IDEF
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e4/IDEF_Methods.svg/320px-IDEF_Methods.svg.png)
IDEF, initially an abbreviation of ICAM Definition and renamed in 1999 as Integration Definition, is a family of modeling languages in the field of systems and software engineering. They cover a wide range of uses from functional modeling to data, simulation, object-oriented analysis and design, and knowledge acquisition. These definition languages were developed under funding from U.S. Air Force and, although still most commonly used by them and other military and United States Department of Defense (DoD) agencies, are in the public domain.
The most-widely recognized and used components of the IDEF family are IDEF0, a functional modeling language building on SADT, and IDEF1X, which addresses information models and database design issues.
Overview of IDEF methods
IDEF refers to a family of modeling language, which cover a wide range of uses, from functional modeling to data, simulation, object-oriented analysis/design and knowledge acquisition. Eventually the IDEF methods have been defined up to IDEF14:
- IDEF0: Function modeling[1]
- IDEF1: Information modeling[2]
- IDEF1X: Data modeling[3]
- IDEF2: Simulation model design
- IDEF3: Process description capture[4]
- IDEF4: Object-oriented design[5]
- IDEF5: Ontology description capture[6]
- IDEF6: Design rationale capture[7]
- IDEF7: Information system auditing
- IDEF8: User interface modeling
- IDEF9: Business constraint discovery
- IDEF10: Implementation architecture modeling
- IDEF11: Information artifact modeling
- IDEF12: Organization modeling
- IDEF13: Three-schema mapping design
- IDEF14: Network design
In 1995 only the
The methods IDEF7, IDEF10, IDEF11, IDEF 12 and IDEF13 haven't been developed any further than their initial definition.[10]
History
IDEF originally stood for ICAM Definition, initiated in the 1970s at the US Air Force Materials Laboratory, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio by Dennis E. Wisnosky, Dan L. Shunk, and others.[11] and completed in the 1980s. IDEF was a product of the ICAM initiative of the United States Air Force. The IEEE recast the IDEF abbreviation as Integration Definition."[12]
The specific projects that produced IDEF were ICAM project priorities 111 and 112 (later renumbered 1102). The subsequent Integrated Information Support System (IISS) project priorities 6201, 6202, and 6203 attempted to create an
At the time of the ICAM 1102 effort there were numerous, mostly incompatible,
The ICAM program office deemed it valuable to create a "neutral" way of describing the data content of large-scale systems. The emerging academic literature suggested that methods were needed to process data independently of the way it was physically stored. Thus the IDEF1 language was created to allow a neutral description of data structures that could be applied regardless of the storage method or file access method.
IDEF1 was developed under ICAM program priority 1102 by Robert R. Brown of the
- the evolving natural language information model (NIAM or the object–role model ORM;
- the network data structures technique, popularly called the Honeywell Information Systems);
- the hierarchical data management technique, implemented in IBM's IMS data management system, developed by R. R. Brown (Rockwell International);
- the relational approach to data of E. F. Codd (IBM);
- The UCLA).
The effort to develop IDEF1 resulted in both a new method for information modeling and an example of its use in the form of a "reference information model of manufacturing." This latter artifact was developed by D. S. Coleman of the D. Appleton Company (DACOM) acting as a sub-contractor to Hughes and under the direction of Ramey. Personnel at DACOM became expert at IDEF1 modeling and subsequently produced a training course and accompanying materials for the IDEF1 modeling technique.
Experience with IDEF1 revealed that the translation of information requirements into database designs was more difficult than had originally been anticipated. The most beneficial value of the IDEF1 information modeling technique was its ability to represent data independent of how those data were to be stored and used. It provided data modelers and data analysts with a way to represent data requirements during the requirements-gathering process. This allowed designers to decide which DBMS to use after the nature of the data requirements was understood and thus reduced the "misfit" between data requirements and the capabilities and limitations of the DBMS. The translation of IDEF1 models to database designs, however, proved to be difficult.
The IDEF modeling languages
IDEF0
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/31/IDEF_Diagram_Example.jpg/280px-IDEF_Diagram_Example.jpg)
The IDEF0 functional modeling method is designed to model the decisions, actions, and activities of an organization or system.
IDEF1X
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/ca/B_5_1_IDEF1X_Diagram.jpg/210px-B_5_1_IDEF1X_Diagram.jpg)
To satisfy the
Because the IDEF program was funded by the government, the techniques are in the public domain. In addition to the ADAM software, sold by DACOM under the name Leverage, a number of CASE tools use IDEF1X as their representation technique for data modeling.
