Information Framework (SID)

Fundamentals
 Information Framework Foundation - Part 1
Day 9 Introduction to Information Framework
In this training you will
Exercise learn about
-Information Framework uses
SID
Information Framework Foundation - Part 2
Foundation
Modelling Patterns in Framework
Day 10
Information Framework Extension Guidelines
Information Framework - Conformance
Information Framework Expert - Part 1
Day 11 Review - Information Framework
Exercise - Information Framework uses
Information Framework Expert - Part 2
Day 12 Review - Modelling Patterns in Framework
SID Exercise - Applying Modelling Patterns
Expert Information Framework Expert - Part 3
Day 13 Guidelines for Extending the Information Framework
Exercise - Information Framework Extension
Information Framework Expert - Part 4
Day 14 Transforming the Information Framework
Operational Data Store and Master Data Management
Acknowledgement, Disclaim & Copyright

Trainer has a rich experience in training & consulting on the Business

Process Modelling. TMForum has Copyright ownership on the process
model eTOM ( Business Process Framework). Many Diagrams,
Designs, Process Flows used in this presentation are exclusive
property of TMForum. A few slides are contributions of some people
with expertise through their experience & contribution towards
Business Process Modeling for Global Telecom service providers. This
is to acknowledge their contribution to this presentation.
The Information Framework
Objectives of Information Framework

Reducing time to
market /introduction Reducing the cost
of new of integration
technologies

Reduce Facilitate
management time new/existing
and cost development

Support multiple
implementations
from
a single model
The Information Framework
Five common questions that help explain what the framework is:

How is Information Framework Structured?

• The framework is hierarchical arrangement of enterprise-wide information.

What is the Origin of Information Framework?

• The Information Framework was not developed from scratch. It has evolved over
the years by contribution of members

Why have a Information Framework?

• Framework provides a standard way of structuring, defining, and implementing
information and covers the breadth of entire organization

What does the framework include?

• The framework includes all concepts typical of an information model.
Key framework concepts
Key Concepts: Business Entities & Aggregate Business Entities

All ABEs that completely define a key management

area are grouped together
Customer
Applied Customer Customer Bill
Customer Customer Order Customer Problem Billing Rate Collections

Customer Customer Bill

Customer Statistic Customer SLA Customer Bill
Interaction Inquiry

Customer ABE
Customer
Customer
Customer
Account
Account
Contact
And grows by including
closely related entities
Customer
Credit
Profile

It starts with a business entity

Customer
Customer ABE Mapping with Telconet Entities

info_persona info_persona_forma_contacto

Customer ABE
info_persona_forma_contacto
Customer
Customer
Customer Account
Account
Contact

Customer
Credit
Profile
Structure of a domain

All ABEs that completely define a key management area are grouped together.

Customer
Customer Roles Customer Order Customer Problem Customer Bill Customer Bill Inquiry

Customer Interaction Customer Statistic Applied Customer Billing Rate Customer Bill Collection Customer SLA

An ABE may be further decomposed into any number of lower levels ABEs.
An ABE at any level can be developed from the top down or the bottom up.
Market/Sales domain decomposition – Top-down Approach

Market / Sales
Market Segment Marketing Campaign Competitor

Market Statistic Media Competitor

Intelligence
Competitor
Product
Correlation
Information Framework domains
Common Market / Sales

Customer

Product

Service

Resource

Business Partner

Enterprise
Sample Unified Modeling Language (UML) Class Diagram
Information Framework Uses

Starting Point for Database Development

Facilitating Application Integration

Defining Project Scope

Developing APIs

Supporting Procurement Process

Business Process Framework mappings

Mapping to the
Process Framework
Product Catalog Lifecycle – Sample
Using SID for Requirements
Exercise – Scoping a Project
▪ Telconet is building Application Platform with the following capabilities:

- Provides a standardized solution for rapidly adding partners’ products to an existing Catalog

- Provides mechanism for placing a Product Order with all of the necessary order parameters.

- The Product Order is created based on a product offering that is defined in a catalog. The product offering
identifies the product or set of products that are available to a customer, and includes characteristics such as
pricing, product options and market.

- Provides mechanisms for placing a Customer Quote

- Provide service availability at Customer location

- Provides mechanism for retrieval of the representation of a product and its subscribers.

