graphically model and gather requirements from multiple perspectives.

   2. Metastorm ProVision models provide the most effective method for gathering, visualizing and analyzing business requirements. This is further enhanced by Metastorm ProVision's ability to manage objects across models and create associations between various object types. Powerful association matrices can also display and manipulate associations between any two object types.

   3. With Metastorm ProVision you see the big picture. You can define and analyze the entire requirements business domain. Metastorm ProVision contains a powerful interpreter which translates any model into simple English at the click of a mouse.

   4. Put your requirements in class by themselves. Metastorm ProVision describes the information for a given business domain as a set of business classes. Using the Business Class Model these classes can be structured into a representation of how they fit relative to other classes in the domain. The Business Class Model also shows the three types of properties for each business class: its associations, attributes, and operations.

   5. Just identifying the information is not enough. An understanding of the changes that business undergoes requires a Statechart Model. With the Statechart Model an analyst can focus on a particular business class and illustrate its lifecycle. The Statechart Model allows an analyst to depict the major stages (states) that an instance of the business class can experience, the allowable transitions between states, and the operations that transition the instance from state to state.

   6. Tie information changes to business activities. Metastorm ProVision can define operations that bring about the state changes related to a business class. This provides analysts with the ability to link operations associated with each class directly to one or more activities, or link multiple business classes to a single activity through a sequence model, which describes a series of operations across of classes.

   7. Automation is the key. Business activities described in Metastorm ProVision can be extended to show the specific user interfaces required to access a proposed system as well as the navigation between them. These user interfaces can also be extended to show interface mockups or images of the actual interfaces to assist in system design and documentation. Interfaces between systems can also be described using the communication model.

   8. Flexibility as a rule. By using the rule object and model, business rules can be captured, organized and associated with any Metastorm ProVision object.

   9. Put your requirements on a firm foundation. Metastorm ProVision provides an instrument to define and model requirements related to infrastructure components in the form of facilities, equipment and technologies.

10. The key factor in assuring requirement accuracy is visibility. Metastorm ProVision models and interpretations can be published as HTML files that can be viewed interactively by all team members. The information captured in Metastorm ProVision can also be used to facilitate training during implementation.

Forum: Modelling

Share your Models

Admin — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 08:38:38 GMT

Share your Models

Metastorm ProVision allows you to import and export business and UML/object models with other popular tools. New Data Exchange modules can be developed easily using the Metastorm ProVision open API based on MS COM (Component Object Model) or XML.

Metastorm ProVision currently supports the following Data Exchanges:
(Some interfaces are not available in the Process edition.)

BPEL
Business Process Execution Language (BPEL) for Web services is an XML-based language designed to enable task-sharing in a distributed computing environment (including multiple organizations) using a combination of Web services. Using BPEL, a developer formally describes how a business process will take place so that any other cooperating organization can perform one or more steps in the process the same way. Using a supply chain process as an example, BPEL might be used to describe the protocol of information comprising a product order, as well as the exceptions that may arise.
Translator
Metastorm ProVision includes a Translator, which enables you to export or import notebook contents (including objects and their properties, if applicable) in any of the following formats: MS Excel (form or tabular format) MS Word (form or tabular format) Comma-separated format (.csv or tabular format) XML (tabular format) With Metastorm ProVision you can export object information to a formatted table with no specific data (only template headings for the object and property types), or in a file populated with the objects and properties you selected. You can import tabular-formatted object information or choose to place the imported data in a specific model or into inventory, which enables you to use it in whatever models/objects you choose.
VisioExchange
The Visio Exchange function provides a direct interface with Visio. This interface makes it possible to populate Metastorm ProVision models from Visio diagrams. Since Visio is a diagramming tool, not a modeler, its objects do not carry significant meaning. This requires the user to be more actively involved in mapping Visio objects into Metastorm ProVision objects. The mapping is accomplished in three key steps: Select Source and Target: Visio Exchange will ask the user to select a Visio diagram and then select how the diagram is to be interpreted. In effect, it asks the user to select a Metastorm ProVision modeler to map the diagram into. Map Objects: Visio Exchange will map the diagram objects into the objects which apply in the selected modeler. This detailed object-by-object mapping is then presented to the user. This saves the user from mapping each object one-by-one. Refine Mapping: The user may now go through each mapping decision and modify on an object-by-object basis. This provides the user object-by-object
RoseExchange
The Rose Exchange function provides a direct interface with Rational Rose. This interface makes it possible to populate Metastorm ProVision from Rational Rose and, similarly, to populate Rational Rose from Metastorm ProVision. The intended purpose of this interface is to enable a two-way data exchange between Metastorm ProVision and Rational Rose. It consists of two major functions: Import enables the more technical objects expressed by Rose to be incorporated into the more business-like repository of Metastorm ProVision. This provides, among other things, a way to use Rose data as the seed for developing robust business models. Export enables Metastorm ProVision to be used as a source for populating Rose diagrams. One very common use of Export is as part of a lifecycle handoff. Business and Analytical models developed in ProVision can be exported to Rose for technical development (detailed design and code generation). These capabilities are all accomplished by the Rose Exchange function. These capabilities are all accomplished by the Rose Exchange function.
*Together*
The Together Exchange function provides a direct interface with Together. This interface makes it possible to populate Metastorm ProVision from Together and, similarly, to populate Together from Metastorm ProVision.
ERwinExchange
The ERwin Exchange function provides a direct interface with ERwin. This interface makes it possible to populate Metastorm ProVision from ERwin and, similarly, to populate ERwin from Metastorm ProVision. The intended purpose of this interface is to enable a two-way data exchange between Metastorm ProVision and ERwin. It consists of two major functions: Import enables the more technical objects expressed by ERwin to be incorporated into the more business-like repository of Metastorm ProVision. This provides, among other things, a way to use ERwin data as the seed for developing robust business models. Export enables Metastorm ProVision to be used a source for populating ERwin diagrams. One very common use of Export is as part of a lifecycle handoff. Business and Analytical models developed in Metastorm ProVision can be exported to ERwin for technical development (detailed design and code generation). These capabilities are all accomplished by the ERwin Exchange function.
MSProjectExchange
The benefits of the MS Project Exchange applies when the user has built workflow models that express (conceptually) tasks and dependencies. The MS Project Exchange will automatically populate MS Project and enable the full functionality of that tool to be applied. The Exchange includes tasks (activities), dependencies (workflow links), cost and timing information and resource utilization.
DDLExchange
The DDL Exchange function provides an interface with most relational database management systems that meet ANSI/ISO SQL 92 standards. This interface makes it possible to populate Metastorm ProVision from DDL scripts and, similarly, to generate DDL scripts from Metastorm ProVision. The intended purpose of this interface is to enable a two-way data exchange between Metastorm ProVision and DDL. It consists of two major functions: Generation enables Metastorm ProVision to be used as a source for generating database schema in the form of DDL scripts Reverse engineering enables database schema in the form of DDL scripts to be brought into Metastorm ProVision to be represented as object models. These capabilities are all accomplished by the DDL Exchange function.
C++
The C++ exchange function enables you to specify the design options for generating C++ components from class model components.
XMI
The XMI Exchange function uses XML Metadata Interchange (XMI) to interface with other business modeling and reporting tools via Extended Markup Language (XML). This makes it possible to populate Metastorm ProVision from such external software that recognizes the XML format and to populate the software from Metastorm ProVision.

