Use the IPO-model with EAM

What is the IPO Model?

The IPO Model refers to the fundamental concept of data processing, where the three letters stand for Input, Processing, and Output.

These three terms describe the basic logic of information processing.

flowchart LR
id1("Input") --> id2("Processing") --> id3("Output")
style id1 fill:#ffff00,stroke:#333,stroke-width:2px
style id2 fill:#00ffff,stroke:#333,stroke-width:2px
style id3 fill:#ffff00,stroke:#333,stroke-width:2px

In the classical sense, this refers to physical components, i.e., hardware:

However, the principle is much more universally applicable than just for physical IT components.

Where else can it be applied?

The IPO principle can be applied in any conceivable area. Every interaction, every process can be mapped using it.

Because every interaction, even a simple dialogue between two people, takes in information, processes it, and generates a response.

As an example, here is a short dialogue regarding well-being from the perspective of the person being asked:

flowchart LR
id1("Hears 'How are you?'") --> id2("Processes question, thinks about answer") --> id3("Answers 'Very well, thanks.'")
style id1 fill:#ffff00,stroke:#333,stroke-width:2px
style id2 fill:#00ffff,stroke:#333,stroke-width:2px
style id3 fill:#ffff00,stroke:#333,stroke-width:2px

Every situation or process can be broken down into the three steps Information Acquisition, Information Processing, and Information Output.

The IPO Principle in EAM

To sustainably transfer the IPO principle to enterprise architectures, the elements must still be secured by fundamental questions.

• What (which source information) do I need to start or be able to start the process?
• What (which target information) do I need to complete the process?
• How (according to which rules) do I convert the source information into target information?

With these questions, the classical IPO principle is addressed. For architectures, the following question must also be asked:

• With What (by which means) do I achieve this?

The What and How questions are fundamentally handled at the business level, as they primarily address the functional process.

The With What is provided by the technology level (through the infrastructure).

The information system level (also called application level) serves as an intermediary/translator and ensures seamless support of the business department by IT. Thus, the purpose of enterprise architectures is fulfilled.

flowchart TD
id1("Business Architecture") <--What? How?--> id2("Information System Architecture") <--With What?--> id3("Technical Architecture")
style id1 fill:#ffff00,stroke:#333,stroke-width:2px
style id2 fill:#00ffff,stroke:#333,stroke-width:2px
style id3 fill:#00ff00,stroke:#333,stroke-width:2px

In addition to the basic questions What, How, and With What, the following supplementary questions arise:

• Why is this necessary? (Purpose and intent)
• When (By when) is this needed? (Timeframe)
• Who is responsible for this? (Accountability)

The supplementary questions are deliberately kept very general, as they can be applied point by point at any stage of the process.

Conclusion

Anyone who has been dealing with Enterprise Architecture Management for some time and has had insight into one or another framework will find these questions familiar.

The Zachman Framework also knows six perspectives identified by question words: What (Data), How (Function), Where (Network), Who (People), When (Time), and Why (Motivation). The only difference in my representation is that I have replaced Where with With What. The reason for this is quite simple to explain. In today’s world, we are so digitalized and networked that the physical Where plays only a subordinate or almost no role at all. More important nowadays are the tools used, namely the With What.

In my representation, I also oriented myself towards TOGAF, where the questions are not explicitly mentioned as such but are covered via the offered architecture levels:

• Business Architecture: Describes the “Who” and “Why” aspects (e.g., organigrams, goals, principles).
• Data Architecture: Focuses on the “What” (e.g., data models, data flows).
• Application Architecture: Deals with the “How” (e.g., application landscapes, interfaces).
• Technology Architecture: Addresses the “With What” (e.g., infrastructure, networks, locations).

My representation of IPO in relation to EAM is therefore not a complete reinterpretation, but rather aims to show, from the perspective of a pragmatic approach, how it can be applied.

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