Which Hopex artefact best to use to represent external party with API

[Hvloenhout]

How can I best model an external party with which data is exchanged using an API between an internal application and the external application of the external organisation (external org unit)?

Also the external organisation (actually an external actor) plays a role in the internal process flow.

Thank you in advance,

Han v Loenhout

[LMeden]

The definition can be found in the HOPEX documentation https://doc.mega.com/hopex-v6-1-en/#page/Concepts/F1_B1EDB2562C140173.html

[BenAvdicevic]

@Melina Specific screenshots I posted are from the official HOPEX training materials, presented to us by MEGA consultants.

[Melina]

@BenAvdicevic : Where can I find the documentation where you got those definitions?

[BenAvdicevic]

We will discuss with our MEGA PS rep. to see if/how we can do this.

But, please consider this as an enhancement.

[TDucher]

Hello,

Agree with the different comments.

We started to use org-units because we only wanted to identify the External actors with whom we were exchanging data.

Now,  because in certain cases, we wanted to be more precise and identify the IT component with which we are interacting we are using Applications and IT services in some cases.

[PBessodes]

You can personalize the diagram configuration and shapes to fulfill this need. It requires specific customization skills but it is quite a small/average difficulty.
BTW, this is something I can definitly add in the back log as a good improvement.

[BenAvdicevic]

@Hvloenhout @PBessodes   We're just discussing this in my org as well.

We have chose to model External Systems as "Application" objects.    But - in reality - we don't really care about any details or even lifecycles of them - as they are fully external.    For example  (Canada Revenue Agency or IRS)

Using an Org-Unit object would be  a good option.  

But, Ideally we would want the External system modeled as Org-Units to be displayed like either "Company" or "Institution" object

But - by default - when placing "org-units" of sub-type "Company" or "Institution" to an ITA diagram - they don't have this shape.

@PBessodes   is this something that can be easily configured, so we have External "Company" or "Institutions" to appear as above shapes on ITA diagrams (e.g.  External data flows  diagram for an Application) 

[PBessodes]

Hello,

You have 2 solutions :
 - Use an Org-Unit when you dont know or don't want to know the software part of your API provider. You decide here that you are only interested in the contractual and use parts of the API.
 - Use an application, which implies potential consequences on data and update management for an external application (name, version etc.).