Forum: Modelling

BPA Modelers

Admin — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 08:23:49 GMT

Metastorm ProVision Modelers Optimize Results

The modelers of Metastorm ProVision for Business Process Analysis provide process and organizational mapping capabilities for documenting and analyzing your business processes and organizational interactions. All business and process models from Metastorm ProVisionBPA can be used in Metastorm ProVision for Enterprise Architecture for further analysis and development.

BPA Modelers
Process Motivation	Process Definition
Strategy Modeler Goal Modeler Problem Modeler Opportunity Modeler Impact Modeler	Workflow Modeler Process Modeler Rule Modeler Deliverable Modeler
Process Participation	Process Analysis
Business Interaction Modeler Communication Modeler Organization Modeler Location Modeler System Modeler	Timing Analysis Cost Analysis State Analysis

Forum: Modelling

Metastorm ProVisionBPA

Admin — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 08:23:28 GMT

Effective Business Process Analysis

In an increasingly competitive environment, your organization's business success depends on its ability to achieve efficiencies through effective improvement and management of its processes. Metastorm ProVision for Business Process Analysis is designed to provide the foundation for all your process improvement initiatives and accelerate your BPM implementation

Metastorm ProVisionBPA provides end-to-end process modeling capabilities allowing our customers to model strategy, process and organizational responsibilities under one common framework. This superior process analysis, modeling and simulation environment is combined with industry acclaimed "ease of use" for both business and systems users. Metastorm ProVisionBPA's integrated and shareable web-based repository of process knowledge is scalable and available to the entire enterprise.

In addition to Metastorm ProVisions tight link to the Metastorm BPM Suite, our Common Interchange Format (CIF) enables interoperability with other process automation tools as well as leading ERP and IT implementation platforms and tools. Designing optimized business processes prior to automation will ensure improved process performance and competitiveness.

Five-Part Framework of Metastorm ProVisionBPA

Metastorm ProVisionBPA provides an integrated end-to-end process framework for continual process improvement. It is comprised of five key components:

Process Motivation Strategic modelers document organizational goals, opportunities and problems. This strategic information can determine the impact processes will have on the strategic direction of the enterprise.

Process Participants Organization modelers provide a structured framework for identifying the organization involvement in the key processes of the enterprise. This will greatly improve the ability to see how enterprises interact with customers, suppliers and even competitors.

Process Definitions Process/Workflow modelers allow users to visually document and (re)design end-to-end business processes to improve process performance. Organizational hand-offs and potential inefficiencies can be identified and analyzed. Different process scenarios may be developed to investigate alternative process solutions.

Process Analysis The performance of process models can be analyzed using sophisticated Monte Carlo and discrete event simulation. Cost, timing, and resource allocation can be analyzed to identify process bottlenecks and design optimized, efficient business processes.

Design Implementation Metastorm ProVisionBPA establishes a foundation for process improvement initiatives and accelerates BPM implementations.

Through the optimization and realignment of business strategy and processes, Metastorm ProVisionBPA elevates your organization to the next level of performance and secures your competitive advantage.

Metastorm ProVisionBPA Usage	System Requirements
Process improvement Quality initiatives Six Sigma ISO certification Process modeling & documentation BPMS/ Workflow design Business Architecture BPR	Microsoft Windows 2000, XP, and Vista Minimum of 512 MB RAM Pentium 4, 2.0+ GHZ 120 MB hard drive space At least 100 MB to 200 MB storage dedicated to projects ( depends on the size of your project data)

Metastorm ProVisionBPAs primary advantages include:

Model and design superior processes.

Analyze how processes support and are influenced by corporate strategy and goals.

Understand organizational interactions and design efficient processes that maximize organizational resources.

Analyze process performance via Monte Carlo and discrete event simulators. Perform "as is" and "to be" analysis to quantify and compare potential for increased service levels as well as time, error and cost reductions.