- Provide support for Service Level Agreements on specific Product Offerings

- Provide support for Customer and Customer account management

- Provides a standardized mechanism to book an appointment with all the necessary appointment
characteristics

▪ As an Architect, you are tasked with providing a solution by identifying the scope of this project with the
corresponding L1 ABEs that will be present in the Platform and what requirements these ABEs map to.
Modeling
patterns
Review of Unified
Modeling
Language (UML)
The scenario
GeorgeG has found his way to the Home Shoppers’ Network web
site. He is identified as a business type of shopper. Shoppers of
this type are provided with a business rewards account number so
that they can earn points on their purchases.

George goes about filling up his shopping cart with items he plans
to purchase. He may choose to empty his cart and not purchase
anything. Home Shoppers’ Network hopes he will checkout his
purchases and pay for them.

We’ll look at how to model a shopper and shopping cart with UML.
Business entities

UML Classes represent business entities

Attributes and operations

UML attributes and operations are used to represent the corresponding

concepts in the framework
Associations

UML associations are used to represent the corresponding concept in the

framework
Subclasses

UML subclasses are used to represent types of business entities in the

framework
The Information
Framework
patterns
The Information Framework
Five common questions Benefits
that help explain what the framework is:

Represent a consistent approach to modeling

Make the framework easier to understand

Provide built-in extensibility

Can be applied when extending the framework

The 5 common patterns

EntitySpecification/Entity
Composite/Atomic
Entity/EntityRole
Business Interaction
The
CharacteristicSpecification/CharacteristicValue
Patterns
The scenario

An individual named George G has decided to order wireless service, IPTV, and
Broadband Internet from a single provider at one time.

The IPTV service is a bundle that consists of a set-top box, wireless router, basic
TV service, Internet connectivity, and video on demand (VoD). Once installed
VoD can be accessed by the customer, who can choose from a variety of videos
categories, such as comedy, drama, sports, and so forth. The request for service
can include VoD in standard or high-definition format as well as whether to
watch the video now or at a specific date and time.
EntitySpecification/Entity pattern

The facts (attributes) for a specification,

such as weight, dimensions, color, and so
forth, are shared by all instances of the
entity related to the specification.
Entity Specification example

Entity Specification
An instance of an entity

Entity – George’s installed

Router
serial number X107y
EntitySpecification/Entity pattern
Application of the pattern in UML

Basic TV
Set-top Box
Wireless Router
Broadband Internet
VoD George G’s IPTV Service Basic TV
George G’s IPTV Service Set-top Box
George G’s Wireless Router
George G’s IPTV Service Broadband Internet
George G’s IPTV Service VoD
Other applications of EntitySpecification/Entity pattern
Composite/Atomic pattern
Example of Composite/Atomic

Digital Business 4.0

• Wi-Fi connectivity Plans

• Electronic security solution
• CCTV cameras

Also includes:
• Recording in the Telconet cloud for up to 7 days
Composite/Atomic in UML

0,1 *

0,1 *
Composite/Atomic enabling bundled offering

IPTV Service Basic TV

IPTV Service Set-top Box
IPTV Service Broadband Internet
IPTV Service IPTV Service VoD
Resource composite

Tangible resource Intangible resource

Entity/
EntityRole pattern
Entity/EntityRole example

Individuals can play

many roles

Service Rep Employee Instructor

Entity/EntityRole in UML
Party/PartyRole example

George G – Customer
George G George G - Employee
Party Role as an ABE example
George G (playing
the role of a
customer)

George G’s Home Address

George G’s
American Express Account

Where are address and name

for customers contained?
Business Interaction pattern
BusinessInteraction examples

Interactions have a lot in common!

BusinessInteraction example -Part 1
George G’s Home Address

George G’s IPTV Order

George G
(playing the role George G’s
of a customer) American Express Account
BusinessInteraction example -Part 2

George G’s IPTV Product Order

 CharacteristicSpecification/CharacteristicValue pattern

This pattern is often used with the EntitySpecification/Entity and Composite/Atomic patterns
to enable near complete freedom (dynamic extensibility) in defining any type of entity
(subclass) and its attributes together with various ways to group the entities.
CharacteristicSpecification example

How are varying

properties supported?
Two key pattern entities
Partial scenario description

The VoD has a category and set of titles associated to it, as well as the
format (hi-definition or standard) and an optional date and time at
which the customer wants to start viewing the video.
There are two options that could be used.
Using the “Blade” concept
Using CharacteristicSpecification/CharacteristicValue

VoD
Category - Comedy
Category - Drama
Category - Sports
Title - The Queen
Title - Alien
Category Title - Sound of Music
Title Format - Hi-definition
Format Format - Standard
StartDateTime
CharacteristicValue example
Category
Title
Format
StartDateTime
Category - Drama
Title – Sound of Music
Format – Hi-def
GG’s VoD StartDateTime – 12AM