The IISS projects actually produced working prototypes of an information processing environment that would run in heterogeneous computing environments. Current advancements in such techniques as
IDEF2 and IDEF3
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b0/2-03_Example_of_an_Enhanced_Transition_Schematic.jpg/240px-2-03_Example_of_an_Enhanced_Transition_Schematic.jpg)
The third IDEF (IDEF2) was originally intended as a user interface modeling method. However, since the
IDEF4
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ee/118_The_Behavior_Diagram_for_methods_Implementing_Louder.jpg/210px-118_The_Behavior_Diagram_for_methods_Implementing_Louder.jpg)
The development of
IDEF5
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/37/4-54_Composition_Schematic_for_Ballpoint.jpg/240px-4-54_Composition_Schematic_for_Ballpoint.jpg)
In the IDEF5 method, an ontology is constructed by capturing the content of certain assertions about real-world objects, their properties and their interrelationships, and representing that content in an intuitive and natural form. The IDEF5 method has three main components: A graphical language to support conceptual ontology analysis, a structured text language for detailed ontology characterization, and a systematic procedure that provides guidelines for effective ontology capture.[19]
IDEF6
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/30/IIDEF4_Design_Activities.jpg/210px-IIDEF4_Design_Activities.jpg)
IDEF6 is a method that possesses the conceptual resources and linguistic capabilities needed
- to represent the nature and structure of the information that constitutes design rationale within a given system, and
- to associate that rationale with design specifications, models, and documentation for the system.
IDEF6 is applicable to all phases of the information system development process, from initial conceptualization through both preliminary and detailed design activities. To the extent that detailed design decisions for software systems are relegated to the coding phase, the IDEF6 technique should be usable during the software construction process as well.[7]
IDEF8
IDEF8, or integrated definition for human-system interaction design, is a method for producing high-quality designs of interactions between users and the systems they operate. Systems are characterized as a collection of objects that perform functions to accomplish a particular goal. The system with which the user interacts can be any system, not necessarily a computer program. Human-system interactions are designed at three levels of specification within the IDEF8 method. The first level defines the philosophy of system operation and produces a set of models and textual descriptions of overall system processes. The second level of design specifies role-centered scenarios of system use. The third level of IDEF8 design is for human-system design detailing. At this level of design, IDEF8 provides a library of metaphors to help users and designers specify the desired behavior in terms of other objects whose behavior is more familiar. Metaphors provide a model of abstract concepts in terms of familiar, concrete objects and experiences.[9]
IDEF9
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b0/Typical_business_systems.jpg/320px-Typical_business_systems.jpg)
IDEF9, or integrated definition for business constraint discovery, is designed to assist in the discovery and analysis of constraints in a
IDEF14
IDEF14, or integrated definition for network design method, is a method that targets the modeling and design of
References
This article incorporates public domain material from the National Institute of Standards and Technology
- ^ IDEFØ Overview Archived 2016-03-05 at the Wayback Machine at idef.com
- ^ IDEF1 Overview Archived 2016-03-03 at the Wayback Machine at idef.com
- ^ IDEF1x Overview Archived 2016-03-08 at the Wayback Machine at idef.com
- ^ IDEF3 Overview Archived 2010-04-25 at the Wayback Machine at idef.com
- ^ IDEF4 Overview Archived 2016-02-27 at the Wayback Machine at idef.com
- ^ IDEF5 Overview Archived 2016-03-03 at the Wayback Machine at idef.com
- ^ a b Mayer, Richard J. ; Griffith, Patricia A. ; Menzel, Christopher P. (1990-91) "IDEF6: A Design Rationale Capture Method Concept Paper" Archived 2007-04-02 at the Wayback Machine Defense Technical Information Center
- ^ Robert P. Hanrahan The IDEF Process Modeling Methodology Archived 2007-01-26 at the Wayback Machine. Software Technology Support Center. 1995
- ^ a b c d e Richard J. Mayer (1995) et al. Information Integration for Concurrent Engineering (IICE) Compendium of methods report. Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio 45433-7604.
- ^ Observations from a Tech Architect: Enterprise Implementation Issues & Solutions Craig Borysowich. Accessed 20 Jan 2009.
- ISBN 0-7506-9701-6. p. 184.
- ^ IEEE Standard for Functional Modeling Language—Syntax and Semantics for IDEF0, Software Engineering Standards Committee of the IEEE Computer Society, IEEE-SA Standards Board, The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. 345 East 47th Street, New York, NY 10017-2394, USA, IEEE Std 1320.1-1998, 25 June 1998
- ^ a b Varun Grover, William J. Kettinger (2000). Process Think: Winning Perspectives for Business Change in the Information Age. p. 168.
- ^ FIPS Publication 183 Archived 2009-02-27 at the Wayback Machine released of IDEFØ December 1993 by the Computer Systems Laboratory of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).
- ^ IEEE (1998). IEEE Std 1320.2-1998. IEEE Standard for Conceptual Modeling Language Syntax and Semantics for IDEF1X. New York. p. iii.
- ISBN 0-932633-18-8p=xii
- ^ a b c Patricia Griffith Friel and Thomas M. Blinn (1989). "Automated IDEF3 and IDEF4 Systems Design Specification Document". Technical report. NASA Johnson Space Center.
- ^ a b Perakath C. Benjamin et al. (1994). IDEF5 Method Report Archived 2008-12-21 at the Wayback Machine. Knowledge Based Systems, Inc.
- ^ Varun Grover, William J. Kettinger (2000). Process Think: Winning Perspectives for Business Change in the Information Age. p.176-178
Further reading
- Ovidiu S. Noran (2000). Business Modelling: UML vs. IDEF Archived 2006-01-13 at the Wayback Machine Paper Griffith University
External links
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
- Integrated DEFinition Methods
- Data Modeling
- The IDEF Process Modeling Methodology by Robert P. Hanrahan 1995