Manage and integrate processes and related components into a single web-based repository, accessible to the entire organization.

Robust interfaces to BPEL, ERP application, XML and Workflow engines.

Forum: Modelling

Knowledge Exchange

Admin — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 08:22:49 GMT

Empower Your Enterprise

Knowledge Exchange is the first web-based server application that enables you to manage your business models and objects in a collaborative environment across the internet. Knowledge Exchange's innovative technology allows business and systems analysts to build, manage, update and communicate business and system models across a wide-area network, enabling globally-distributed teams to work together under a common, model-based view of their enterprise. Its multi-user, remote-access web server provides real-time model development against a shared repository within Metastorm ProVision. Knowledge Exchange makes key intellectual capital readily available and easily accessible via Metastorm ProVisions web-based architecture.

The Advantage of Knowledge Exchange
Knowledge Exchange was created to meet the demand for greater business agility. Business models and operational knowledge no longer have to sit in the hands of a few business or IT people -- with Knowledge Exchange they become a key asset of the entire company. Knowledge Exchange empowers distributed teams to dynamically refine business processes and systems in response to rapidly changing requirements. Anyone can manage, communicate and distribute business knowledge and models anywhere at anytime.

The key features of Knowledge Exchange are:

Web-based Repository
Metastorm ProVision includes a distributed server solution called Knowledge Exchange. With Knowledge Exchange, business and IT professionals can manage business models and objects remotely across the internet. Your Metastorm ProVision business models and objects can be stored on a remote server and accessed via the web. This means that you can view and manage the contents of your notebooks from any location, providing a true global development environment.

Enterprise Viewing and Sharing
With Knowledge Exchange enterprises communicate their business and system information at the speed of the internet. You can launch models and view their objects, attachments, and other entities. You can add notes and comments to the models and their components, being able to review them over the internet provides your development team with a powerful communication tool. And because your team members likely work at various times and in different locations, the ability to view shared information becomes more practical and important to the success of your development venture. All you need is a standard internet browser!

Model Warehouse
With Knowledge Exchange Model Warehouse, you can extract Knowledge Exchange notebooks to a relational database. The Model Warehouse's control panel displays the current notebooks in your repository. From there, you can select the notebooks you want to extract, and determine their destination database. You can also view the extract services that are already running.

Knowledge Exchange Usage

System Requirements

Team development
Global interaction 24/7

Client Requirements:
Minimum of 512 MB RAM
Pentium 4, 2.0+ GHZ
80 MB hard drive space
At least 100 MB to 200 MB
storage dedicated to projects
(depends on the size
of your project data)

Server Requirements:
OS: Windows 2000/2003 Server, Sun Solaris ( unix ),
SUSE Linux or AIX
Web Application Servers/Containers: Apache Tomcat,
WebLogic or WebSphere

Database Supported: Oracle and MS SQL Server
CPU: Dual processors, Pentium 4, 2.0+ GHz
Installation Space: At least 200 MB
Storage Space: 2 to 15 GB dedicated to projects
( depends on the size of your project data)
Memory: minimum 4 GB RAM
Network Protocol: TCP/IP

Knowledge Exchange Capabilities

Worldwide access to shared objects Onsite/ offsite (internet and intranet access), secure access via firewall - friendly HTTPS

Real multi-user No lock out, check-in/out protocol

Scalable Industrial strength DBMS, web-server resident, tierable (e.g. DBMS on another server)

Platform flexibility uns on J2EE platforms, currently on Windows, Solaris, WebSphere, Oracle and SQL servers. Future platforms include BEA/WebLogic and DB2

Convenient administration Remote, thin-client based

Security A Knowledge Exchange administrator can define a single set of users and groups as well as the policies that grant access to an arbitrary number of shared repositories and notebooks

Forum: Modelling

ProVision Features

Admin — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 08:22:22 GMT

Features

Metastorm ProVision is packed with powerful features that enable you to achieve maximum results with your Enterprise Architecture and Business Process Analysis programs.

Navigator

Common Interchange Format (CIF)

Simulation and Analytics

Dimensions

Customized Reporting and Analysis

Data Exchange and Translator

Data Collection

Repository Analysis

Native Modeling Language/Framework Support

Reporting and Publishing

Pre-Defined Reference Models

Navigator

Metastorm ProVision's new Navigator is a special type of modeler that allows you to view and manage Metastorm ProVision's integrated repository. The Navigator provides access to all objects and links constructed within a notebook's constituent models. This is achieved by selecting a given object and progressively disclosing selected associations to other objects in the notebook using the neighborhood function. The Navigator provides for the examination of associations that are constructed across various models. Models by nature reflect a given view within a given context. The Navigator enables you to traverse objects and associations across a wider context than the models where they reside.

Common Interchange Format (CIF)

Todays enterprises expect interoperability and demand effective collaboration. Metastorm (formerly Proforma) designed the CIF to facilitate the exchange of a wide variety of enterprise information between Metastorm ProVision and related best-of-breed solutions. Customer organizations using CIF can support full traceability between business processes definitions, the rules that manage them, the technical services forward-engineered to implement them, the legacy systems supporting those business processes, and the enterprise repositories that store vital information about those processes. As a result, CIF enables better process management and business agility.

CIF achieves robust interoperability and simultaneously enables BPEL or XPDL to carry both executable semantics and business semantics with traceability. It can stand alone or be embedded into a standard. By embedding CIF, the standard can carry execution semantics, as well as the business semantics and traceability provided by CIF. This value-add allows organizations to execute processes and tie the executable process definitions back to comprehensive business process requirements.