Category - Comedy
Category - Drama
Category - Sports
Title - The Queen
Title - Alien
Title - Sound of Music
Format - Hi-definition
Format - Standard
SID & Modeling Pattern Usage
SID & Modeling Pattern Usage - New Services
SID & Modeling Pattern Usage - Capabilities
SID & Modeling Pattern Usage – ABEs used
Which parts of the framework were used?
Product, Service, Resource usage
Us ageSpecification
nam e : String
des cription : String
validFor : Tim ePeriod
1
lifecycleStatus : Integer
SpecifiesUsage

1
Res ourceUs ageSpec ServiceUs ageSpec 0..n ProductUs ageSpec

1 1 1..n
0..n ServiceUsageSpecParticipatesIn

ResourceUsageSpecParticipatesIn 0..n 0..n

Atom icProductUs ageSpec Com pos iteProductUs ageSpec

0..n
SpecifiesServiceUsage

Us age
0..n
us ageDate : Date
us ageStatus : Integer SpecifiesProductUsage

SpecifiesResourceUsage

0..n
0..n Res ourceU... 1 ServiceUs age 0..n ProductUs age
1..n

ProductBundleUsageCom prisedOf
0..n
ServiceUsageParticipatesIn

0..n 0..1
ResourceUsageParticipatesIn 0..n ProductCom ponentUs age ProductBundleUs age
Exercise – Applying SID Modeling Patterns
▪ Telconet operates in 4 countries and has plans to expand to many more countries. Because of this there are a
number of different address formats that must be supported. You are designing for maintaining a central
repository of addresses.

▪ The stakeholders have expressed the desire to define different formats for addresses and then to use these as
“templates” to collect address information from various sources, including customers. As they do not know all the
countries in which Telconet will operate, they also want the flexibility to be able to dynamically define the
attributes associated with new types of addresses.

▪ They also want to be able to define addresses that are made up of components, such as a street address that is
made up of house number, street name, and street suffix, like St., Ave, and so forth.

▪ One more requirement that arose at the end of one session was the need for the same address to represent
different types, such as a customer address, an address for network elements, an installation address and so forth.

▪ Your Activity

▪ As an Architect, you are tasked with providing a solution by identifying what Information Framework modeling
patterns would you use to model these requirements? Your solution should also include the justification for
using the pattern.
Modeling patterns
Extending Information Framework
Common Market / Sales

Customer

Product

Domains
Service
cannot be
Resource
added

Business Partner

Enterprise
Blade Concept

▪ Each framework is built CustomerAccount

(from Customer ABE)

according to a set of common

generalized concepts (patterns)
CustomerAccountExtension

▪ As such, each ABE in the 1

framework is designed to accept CreditApplicationSubmittedBy
domain-specific 0..n
additions/specializations using CustomerAccount
CreditApplication
sub-classing (often referred to as
“blades”)

ResidentialCustAcctCreditApp OrganizationCustAcctCreditApp
Extension guidelines

• Adding new ABEs

• Use of modeling patterns
• Placement of extensions
• Extending existing ABEs
• Association, attribute naming guidelines, and
• General modeling guidelines

Following these guidelines ensure that extensions represent a consistent

approach to modeling used in the base Information Framework model.
Example of Adding
Adding New ABEs New ABEs

Example of Adding New ABEs

Keep in mind that if you decide to add a new Level 1 ABE there should be a corresponding
first level core process in the Business Process Framework. If not, you may have to add the
core process that manages the lifecycle of the ABE to your Process Framework
implementation. Similar additions may be needed in your implementation of the
Application and Integration frameworks.
Alarms TroubleTicket
alarmS alarmI alarmS alarmD alarmL …
ource D everity escripti ocation TTID alarmI TTStatu TTPrior TTAssig …
on D s ity nedTo

TicketedAlarms
alarmS alarmI alarmS alarmD alarmL …
ource D everity escripti ocation
on
Technique 1 - Adding Attributes to an Existing Entity

Alarms

Used when entity to be extended is stable and there are a large number
of entities to be extended
Technique 2 - Adding Attributes to an Existing Entity

Used when Existing Entity not sub- Alarms

classed & when only a small set of alarmID

objects are represented with the new alarmSource
alarmType
attributes alarmSeverity

TicketedAlarms

alarmID
alarmSource
alarmTicketID
alarmTicketStatus
Technique 3 - Adding Attributes to an Existing Entity

