Organization decomposition diagrams (organization mapping)
An organization decomposition diagram describes the links between actors, roles and locations within an organization tree. An organization map should provide a chain of command of owners and decision-makers in the organization. Although it is not the intent of the organization decomposition diagram to link goal to organization, it should be possible to intuitively link the goals to the stakeholders from the organization decomposition diagram.
This diagram can also describe the definition of actors and their responsibilities. The organization is presented in terms of connections between actors, or between actors and organization units showing hierarchical links, communications and responsibilities.
Missions and responsibilities within an organization can also be highlighted, by presenting the main information flows circulating between the major participants of the enterprise. This shows which information is received, processed or emitted by whom in the organization, thereby illustrating the responsibilities of organizational elements.
Organization decomposition diagrams are also used to define the different roles assumed by actors.
In the example shown in Figure 1, locations, roles and actors are represented. The headquarters are in Paris, and there are three branches in Nantes, Toulouse and Lyon. Organization units have been allocated to the different locations. The majority of services are concentrated in Paris. The IT department is based in Toulouse. The sales department is split over each of the branches. Through their responsibility links (role to role or organization unit), the geographica locations of roles is often implicit.
Figure 1 - Roles, actors, locations and organization units are represented in organization decomposition diagrams
Internal actor: An actor that belongs to the enterprise.
Headquarter location: Geographically defines where the elements of the enterprise are deployed (organization units, hardware devices, actors, etc).
Site location: Geographically defines where the elements of the enterprise are deployed (organization units, hardware devices, actors, etc). Generally, an enterprise has one headquarter and several sites.
Organization unit: Describes one unit that breaks down the organization of the enterprise. This can be, for example, a department.
Localization link: Localization link of an element of an enterprise (actor, business unit, hardware device, etc) in a location. Alternatively, the localized element can be embedded into the location.
Figure 1 - Roles, actors, locations and organization units are represented in organization decomposition diagrams
Business actor.
Location.
As shown in Figure 2, the definition of roles and their responsibilities is a good means of presenting the functioning of an enterprise in a general way. The actors of the enterprise and their interactions provide an overview of the organization.
An actor can represent several people within the enterprise, just as one person can correspond to several actors. Certain actors represent a group of people or actors, as in the example of "board of directors": this is an instance which groups together the directors of different departments. But like any actor, it has responsibilites and makes decisions.
Actors who are external to the enterprise are useful for showing how they are positioned with regard to the organization itself: who interacts with them.
Elements present:
• Responsibility links which describe the hierarchy
• Responsibility links to organization units, which indicate who is responsible for which organization unit
• Communication links, which indicate who communicates with whom
• Composition links, to show the constitution of composite actors.
• Internal actors, who are actors who take part in the functioning of the enterprise
• External actors, who are actors outside the enterprise but who interact with it (here: client and partners)
Figure 2 - This model provides the organization chart, enriched by information on responsibilities and communication
Organization unit: Describes one unit that breaks down the organization of the enterprise. This can be, for example, a department.
Internal actor: An actor that belongs to the enterprise.
External actor: An actor that is external to the enterprise.
Communicates with link: Indicates that two roles or actors communicate together to realize their work.
Composed of link: Indicates that a role is composite, and is made up of other roles.
Responsible for link: Indicates hierarchical responsibilities between roles or actors, and responsibilities of organization units.
Figure 2 - This model provides the organization chart, enriched by information on responsibilities and communication
Business Actor.
Meaning.
Figure 3 presents the main information flows that circulate within the enterprise. They are received from or sent to actors and/or organization units. This example focuses on flows emitted from/sent to external actors, and on the main organization units involved in their processing.
Figure 3 - Main information flows within the enterprise
Elements used:
• Actors
• Business Units
• Information flows: Information can be related to business entities to express that these are the exchanged data (Bill and Order in this example).
Organization unit: Describes one unit that breaks down the organization of the enterprise. This can be, for example, a department.
External actor: An actor that is external to the enterprise.
Information flow: Defines the flow of any kind of information (business entity, event, product, informal, etc) between active entities of the enterprise.
Figure 3 - Main information flows within the enterprise
Business Actor.
Business Object.
Flow.
Figure 4 shows which roles are assumed by the actors. An actor assumes a role to perform a task. The usual or expected function of an actor, or the part somebody or something plays in a particular action or event, are modeled here.
Figure 4 - Roles assumed by actors
Elements used:
• Actors
• Roles
• "assumes" dependencies
Internal actor: An actor that belongs to the enterprise.
External actor: An actor that is external to the enterprise.
Internal role: Role played by an internal actor during a given action (task).
External role: Role played by an external actor during a given action (task).
Figure 4 - Roles assumed by actors
Business Actor.
Business Role.
Assignment.
Figure 5 shows the same kind of model, but presents a great level of detail, focused on one actor. Such a detailed model per actor provides a detailed definition of each actor, showing its missions, responsibilities and rights. This figure presents the goals assigned to the sales director, his/her responsibilities (business units, managed actors), the business processes that he/she owns, his/her locations, the assumed roles, the application components that he/she uses, the other actors with whom he/she interacts, and the business entities he/she accesses with his/her rights.
Figure 5 - Detailed model of actors, focused on Sales director
Goal: This is a goal or objective of the enterprise.
Internal actor: An actor that belongs to the enterprise.
Headquarter location: Geographically defines where the elements of the enterprise are deployed (organization units, hardware devices, actors, etc).
Organization unit: Describes one unit that breaks down the organization of the enterprise. This can be, for example, a department.
Business macro process.
Composed of link: Indicates that a role is composite, and is made up of other roles.
Responsible of link: Indicates hierarchical responsibilities between roles or actors, and responsibilities of organization units.
Owner of link.
Assigned link: Assignment of a goal to an element of the enterprise, typically an actor, an organization unit or a business process.
Localization link: Localization link of an element of an enterprise (actor, business unit, hardware device, etc) in a location. Alternatively, the localized element can be embedded into the location.
Figure 5 - Detailed model of actors, focused on Sales director
Business Actor.
Location.
Business Process.
Assignment link.
Influence link.
Goal.
Association link.
Aggregation link.
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