Simulation and Analytics

Metastorm ProVision includes both Monte Carlo and discrete event simulators. They enable you to define unique business case scenarios and perform process simulation and animation with cost, timing and resource analyses for all your workflow models. Each process can contain multiple processing scenarios, allowing an unlimited number of what if analyses. Different "what if" analyses can be performed by varying resource allocation, commodity inventories and replenishment levels. The simulator runs a process scenario, so users can visually spot and analyze bottlenecks prior to deploying or automating business processes. Simulation results can be displayed and analyzed in cost and timing spreadsheets and graphs, which can also be migrated to Microsoft Excel for distribution or integration with other spreadsheet applications.
Read More

Dimensions

With dimensions, an enterprise can be modeled at a single point in time. The business model provides a clear, appropriately abstract representation of the enterprise at that point. This model is then leveraged to seed and realize innovation by translating business models into IT artifacts.

But the most effective enterprise model is not simply a snapshot of the enterprise at a point in time. Rather, it is more like a motion picture of the enterprise. It is a model that allows the exploration of innovative change, as well as the ability to analyze actual change over time.

Change appears in many forms. A simple example of representing change is the concept of a version. Versions recognize change based upon innovation over time. Version 2 of a business process reflects changes and improvements over version 1 of that business process. However, versions are only one dimension of change.

An enterprise model often considers locations or areas. Multinational enterprises define their processes (as well as other enterprise artifacts) differently depending upon the area in which the process executes. The U.S. Order Fulfillment process may work equally well across all states in the Union, but may not work well in France . Thus an enterprise needs an Order Fulfillment US , Order Fulfillment France , Order Fulfillment Japan , etc. to reflect the unique cultural, political, economic and sociological differences of each area.

Many other types of dimensions exist naturally. In addition to version and area/location, we see time (e.g. financial quarters), culture (e.g. Asian, European, Middle Eastern), market (e.g. private vs. public) and more. An enterprise model needs to express change (and changes) across numerous dimensions.

Moreover, a single concept can be stratified across multiple dimensions. The Order Fulfillment process was shown to vary by area. Each of the example Order Fulfillment processes may also vary by version. This leads to Order Fulfillment ( JAPAN ,V1) , Order Fulfillment ( JAPAN v2) , Order Fulfillment ( US v1) , etc. An enterprise is a complex entity that requires expressing fundamental concepts such as a single process across multiple, simultaneous dimensions such as area and version.

Metastorm ProVision allows every main object in its meta-model to be stratified across one or more simultaneous dimensions. The dimensions (dimension types) are defined by the enterprise as needed and reused throughout the product. Furthermore, dimensioned objects are not special cases. They are fully functional, first-class objects in Metastorm ProVision with all rights and privileges.

This means that a Metastorm ProVision user can have a process representing Order Fulfillment ( US v1) and another representing Order Fulfillment ( JAPAN v2). In such a scenario, the processes can have different properties (including different descriptions) and can be defined with profoundly different components. The workflow model (aka process model) for Order Fulfillment ( US v1) may require 25 activities and involve seven organizations where Order Fulfillment ( JAPAN v2) may require 33 activities and three organizations. Both processes represent the same concept the Order Fulfillment process but may vary considerably. Furthermore, the component activities within each process can also be dimensioned. Both Order Fulfillment ( JAPAN v2) and Order Fulfillment ( US v1) can do Order Scheduling the same way (using the same activity) but vary in how they complete the order in the field.

Metastorm ProVision makes it easy to reflect the many dimensions of change that are the reality for an enterprise. If the Order Fulfillment ( US v1) process requires a special U.S. activity for completing an order, this activity can be created and used within the model.

Customized Reporting and Analysis

Metastorm ProVision provides a reporting and analysis environment that allows the contents of a Metastorm ProVision repository to be shaped into a form that is most usable for a given situation. This includes standard reporting that the enterprise uses to evaluate projects, monitor processes, etc. or one-time reports to analyze a situation.

Data Exchange and Translator

Metastorm ProVision's Data Exchanges allows you to import and export business and UML/object models with other popular tools. New data exchange modules can be developed easily using the Metastorm ProVision open API based on MS COM (Component Object Model) or XML. Metastorm ProVision currently supports the following Data Exchanges:

*BPEL *Visio *Rational Rose *Together *ERwin *C++ *DDL *MS Project *XMI

Metastorm ProVision's translator function enables you to export Metastorm ProVision models and objects to tabular file formats, such as MS Excel, Microsoft Word, comma-separated value (.csv) files, and XML files. It also makes it possible to import tabular data into Metastorm ProVision.
Read More.

Data Collection

MS Excel (form or tabular format)

MS Word (form or tabular format)

Comma-separated format (.csv or tabular format)

XML (tabular format)

You can export object information to a formatted table with no specific data (only template headings for the object and property types), or in a file populated with the objects and properties you selected.

You can import tabular-formatted object information into Metastorm ProVision. You can choose to place the imported data in a specific model or into inventory, which enables you to use it in whatever models/objects you choose.

Repository Analysis

Completeness Checker
Metastorm ProVision includes the completeness checker, which enables you to check one or more models in your open notebook to ensure that their objects and connections are comprehensive and correct. If any model components have been specified incorrectly, or if required information is missing, the completeness checker lists the components that require correction.

Model Comparison
You can use Metastorm ProVision's model comparison facility to identify similarities and differences between models in the same or two different notebooks. To compare a pair of models, select the target notebook to compare against the currently opened (source) notebook. The default setting for the target notebook is also the currently opened notebook. There are many types of comparison that can be performed.