Alarms
AlarmsExtendedBy

TicketExtensions
NetworkAlarms SystemAlarms
AlarmID
AlarmSource
AlarmType
AlarmSeverity

Used when entity to be extended is already sub-classed

Adding New Entities – Scenario 1

AlarmsGenerateTickets
Adding New Entities – Scenario 2

Alarms

TicketedAlarms
TicketedAlarms

AlarmsGenerateTickets

Tickets

Assigned Tickets Closed Tickets

Association Naming Guidelines (1)
Association
AssociationNaming
NamingGuidelines (2)(2)
Guidelines

Sometimes following the first association naming guideline results in a duplicate name.
If this occurs, then the naming convention shown here should be used.
Attribute naming guidelines

Card
cardCompatibilityResults : String
daughterCardInstallStatus : Integer
daughterCardOperatingStatus : Integer
daughterCardRequirements : Integer
isConfigurablePhysically : Boolean
isMotherBoard : Boolean
isUniquePhysical : Boolean
maxDataWidth : Integer
slotLayout : String
slotsRequired : Integer = 1
uniqueRequirementsPhysical : String
hardwareVersion : String

getAllPhysicalPorts()
General Modeling Guidelines

▪ Describe each entity and each attribute; some modelers also

describe associations; that is up to the modeler.
▪ No multiple inheritance
▪ Minimal (if any) association classes
▪ Only binary associations
▪ Documentation should follow GB922 format and content – see
GB922 – User Guidelines for rules
Exercise – Extending the Framework – Modeling Requirements Part 1

▪ Telconet is planning to offer new bundled offerings in its expanded market. As a

customer experience focused company, Telconet wants to minimize the problems that
will be faced by customers when the offerings are launched until they stabilize. In spite
of the best effort, subscribers may experience some problems or performance related
issues when the offerings are first launched. To retain customers that experience
problems, Telconet is prepared to offer discounts and/or rebates to affected customers.

▪ Considering Telconet has implemented SID, this business requirement needs to be

implemented in the BSS solution by modifying the data model.

▪ Your Activity
❑ As Information Architect, identify the ABEs that need to be modified to meet this requirement.
Exercise – Extending the Framework – Modeling Requirements Part 2

▪ Service Level Specification shows the overall Service Level Specification model.

▪ The ServiceLevelSpecConsequence entity defines what happens when a ServiceLevelObjective is not

met. Service Level Consequence shows the attributes of ServiceLevelSpecConsequence.

▪ The prescribedAction attribute defines the details of what happens when a ServiceLevelObjective is not
met.

▪ However, since it is textually based, it would be difficult to interpret in an application.

▪ Telconet wants to have capability to dynamically offer such discounts for different services and to be able
to change the discounts offered dynamically.

▪ There is also a requirement to add a name and description attribute to ServiceLevelSpecConsequence.

Additionally, Telconet wants to keep a weekly summary for each consequence that has occurred. These
summaries will be used when performing trend analysis for violated service level objectives.
Exercise – Extending the Framework – Modeling Requirements Part 2
Activity by participants:

As an Information Architect, provide a solution to address this requirement.

• Extend the Service Level specification to include the additional attributes. Your
modeling responsibilities also include where to place the extensions within the
existing Service Level Spec ABE, a L2 ABE within the Service Performance ABE

• Identify what are the other ABEs that will be required to be associated or
modified. Note that the relationship would be used to indicate what type of
adjustment would be made to a customer’s bill/invoice for an unmet
ServiceLevelObjective.
Exercise – Extending the Framework – Modeling Requirements Part 3

▪ Now that you have identified to establish a relationship to some portion of the framework’s

▪ ProductOfferingPricing model and Product Offering Price Adjustments.

▪ There are some facts that Telconet would like to keep about the relationship.

▪ The attributes include a sequenceOfApplication, to define the order in which adjustments are applied.

▪ If an adjustment has already been applied to a product offering for a customer the next adjustment in

▪ sequence is used.

▪ Another attribute is the total number of times that an adjustment has been applied for an offering.

