IDEF0

IDEF0, a compound acronym ('Icam DEFinition for Function Modeling', where ICAM is an acronym for 'Integrated Computer Aided Manufacturing'), is a function modeling methodology for describing manufacturing functions, which offers a functional modeling language for the analysis, development, reengineering, and integration of information systems; business processes; or software engineering analysis.Box SyntaxArrow SyntaxArrow Positions and RolesLabel and Name SemanticsExample Top-level DiagramDecomposition StructureDetail Reference Expression UseArrow Fork and Join StructuresConnections Between BoxesBoundary and Internal ArrowsTypical Node TreeNegative Node-Numbered Context IDEF0, a compound acronym ('Icam DEFinition for Function Modeling', where ICAM is an acronym for 'Integrated Computer Aided Manufacturing'), is a function modeling methodology for describing manufacturing functions, which offers a functional modeling language for the analysis, development, reengineering, and integration of information systems; business processes; or software engineering analysis. IDEF0 is part of the IDEF family of modeling languages in the field of software engineering, and is built on the functional modeling language Structured Analysis and Design Technique (SADT). The IDEF0 Functional Modeling method is designed to model the decisions, actions, and activities of an organization or system. It was derived from the established graphic modeling language Structured Analysis and Design Technique (SADT) developed by Douglas T. Ross and SofTech, Inc. In its original form, IDEF0 includes both a definition of a graphical modeling language (syntax and semantics) and a description of a comprehensive methodology for developing models. The US Air Force commissioned the SADT developers 'to develop a function model method for analyzing and communicating the functional perspective of a system. IDEF0 should assist in organizing system analysis and promote effective communication between the analyst and the customer through simplified graphical devices'. Where the Functional flow block diagram is used to show the functional flow of a product, IDEF0 is used to show data flow, system control, and the functional flow of lifecycle processes. IDEF0 is capable of graphically representing a wide variety of business, manufacturing and other types of enterprise operations to any level of detail. It provides rigorous and precise description, and promotes consistency of usage and interpretation. It is well-tested and proven through many years of use by government and private industry. It can be generated by a variety of computer graphics tools. Numerous commercial products specifically support development and analysis of IDEF0 diagrams and models. An associated technique, Integration Definition for Information Modeling (IDEF1x), is used to supplement IDEF0 for data-intensive systems. The IDEF0 standard, Federal Information Processing Standards Publication 183 (FIPS 183), and the IDEF1x standard (FIPS 184) are maintained by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). FIPS PUB 183 'Integration Definition for Function Modeling (IDEF0),' was withdrawn as a Federal Standard (in favor of OPEN Specifications and Standards) September 2, 2008, as cited in 'The Federal Register', Volume 73, page 51276 (73FR/51276). During the 1970s, the U.S. Air Force Program for Integrated Computer Aided Manufacturing (ICAM) sought to increase manufacturing productivity through systematic application of computer technology. The ICAM program identified the need for better analysis and communication techniques for people involved in improving manufacturing productivity. As a result, in 1981 the ICAM program developed a series of techniques known as the IDEF (ICAM Definition) techniques which included the following: In 1983, the U.S. Air Force Integrated Information Support System program enhanced the IDEF1 information modeling technique to form IDEF1X (IDEF1 Extended), a semantic data modeling technique. By the 1990s, IDEF0 and IDEF1X techniques are widely used in the government, industrial and commercial sectors, supporting modeling efforts for a wide range of enterprises and application domains. In 1991 the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) received support from the U.S. Department of Defense, Office of Corporate Information Management (DoD/CIM), to develop one or more Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) for modeling techniques. The techniques selected were IDEF0 for function modeling and IDEF1X for information modeling. These FIPS documents are based on the IDEF manuals published by the U.S. Air Force in the early 1980s.