Spell Checker
Metastorm ProVision's spell checker enables you to check the spelling of all objects, links, connections, etc. in one or more models in your open notebook.

Native Modeling Language/Framework Support

Frameworks
Metastorm ProVision contains a wide variety of models and their components, and the software supports many modeling languages such as Zachman, TOGAF, DoDAF, FEA, UML, BPMN - BPEL, Rummler-Brache, and Six Sigma (as well as enabling you to create your own customized language). For this reason, Metastorm ProVision uses frameworks to simplify the navigation process. Simply stated, a framework provides a visual means to move among different modelers as you complete modeling tasks. It divides the modelers into categories, based on criteria specified in the modeling language itself (for example, the Six Sigma modeling language has pre-defined categories) or based on your own criteria.

Gallery of Graphics
Metastorm ProVision's gallery displays pictures, stencils, and objects in a central location. You can create new graphics or import existing ones, store them in the gallery, then reuse them in multiple locations throughout your business models. You can also import graphics into the gallery using the Windows clipboard. You can then add details to your gallery items, and incorporate them in multiple models.

Repository Extensions
You can use Metastorm ProVision's Model XTender to create new objects and links and add them to your modelers. The Model XTender features 150 template objects and 100 template links. You can develop a completely unique modeling component by selecting one of these items and defining its style (such as color, image, font, geometry, and other characteristics) and assigning its properties. The custom objects and links are then immediately recognizable by Metastorm ProVision components, such as modelers, the inventory tree, association grids, interpreters, the translator, and others. After creating custom object and link types, you can assign them to modelers, just as with other objects and links.

Reporting and Publishing

Metastorm ProVision's publisher enables you to generate all or part of your open notebook in a variety of file formats or send it to your default printer. The publisher now uses templates to define the style of the individual objects as they are seen in the final output. It includes the following new features:

Customizable for MS Word and HTML

Uses templates to distinguish object-level output

Inclusion of boilerplate text in publication

Ability to publish artifacts

Interpreter
You can also use the Interpreter to view and change model information dynamically. This means that you can make changes from either the visual model or the interpreter report. Changes made in one format are automatically shown in the other. The revision to the model component is immediately reflected in both the interpretation and in the model.

HTML Publisher
You can publish a document with one or more models and interpretations in one of three formats: hardcopy to your default printer, to an HTML document (with a compile option), and to a Microsoft Word document.

Crystal Reports
Rather than create a new reporting environment that must be learned by the user, BusinessObjects Crystal Reports controls are now integrated into Metastorm ProVision. Crystal Reports is a leading, easy-to-use reporting and analysis tool already in use by many Metastorm customers. This familiar product provides the flexibility to select and analyze data in multiple formats. To optimize performance, Metastorm ProVision works in concert with Crystal Reports to extract only the data needed to create the report. A set of pre-designed sample reports are provided for use. Metastorm ProVision users may employ these reports, customize reports to their own preferences, or design new reports based on their requirements. Those who desire to create or customize reports must purchase a copy of Crystal Reports. Once the desired reports are designed, they can be generated by anyone who has a copy of Metastorm ProVision.

Pre-Defined Reference Models

Metastorm's reference models provide the knowledge base for defining the operations of key business functions. Our pre-built reference models support many different industries, including Finance, Telecommunication, ITIL, Supply Chain and Education. These reference models are based on published standards, industry expertise and practical experience. All the models are stored within a shareable Metastorm ProVision repository, which provides the framework necessary to define and analyze your specific requirements and models.

Forum: Modelling

Metastorm ProVision for Enterprise Architecture Models the Entire Enterprise

Admin — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 08:21:49 GMT

Metastorm ProVision for Enterprise Architecture Models the Entire Enterprise

Metastorm ProVision for Enterprise Architecture allows you to know your business better by providing an integrated view of all dimensions of the enterprise. It is the only tool that provides complete coverage for business strategy, organization, process, information, communication and technology.

To model an enterprise you need to understand it intimately-- not generically. Most tools have a couple of modelers or a "generic modeler" that can draw the picture, but only Metastorm ProVisionEA can give you structure, integration and functionality. Metastorm ProVisionEA 's integrated repository shows the relationships between process and data usage. Changes to the processes or data can be quickly analyzed and evaluated from all the dimensions of the enterprise.

Metastorm ProVisionEA serves as the central repository of hundreds of thousands of corporate models describing your enterprise. These models can be linked with existing pieces of intellectual capital that can be browsed within Metastorm ProVisionEA . This empowers the entire enterprise to clearly see and evaluate the impact of change and continually manage and deliver improved performance.



Model, Analyze and Improve Your Enterprise with Metastorm ProVision for Enterprise Architecture Modelers

Strategy Modelers	Information Modelers
Strategy Modeler Goal Modeler Problem Modeler Opportunity Modeler Rule Modeler Capability Modeler Environmental Infuencer Modeler Impact Modeler Plan Modeler Project Modeler	Deliverable Modeler Business Class Modeler Subtype Modeler Statechart Modeler Requirement Modeler
Organizational Modelers	Communication Modelers
Organization Modeler Business Interaction Modeler Storyboard Modeler	Communication Modeler Location Modeler System Modeler System Interaction Modeler
Process Modelers	Technology Modelers
Workflow Modeler Process Modeler Use Case Modeler Sequence Modeler Operation Modeler	Deployment Modeler Platform Modeler Standard Modeler Technology Modeler

Forum: Modelling

Metastorm ProvisionEA

Admin — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 08:21:25 GMT

The Visual Language of Business and IT

Despite the many challenges in today's global economy, businesses and government agencies operate in a world of expanding opportunities. A virtual model of the enterprise is an intuitive way of seeing and improving the inner workings of an organization in response to these ever-changing opportunities and challenges.

