A representation of the breakdown of processes into progressively increasing detail.
The decomposition of business activities is represented with a process hierarchy diagram. The structure is a hierarchy. During Business Area Analysis, functions should break down into processes, and the processes should break down into progressively more detailed processes. The process decomposition diagram is created by adding substance and depth to the draft process decomposition diagram.
Processes with More Than One Parent
Occasionally, in a decomposition, you find some processes that are part of (i.e., are used in) more than one higher-level process. You are therefore not producing a strict hierarchy, but a network where some processes can have more than one parent. It is useful to identify this in order to produce a realistic picture of a business area. It also reduces the redundancy in your model, because the process needs to be defined and decomposed only once.
Duplicate the process wherever it appears in the decomposition diagram (i.e., always draw a pure hierarchy) and denote the process as duplicated to avoid confusion. If a duplicated process is decomposed, the decomposition is drawn only once.
Example of a Function/Process Hierarchy Diagram
Example of Function/Process Hierarchy Diagram (Expanded)
See also: Draft Process Decomposition Diagram.
ð Updated by task A3.3.1 Decompose processes
ð Updated by task A3.3.2 Produce elementary process definitions
ð A3.3.8 Assess logical process models
ð Updated by task A3.4.3 Refine business area model
ð Updated by task A3.5.6 Verify outline business model with users
ð Updated by task A3.5.7 Refine outline business model
ð Updated by task A3.9.7 Refine business model
» Created by task A10.1.5 Create an overview of proposed area
ð Updated by task A10.2.2 develop outline system area model
ð Updated by task A11.1.2 Complete process model
Next : D3.3.4
Previous : D3.3.2
Activity Overview : D3.3
Stage Overview : Analysis Stage
Overview : Table of Contents
