Information Architecture as a Decision-Support Tool

1. Information Architecture as a Decision-Support Tool Dr. M. A. Malloy mmalloy@mitre.org 17 November 2009

2. Disclaimers All information presented here is UNCLASSIFIED, technically accurate, contains no critical military technology and is not subject to export controls. The views, opinions, and conclusions expressed here are those of the presenter and should not be construed as an official position of MITRE or the United States Department of Defense (DoD).

3. Overview • What’s a decision-support tool? • What’s an information architecture framework (IAF)? • How can information architectures support the decision-maker? • Examples • Take-aways

4. Decision-Support Tool purposes ** INTUIT EXPLORE / VISUALIZE ANALYZE / REPORT To check that “everything is OK” To confirm the “obvious” To compare “actual performance” against formal or informal goals or constraints To identify what is “out-of-the-ordinary” To find a small, significant piece of information To figure out how something “works” To “work around” normal channels To do side-by-side comparisons of like items, quantities, etc. To compare the same type of information for discovering trends and relationships [e.g., in different time periods] To convey information in a more digestible manner To support “what-if” analysis or forecasting To create a “report of record” To help advocate a position ** http://www.umsl.edu/~subramaniana/DSS_tools.html

5. We manage information because… CLAIM: Information architecture enables decision-makers to answer the question: Are we managing the right, high-quality, actionable, timely information we need to make our key decisions? We can Someone tells us we have to It’s a valuable corporate asset It supports decision-making All of the above

6. What is enterprise architecture (EA)? • “enterprise” • any organization or group of organizations that has a common set of goals or principles or a single bottom line • “architecture” • the structure of components, their relationships to each other and to the environment, and the principles guiding the design and evolution of the entity they describe,** whether that entity is an organization, a system, or a functional or mission area ** DoD Architecture Framework Version 1.5, Volume I: Definitions and Guidelines, 23 April 2007

7. Relevance of “information” in EA • Derived from various business needs • Influenced by / influences governance, activities, technology, services • Must be managed throughout its lifecycle OrganizationalDirectives Business Needs Governance BusinessView Business Activities InformationView Information Service View Services Technology View Technology

8. What should the information view include? • Activities/processes that produce and consume information • Structure of and relationships among the information • Conceptual & logical data models of the enterprise (i.e., information requirements) • Ontologies, taxonomies, vocabularies; metadata, schemas • Authoritative data sources; access control rules • Information infrastructure (IT) • Data storage; data transport; data services • Information assurance • Standards and standard products • Implementation strategy and guidance • Information management policy & Guidance • Ways and means for creating the above descriptions • Governance, roles & responsibilities, data engineering, configuration management, verification & validation (V&V), authoritative data sources 8

9. “Framework” helps organize & relate information architecture products Stakeholders The Enterprise Info Architecture Framework architecture product

10. Information Asset Relationships Services Business Technology Information Asset Principles Information Asset Policy Information Asset Governance High-level view of the Information Architecture Framework (IAF) Drivers and Input Uses and Impacts Establish Information Architecture Components Information Asset Description Information Asset Context Information Asset Sharing Information asset a resource having value that is both owned and managed

11. Inter-view relationships • Information – Business • How do information assets relate to business activities? e.g, • Asset to process cross reference • Information – Service • How do information assets relate to service offerings? e.g., • Asset to service cross reference. • Service-level Agreement (SLA) Template • Information – Technology • How do information asset considerations impact technical realization? e.g., • Definition of a mediation view between physical store and services • Security characteristics selection criteria

12. Information Asset Relationships Services Business Technology Information Asset Principles Information Asset Policy Information Asset Governance Example: Are we managing the right assets? GCIC/RI GAPs, CBA iSMART Business Rules MIL-STDs Drivers and Input JCIDS Uses and Impacts Establish Information Architecture Components Information Asset Description Information Asset Context Information Asset Sharing VocabularyToolset Caps & LimsToolset ICD JMSWG MTFWG COI JALN, Platforms NCDS NCES

13. Example: Can we answer our key questions?

14. Answering other questions Database & Application Framework Database & Application Framework Query Query SPARQL SPARQL Gruff Gruff Browser Browser Triple Stores Triple Stores Ontology Ontology Lisp Lisp JAVA JAVA Top Braid ComposerTM Top Braid ComposerTM RDF/XML RDF/XML AllegroGraph AllegroGraph This approach is currently being explored via use cases. • (Semi-) automate population of triple store from existing metadata sources • Use IAF as the basis for defining mappings • Use built-in visualization, query, analytical tools to realize added value • Earmark categories of architecture products needed to answer specific types of questions

15. Summary • An architecture framework approach supports • Distributed, incremental development by multiple stakeholders • Recognizing “patterns” across similar organizations • A database application framework approach • Supports discovery of unanticipated answers and value • IAF supports managing information assets from an enterprise perspective • Are we managing the right information to answer key questions? 15

16. Questions