Metastorm ProVision for Enterprise Architecture is the industry leading enterprise modeling software for business and IT. An end-to-end solution for Enterprise Architecture and Business Process Analysis, Metastorm ProVisionEA enables you to understand, realize, innovate and monitor all aspects of your business operations to continually improve performance. Enterprise visibility and the resulting business and IT alignment are the foundation for true enterprise agility.

With Metastorm ProVisionEA, you can translate business strategy and operational objectives into successful enterprise change through models that describe enterprise assets and their relationships. This understanding serves as the context for effective Business Process Analysis and future state planning.

With visibility, an enterprise can arrange how things get done in support of key goals, while exploiting best practices and industry standards.

With visibility, an enterprise can see the full cascading effects of possible decisions as well as their economic impact on the business.

With visibility, an enterprise can leverage its systems and technology assets by establishing the direct mapping from process activities to implementable service components.

With visibility, an enterprise has a real opportunity for true alignment of business and technology.

Clear Results

Metastorms integrated enterprise modeling solutions enable effective visual collaboration for business and IT, empowering the agile enterprise. Our model-driven approach empowers your entire enterprise to clearly see and evaluate the impact of change and continually manage and deliver improved performance.

Understand and manage your enterprise's business and system knowledge

Streamline processes to gain organizational efficiencies

Perform Six Sigma and what if analyses on your business processes

Improve your processes with Monte Carlo and discrete event simulators

Identify opportunities for process improvement quickly

Define your strategy, goals, metrics, problems and implementation opportunities

Quickly analyze the impact of process and system changes on data usage

Identify and map service operations to business processes

Generate BPEL from process workflows

Provide clear definitions of system requirements using UML modelers

Build systems that truly reflect the business objectives and goals

Manage your requirements for complex system implementations

Communicate with anyone, anywhere, anytime via a web-server-based repository

Interface with popular tools (Visio, Rational, ERwin, Microsoft Office and XML)

Customize your modeling language (Zachman, Rummler-Brache, DoDAF, UML, or create your own)

Metastorm ProVision for Enterprise Architecture Usage

Process Improvement Quality Initiatives Six Sigma ISO Certification Process Documentation SOA Strategic Planning Enterprise Architecture (DoDAF, FEA, Zachman) Business Requirements UML Modeling BPEL
System Requirements
Microsoft Windows 2000, XP, and Vista Minimum of 512 MB RAM, Pentium 4, 2.0+ GHZ , 120 MB hard drive space . At least 100 MB to 200 MB storage dedicated to projects (depends on the size of your project data)

Forum: Modelling

ProGuide Methodology

Admin — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 08:20:27 GMT

Metastorm ProGuide provides an integrated set of repeatable "best practice" process models that an organization can successfully employ when performing model-based business process improvement, requirements analysis and application development projects. This methodology tool helps project managers, business modelers and developers define the "who, what, where, when, why and how" necessary for effective business process analysis and system development projects.

The Metastorm ProGuide Advantage
Metastorm ProGuide improves the communication and cooperation between business and IT project participants. With this guidance, projects employing business process and object modeling approaches are more stable, predictable and repeatable. Following the techniques within Metastorm ProGuide ensures organizations will create high quality project deliverables.

Metastorm ProGuide combines the best practices of leading business process improvement, analysis and design approaches with a comprehensive set of best practice models. These models, stored within the industry-leading Metastorm ProVision, guide users through the complexities of Business Process Analysis, object modeling, gap analysis and distributed development. And because the Metastorm ProGuide methodology is stored as a set of business models in Metastorm ProVision, users can refine and evolve the models to accommodate their own best practices as appropriate to their organizations.

Metastorm ProGuide Details
Metastorm ProGuide was developed as a direct result of extensive consulting experiences using the principles of business process modeling, object modeling, information engineering, application design, component development, and system implementation. It is intended to provide an integrated set of repeatable best practices or processes that an organization can successfully employ when performing model-based business modeling, requirements analysis and application development projects.

Metastorm ProGuide's content is stored as a set of best practice models within Metastorm ProVision. The contents of Metastorm ProGuide can thus be viewed, modified and published using the facilities of Metastorm ProVision. Advantages include:

A formal and rigorous definition of project structure and deliverables, the key components of a useful methodology.

Metastorm ProGuide models can be reviewed and updated as appropriate for the specific uses of an organization.

Additional software need not be acquired. All Metastorm ProVision licensees may automatically view and publish the contents of a best practices notebook using Metastorm ProVision.

Best Practices Notebooks
Metastorm ProGuide's best practices process notebooks describe the different project structures, along with their activities and deliverables. These process notebooks include:

Business Domain Profile

Business Process Improvement

Business Object Analysis

Distributed Design

Packaged Software Implementation

System Development and Implementation

In addition, a Best Practices Techniques notebook describing detailed procedures for developing model-based deliverables is provided.

An introduction to each of the Best Practices notebooks is provided in the following sections.

Business Domain Profile
Business Domain Profile is the Best Practices process for examining a portion of the business or business process at a high level. Its purpose is:

To scope the business domain

To partition the business domain into manageable Business Object Analysis projects for subsequent in-house development

To provide a business definition for the evaluation or acquisition of vendor-supplied software

The results of the business domain profile effort are structured in the form of a profile document. This document may replace (or serve as a starting point for) the profiling effort in subsequent business object analysis projects.

