Business Object Modeling

Every computer-based system, from a simple e-commerce application up to completely integrated data warehouse solution, contains data, rules, and process logic for the automation of business procedures. Every successful enterprise knows how important it is to adapt to changes in its business environment and is able to make the necessary adjustments. However, when the employed software application cannot provide for a similar flexibility, such adjustments are useless.

In order to allow the business processes and the computer-based systems to be continuously aligned with each other, it is advantageous for them to be set up on a shared underlying model.

On the basis of our many years of experience with software development projects, we are constantly involved in the development of specialist object models. The practical application of a model includes:

• At the beginning of a project, an object model provides a tool for the development of a common understanding of the business environment. Everyone participating in the project (for example, users, project heads, developers, etc.) has access to a uniform vocabulary to make themselves understood beyond the limits of their specific tasks.
• During the implementation of a system, an object model serves as a central location for depicting the underlying business logic. The intention is to prevent the distribution of the same or similar logic to several locations within the system. The object model also helps with guidelines compliance during implementation and makes it possible to abstract technical aspects within the application.
• For advanced development or follow-on projects, the object model presents already existing building blocks.

A specialist object model must fulfill a series of requirements. These can be broken down into functional and non-functional categories.