▪ Telconet wishes to keep a monthly summary that represents the total number of each applied
adjustment.
Exercise – Extending the Framework – Modeling Requirements Part 3
Activity by participants:

• As an Information Architect model all the extensions using established guidelines

for extending the Information Framework.
• Your model should include all the new attributes added and
• Show the UML or Entity relationship Diagram with this extension and relationship
to all the required ABEs

Note: The association of this adjustment with the ProductPrice entity and the
CustomerBill entity is out of scope for this exercise.
Class Discussion – Implementing the
Information Framework
Implementation Planning

Discuss your planned implementation of the framework or experience you

have had using the framework.
• At Telconet, what are the plans for implementing SID as part of your new application
platform development?
• Have you implemented the information framework in parts at least?
• How many Information Architects are there in Telconet team?
• What is the familiarity of SID ?
• How do you plan to map your current models to the Information Framework?
• How do you plan to use the framework?
• Do you have any specific expectations from SID implementation?
• Discuss the problems that you have with the current implementation of information
framework.
• Have you considered governance aspects for the model and documentation?
Mapping to the Framework
Transitioning to the Framework

• Awareness seminars/webinars
• In depth training for those involved in or using information/data models
• Mapping current models to the Information Framework
• Extending where necessary
Mapping to the Framework

• The SID will be used as the basis for a Telconet’s information model as part
of the new application development
• Putting a mapping team in place is an important step
• There are a number of techniques that can be used, including spreadsheets
and mapping tools
• Some examples will be shown, followed by some considerations for
choosing a technique
The Mapping Team

Composed of:
– Information modelers and subject matter experts (if applicable)
– Knowledge of the framework and organization’s current information/data
model
Forming mapping teams:
– Think about domains to do this
Workshop environment:
– White boards
– Current models available
Expected results:
– Domain/ABE (to lowest level) coverage
– Used as input for subsequent mapping to entities/attributes
SID ABE Mapping
Using the Mappings

When there is a corresponding ABE in the current model:

– Transition to the use of the ABE
– Perform more detailed mapping at attribute level at later stage
When there is not a corresponding ABE in the current model:
– Use the ABE as a starting point for further development
– Do not use if the ABE is not applicable or there is no interest in
defining the ABE
When there is not a corresponding ABE in the framework:
– May represent an extension that should be made to the framework
– More detail provided in an upcoming module on extending the
framework
Entity/Attribute Mapping Method - Tools

Options:
– Commercial tool
– Desktop tool, such as Word or Excel
Desktop/laptop tool may be the tool of choice:
– Commercial tool
• Not everyone may have access to it
• Expertise in the tool may be required
• SID may require importing into tool
– Desktop/laptop tool
• Most desktops/laptops have this software already installed
• Most users have knowledge of these tools
• Simpler to develop mappings
Entity/Attribute Mapping Methods -Tools

But, keep in mind that:

– Commercial tools typically provide graphical mapping capabilities
– Commercial tools may be preferred to maintain mappings over time
– Desktop/laptop tools do not provide a centralized view of mappings
– The choice is yours!
Mapping Spreadsheet Example
Mapping Tool Example
Exercise – Mapping to SID
▪ Your Activity

▪ In the Telconet’s Sales Process ERD, map the Product Catalog related entities to SID L1 ABEs.

▪ Hint: Start by identifying only the Product Catalog related entities in your process & list them. Look at the SID
model related to Product catalog & create a mapping table.
Information Framework Conformance

Module 5:
Conformance to
the framework
1
Information Framework Conformance

Initial scope
defined at
Level 1 ABE

Assessment Product
Offering
Problem

performed at
lowest level ABE Verify Proper
Isolate
Product Customer
Offering
Product Use
Problem
Entities
PerformCustomer
Report
Product
Product -
RelatedCatalog
Problem Diagno
Diagnos
Track & Customer
Identify
Product
Price
Manage
Offering Provide
Close
Product
Problem
Customer
Problem
Offering
Report
Price Rules
Notification
Information Framework Conformance
Information Framework R17.0: Adoption Conformance Scoring Guidelines
SID Component Weighted Scoring Calculation
Lowest Level ABE (ABE) Equivalent – 1 score point
Core Entity (CE) Equivalent – 2 score points
Core Entity Required Attribute (CR) % equivalent * 2 [Must support min 50% of Required Attributes]
Dependent Entity (DE) % equivalent * 1.5
Dependent Entities – Required Attributes (DR) % equivalent * 1.5
Core Entity – Optional Attributes (CO) % equivalent * 1.2
Dependent Entity – Optional Attributes (DO) % equivalent * 0.8
Adoption Conformance Score Graduation

Very Low Medium High

Low Conformance Very High
Non Conformance Conformance Conformance Conformance Full Conformance
[4.0 < Score <= Conformance
[Score = 1 to 3] [3.0 < Score <= [5.0 < Score <= [6.0 < Score <= [Score = 10.0]
5.0] [8.0 < Score < 10.0]
4.0] 6.0] 8.0]
Thank You!