Business Process Improvement
Business Process Improvement is the Best Practices process for modeling, analyzing and improving a business domain's business processes. The improvement is accomplished by modeling the current (As-Is) state of the process and identifying potential improvements. These potential improvements serve as the basis for modeling a series of future (To-Be) process alternatives. All of the alternatives are evaluated before proceeding with a single selected process design. This Best Practice continues by defining the business requirements that support the new business process, and identifying alternate solutions for implementing the business requirements.

Business Object Analysis (BOA)
This notebook contains the best practices process for applying an object-oriented approach to define business domain requirements. BOA also employs special meeting facilitation techniques and a workshop environment to develop these business requirements. A typical BOA project involves a team of business experts of fewer than ten individuals assembled in a workshop for approximately five days. This team is responsible for articulating the business requirements, and becomes the de facto authority for the business domain under analysis.

Distributed Design
This notebook is the Best Practices process that focuses on the specification of an application system. Its purpose is to take the business requirements defined in an analysis exercise and create technical specifications for a distributed, heterogeneous environment.

The Distributed Design process addresses the design of distributed applications using a "broad" definition of client/server. Technically, a client is a software application or node that requests services from another software application or node (known as the server). A server is a software application or node that provides a service to a requestor (client) when initiated by the requestor. In a distributed environment any node may serve in the role of client and/or server. Using this definition of client/server, the distributed design project template may be used when implementing almost any application system in a distributed environment. Therefore, this template addresses not only the "narrow" definition of client/server environments (data on a central server and presentation on a local workstation), but also all environments that call for distributed system components (such as cooperative processing, distributed processing, cooperative server, etc.).

Packaged Software Implementation
This notebook is the Best Practices process for identifying, evaluating, recommending and implementing a commercial software package. This project template identifies business and technical requirements to determine the acquisition criteria of a software package. The criteria are used to create a Request for Proposal (RFP), which is sent to potential vendors. Vendor responses are evaluated on the capabilities of the software package, as well as the vendor's ability to support the package. The recommended software package is analyzed to determine the extent of modifications necessary and the cost of implementation. Once acquired, enhancements are designed for the software package.

System Development and Implementation
This notebook is the Best Practices process for constructing and installing an application system. The source of the application system design may be an enhancement to previously purchased packaged software, or a newly developed set of system specifications resulting from a distributed design effort. In this project plan the system specifications (or package enhancements) are constructed and tested. The resulting application system is then installed in each of the locations where it is to be implemented.

Techniques
This notebook contains the meta model for model-based deliverables of Metastorm ProVision. It also contains detailed techniques for developing the primary model-based deliverables required by the ProGuide Best Practices processes.

ProGuide Architecture
The ProGuide architecture is expressed in the following simplified meta model. The meta model shows the basic objects of interest and their associations to other objects in ProGuide.

ProGuide Models
ProGuide Process and Technique models are stored in a world-class business modeling tool, Metastorm ProVision. The sophistication, integration, and ease-of-use of Metastorm ProVision may be used by an organization to customize the ProGuide models and thus the Best Practices processes and techniques.

Forum: Modelling

Top 10 reasons to use Metastorm ProVision for ITIM:

Admin — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 08:19:53 GMT

ITIM is based on an industry standard source for information technology activities and best practices ITIL . Metastorm ProVision uses ITIL material under license from the Office of Government Commerce. This enables ITIM to deliver a stable, standards based structure for decomposing IT activities, drastically reducing the time and cost required to develop the structure from scratch.

ITIM facilitates the strategic management of IT by identifying strategic objectives for IT. These objectives define the different perspectives for how the business views the overall value delivered by IT.

ITIM ensures operational alignment to strategic objectives by connecting IT objective with operational components. This is achieved by aligning hundreds of activities, best practices and metrics with IT objectives.

ITIM manages risks that hinder the achievement of IT objectives by providing tangible controls to mitigate them. ITIM controls are tied to specific IT activities so they can be deployed when new process designs are implemented.

ITIM is a configurable model instead of a static document so it can be easily adapted to meet the specifics of your organization's environment using Metastorm ProVision.

ITIM delivers detailed design guidance for creating superior IT processes by identifying hundreds of activity specific risk mitigating controls and performance enhancing best practices.

Metastorm ProVision's dynamic object repository allows you to make a single change to an object and have that change reflected in every model where it appears. This enforces model integrity of ITIM names, definitions and linkages and eliminates the need to reconcile changes across multiple diagrams and/or documents.

ITIM creates an environment for visualizing how IT operates. Each ITIM component model is easily understood by everyone and publishable in MS Word and HTML formats that support mass distribution. Metastorm ProVision can also create a data warehouse to further extend reporting and publishing capabilities.

Utilizing ITIM in conjunction with Metastorm ProVision's simulation capabilities allows IT process timing activity-based costs calculated and analyzed. For more sophisticated analysis, the user can enter the frequency of events, the capacity of activities, and the availability of resources. The results of this analysis can identify bottlenecks, resource constraints, excessive queuing in the process, etc. Simulation analysis can be used to identify problems in existing IT processes and validate proposed changes prior to the costly steps of implementation.

To support an IT infrastructure you need more than generic diagramming capabilities, you need a dynamic repository that can manage the true definitions of all your IT objects. In Metastorm ProVision, these objects can be defined, modeled and understood and stored by the underlying repository. This allows for reuse of all objects, and the ability to report on their relationships and capabilities. It also allows different teams to build separate models and integrate these models together, retaining the integrity and definition of common components.

Forum: Modelling

Top 10 reasons to use Metastorm ProVision for customer chain

Admin — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 08:19:33 GMT

The Metastorm ProVision Customer Chain Reference Models provides a standard framework of high-level customer-chain definitions used by over 700 members of the Supply-Chain Council. Using standardized customer-chain process definitions and their associated performance metrics allows your organization to identify and benchmark your processes with the exact same processes of another Supply-Chain Council member.

