The Problem

A project chartered to deliver an IT-based solution typically begins with establishing high-level functional requirements (HLRs) which are eventually followed up with detailed functional requirements (DTRs). The problem is that there have never been clear guidelines for what constitutes ‘high-level’. And when it comes to DTRs, there are no guidelines for how much detail there should be in a given requirement statement, making it difficult to check for overall completeness and/or redundancy.

The Solution

The solution to the HLR problem is to recognize that there are five fundamental capability types for adding domain-specific functionality on top of a data management capability. A given high-level functional capability should be viewed as one of the following:

• A Report
• A User Interface
• A Data Import
• A Data Export
• An Automated Function (e.g. ‘batch job’)

A given HLR should only identify who it is that needs a specific one of those types. A properly high-level HLR should contain no ‘field-level’ details.

The solution to the DTR problem is to recognize that for each of the above five types, the necessary detail can be captured in a ‘structured’ format rather than in textual requirement statements. A single DTR, containing no more detail than its corresponding HLR, should be sufficient as an aggregation point for the capability’s structured details.

The RIC MDG Technology provides that structure. It extends the Enterprise Architecture concept of Requirement, and adds additional stereotypes to capture the detail.

The Trips-R-You Web-Based Flight Reservation System case study shows examples of HLRs, DTRs, and spreadsheet-based templates structuring the example details for each of the five capability types. The RIC extensions are described in the article Tool Support for Requirements [In Context]. Documenting functional requirements for an information system-based solution using Requirements In Context format is described in detail in the Requirements In Context Series of Articles.

NOTE: Any questions or problems with the RIC MDG Technology please contact the author.

Sparx Services North America launches new offerings to support the BIZBOK® Guide for Business Architecture

Sparx Services North America is pleased to announce a new set of training, consulting and technology offerings aligned to the BIZBOK Guide to support the Business Architecture discipline.  Business Architecture is an essential part of companies’ digital transformation and operational excellence strategies - weaving together people, processes, information and technology in support of strategic vision and operational objectives. A Guide to the Business Architecture Body of Knowledge® (BIZBOK Guide) from the Business Architecture Guild® represents the generally accepted standards of practice for the Business Architecture discipline.

BIZBOK Training Offerings

Whether you are a new or aspiring Business Architect seeking to learn the fundamentals of the role; a seasoned Enterprise, Business, Information or Systems Architect looking to add the BIZBOK methodology to your toolbox; or a company that uses Sparx Enterprise Architect today and are looking to bring best-practices into your architecture function – the BIZBOK training offerings from Sparx Services North America, a Guild Accredited Training Provider®, can help provide the skills you need to succeed.

BIZBOK Foundation: A 3-day course covering the core framework content of the BIZBOK to help students prepare for the Certified Business Architect® exam from the Business Architecture Guild.

Sparx Enterprise Architect BIZBOK: A 2-day course to help students understand how to use Sparx Enterprise Architect (the industry leading EA tool) to support Business Architecture activities as outlined in the BIZBOK.

BIZBOK Essentials: A 5-day course that combines the framework and essential concepts from the BIZBOK Foundation course with the practical application and tooling guidance from the implementation course into an intensive overview to give students the knowledge and skills to apply the BIZBOK in their daily work. 

Business Architecture Alignment and Integration: A 2-day course focused on leveraging the BIZBOK concepts to integrate Business Architecture with existing EA, Business Analysis and Solution Delivery functions.

BIZBOK Consulting Offerings

As active contributors to the Business Architecture Guild, the architects from Sparx Services North America understand how to apply the BIZBOK framework and methods within the context of a company’s EA/BA practice along with best-practices for configuring and using Sparx Enterprise Architect to support the BIZBOK methods.

Coming Soon! BIZBOK Extension for Sparx Enterprise Architect

Sparx Services North America will soon be releasing a new BIZBOK Extension (MDG Technology) for the Sparx Enterprise Architect platform - providing pre-configured objects, data models and templates to enable Business Architects to quickly perform techniques direct from the BIZBOK using the industry leading EA tool, Sparx Enterprise Architect.

To learn more about the BIZBOK offerings from Sparx Services North America, visit www.sparxsystems.us/bizbok or contact one of our BIZBOK experts at  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Business Architecture Guild, BIZBOK, A Guide to the Business Architecture Body of Knowledge, Certified Business Architect, CBA, Guild Accredited Training Program, and GATP are trademarks or registered trademarks of the Business Architecture Guild. Sparx Systems, Enterprise Architect, MDG Integration, and MDG Technology are trademarks or registered trademarks of Sparx Systems Pty Ltd

This XML file is MDG Technology for GSN. You can create GSN (Goal Structure Notation) model on Enterprise Architect. For detail about GSN, please visit http://www.goalstructuringnotation.info/ .

With this MDG Technology, you can use GSN Diagram, GSN Toolbox, GSN objects and Quicklinker rule for GSN objects. To use this Technology, import the attached file via Specialize Ribbon | Publish-Tech button | Import MDG Technology menu item.

 (Update on 15th October 2019: Update text drawings for some objects)

This workshop teaches delegates how to customise Enterprise Architect using profiles. Delegates learn how to build an MDG technology containing profiles for custom diagram types, toolbox pages, elements and relationships. Element profiles can define colours, fonts, shapes and tagged value properties.