Introduction 

The Integrated DEFinition (IDEF) methodology is a suite or family of methods that supports a paradigm capable of addressing the modeling needs of an enterprise and its business areas. IDEF technologies have grown over the past four to five years, the Department of Defense is a prime user of the technologies, and some of the largest U.S. corporations have adopted the IDEF technologies for competitive advantage. The suite of IDEF methods is evolving and contains the necessary notations to support software development.

Most important standards

IDEFØ Function Modeling Method

Overview

IDEFØ is a method designed to model the decisions, actions, and activities of an organization or system. IDEFØ was derived from a well-established graphical language, the Structured Analysis and Design Technique (SADT). (..)

Effective IDEFØ models help to organize the analysis of a system and to promote good communication between the analyst and the customer. IDEFØ is useful in establishing the scope of an analysis, especially for a functional analysis. As a communication tool, IDEFØ enhances domain expert involvement and consensus decision-making through simplified graphical devices. As an analysis tool, IDEFØ assists the modeler in identifying what functions are performed, what is needed to perform those functions, what the current system does right, and what the current system does wrong. Thus, IDEFØ models are often created as one of the first tasks of a system development effort.

Note: This standard has been adopted to achieve the company's processes layout. Actual standard is IEEE Std 1320.1-1998. IEEE Standard for Functional Modeling Language-Syntax and Semantics for IDEF0. Approved 25 June 1998. IDEFØ remains fully valid as the differences do not justify a change.

Access the IDEFØ standard

 

IDEF3 Process Description Capture Method

Overview

The IDEF3 Process Description Capture Method provides a mechanism for collecting and documenting processes.

IDEF3 captures the behavioral aspects of an existing or proposed system. Captured process knowledge is structured within the context of a scenario, making IDEF3 an intuitive knowledge acquisition device for describing a system. IDEF3 captures all temporal information, including precedence and causality relationships associated with enterprise processes. The resulting IDEF3 descriptions provide a structured knowledge base for constructing analytical and design models.

Access the IDEF3 standard

Note: This standard is perfectly suitable for brainstorming purpose. The basic element may be printed on stickers and assembled on a flip chart.

 

Other IDEF standards (for information only)

These standards aren't used but as they are available freely, they are mentioned shortly.

IDEF1 information modeling method

Overview

IDEF1 was designed as a method for both analysis and communication in the establishment of requirements. IDEF1 is generally used to

1. identify what information is currently managed in the organization,
2. determine which of the problems identified during the needs analysis are caused by lack of management of appropriate information, and
3. specify what information will be managed in the TO-BE implementation.

IDEF1X data modeling method

Overview

IDEF1X is a method for designing relational databases with a syntax designed to support the semantic constructs necessary in developing a conceptual schema. A conceptual schema is a single integrated definition of the enterprise data that is unbiased toward any single application and independent of its access and physical storage.

IDEF4 object oriented design method

Overview

The intuitive nature of object-oriented programming makes it easier to produce code. Unfortunately, the ease with which software is produced also makes it easier to create software of poor design, resulting in systems lacking re-usability, modularity, and maintainability. The IDEF4 method is designed to assist in the correct application of this technology.

IDEF5  Ontology capture description method

Overview

The IDEF5 method provides a theoretically and empirically well-grounded method specifically designed to assist in creating, modifying, and maintaining ontologies. Standardized procedures, the ability to represent ontology information in an intuitive and natural form, and higher quality results enabled through IDEF5 application also serve to reduce the cost of these activities.