With ProVision Customer Chain Reference Models you can configure and define the complete scope of your customer-chain and then analyze the process start to finish. Metastorm ProVision contains a powerful Interpreter which translates any model into simple English at the click of a mouse. The process models and interpretations become your operating procedure documentation. Your customer-chain models and interpretations also can be used for Enterprise Architecture, requirements analysis, ISO certification, strategic planning and application development.

Metastorm ProVisions comparison facility easily identifies changes made between As-Is and To-Be customer-chain processes, providing a launching pad for addressing process implementation issues and tasks.

Metastorm ProVisions workflow models provide the most effective method for visualizing the business processes performed in the organization. Easily understood by everyone, they provide a picture of how work is accomplished, who is responsible, and the complexity of the process.

Metastorm ProVision provides a facility for capturing and integrating additional customer-chain views and information in the Metastorm ProVision Customer Chain Reference Models. Through the use of Metastorm ProVision, the Metastorm ProVision Customer Chain Reference Models can be extended to include other aspects of a customer-chain process such as locations, organizations, data, and systems. Information documented in other tools like PowerPoint, MS Word and Excel can also be attached to the model.

The Metastorm ProVision simulator provides a state-of-the-art approach for calculating process timing and analyzing a process activity-based costs. For more sophisticated analysis, the user can enter the frequency of events, the capacity of activities, and the availability of resources. The results of this analysis can identify bottlenecks, resource constraints, excessive queuing in the process, etc. Simulation analysis can be used to identify problems in existing customer-chain processes and validate proposed changes prior to implementation.

Metastorm ProVision Reference Models help you manage and improve your customer-chain by providing hundreds of the Supply-Chain Councils industry proven best practices and metrics. With Metastorm ProVision, best practices can be analyzed with respect to cost, benefit and risk.

Implementation of process changes requires the ability to disseminate important information to those affected by the changes. Metastorm ProVisions models and their textual interpretations can be published as HTML files that can be viewed interactively when posted to your Inter/Intranet website. Metastorm ProVisions repository also provides the capability to extract specific information segmented by role, organization, system, activity and other process components.

To support a customer-chain framework you need more than generic diagramming capabilities. You need a dynamic repository that can manage the true definitions of all your business and technical customer-chain components. Metastorm ProVision stores these components as distinct objects that are defined, modeled and understood by the underlying repository. This allows for reuse of all components, and the ability to report on their relationships and capabilities. It also allows different teams to build separate models and merge and integrate these models together, retaining the integrity and definition of common components.

Metastorm ProVision's dynamic object repository allows you to make a single change to an object and have that change reflected in every model where it appears. This enforces model integrity of the Metastorm ProVision Customer Chain Reference Models names, definitions and linkages and eliminates the need to reconcile changes across multiple diagrams and/or documents.

Forum: Modelling

Top 10 reasons to use Metastorm ProVision for design chain:

Admin — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 08:19:10 GMT

The Metastorm ProVision Design Chain Reference Models provides a standard framework of high-level design-chain definitions used by over 700 members of the Supply-Chain Council. Using standardized design-chain process definitions allows your organization to identify and benchmark your processes with the exact same processes of another Supply-Chain Council member. Metastorm ProVision Design Chain Reference Models can help you identify and implement the changes needed to develop a world-class design-chain.

With Metastorm ProVision Design Chain Reference Models you can configure and define the complete scope of your design-chain and then analyze the process start to finish. Metastorm ProVision contains a powerful Interpreter which translates any model into simple English at the click of a mouse. The process models and interpretations become your operating procedure documentation. Your design-chain models and interpretations also can be used for Enterprise Architecture, requirements analysis, ISO certification, strategic planning and application development.

Metastorm ProVisions comparison facility easily identifies changes made between As-Is and To-Be design-chain processes, providing a launching pad for addressing process implementation issues and tasks.

Metastorm ProVision provides a facility for capturing and integrating additional design-chain views and information in the DCOR model. Through the use of Metastorm ProVision, the DCOR model can be extended to include other aspects of a design-chain process such as locations, organizations, data, and systems. Information documented in other tools like PowerPoint, MS Word and Excel can also be attached to the model.

The Metastorm ProVision simulator provides a state-of-the-art approach for calculating process timing and analyzing a processs activity-based costs. For more sophisticated analysis, the user can enter the frequency of events, the capacity of activities, and the availability of resources. The results of this analysis can identify bottlenecks, resource constraints, excessive queuing in the process, etc. Simulation analysis can be used to identify problems in existing customer-chain processes and validate proposed changes prior to implementation.

Metastorm ProVision Design Chain Reference Models help you manage and improve your design-chain by providing hundreds of the Supply-Chain Councils industry proven best practices and metrics. With Metastorm ProVision, best practices can be analyzed with respect to cost, benefit and risk.

To support a design-chain framework you need more than generic diagramming capabilities. You need a dynamic repository that can manage the true definitions of all your business and technical design-chain components. Metastorm ProVision stores these components as distinct objects that are defined, modeled and understood by the underlying repository. This allows for reuse of all components, and the ability to report on their relationships and capabilities. It also allows different teams to build separate models and merge and integrate these models together, retaining the integrity and definition of common components.

Metastorm ProVision's dynamic object repository allows you to make a single change to an object and have that change reflected in every model where it appears. This enforces model integrity of the Metastorm ProVision Design Chain Reference Modelss names, definitions and linkages and eliminates the need to reconcile changes across multiple diagrams and/or documents.

Forum: Modelling