Ptech and Open Engineering Collaborate on Modeling Environment for IDEF.

BOSTON, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 15, 1998--Ptech Inc and Open Engineering are pleased to announce their collaboration on the development of an information modeling environment--FrameWork(tm) for IDEF--that fully implements the emerging IEEE 1320.2 standard, otherwise known as IDEF1X97 or IDEF object. According to Keri Anderson Healy, one of the technical editors of the IDEF1X97 standard, IDEF1X97 is an evolution of the current US Government data modeling standard, FIPS PUB 184, otherwise known as IDEF1X93.

The new standard describes two styles of modeling:

--The key-style is used to produce information models that represent the structure and semantics of data within an enterprise and is backward-compatible with IDEF1X93. The availability of this modeling style facilitates migration of existing data models.

--The identity-style is a consistent, yet greatly expanded technique that provides a robust set of modeling capabilities covering all static and many dynamic aspects of the emerging object-oriented approach to modeling. A rich approach for defining business rules is also included in the standard. With suitable automation support, identity-style modeling can be used to develop an executable prototype of a target object-oriented system. The identity-style can be used in conjunction with object behavior modeling techniques, such as those found in the Object Management Group's (OMG) Unified Modeling Language (UML), to produce complete object-oriented models.

The IDEF1X97 modeling standard is being developed by the IEEE IDEF1X Standards Working Group and was approved by the IEEE-SA Standards Board Review Committee in June 1998. IDEF1X97 is recommended by the Department of Defense Joint Technical Architecture (JTA) as an emerging information modeling standard.

FrameWork(tm) for IDEF program initiative will provide IDEF users with support for both styles of modeling, integration with UML behavior modeling, and automation support to generate executable prototypes in software languages such as JAVA, C++, and in OMG-compliant distributed business object frameworks. The key goals for the FrameWork for IDEF program are to facilitate support reverse engineering of existing IDEF1X93 data models, and to provide support for the emerging IDEF1X97 standard.

Ptech, Inc., (Boston, MA), is a Boston based company founded in 1994, dedicated to providing products and services that assist clients and partners to acquire the capability to respond quickly and cost effectively to continuously changing market dynamics and needs. Ptech FrameWork(tm) is the most powerful and customizable OO/AD modeling environment in the software industry today. A suite of software products and consulting services for Enterprise modeling integrating Strategic Planning, Enterprise Modeling, Business Process Engineering, Object Oriented Analysis and Design (OOAD) and workflow providing a complete solution in one environment. Ptech's Services include formal training courses in the Ptech methodology and the Ptech FrameWork products, model customization and project consulting. Ptech is a co-author of the UML.

Open Engineering Inc., (San Francisco, CA), is a systems integration and consulting firm founded in 1990. In the early 90's, OEI integrated object principles into the design of business operations and helped author the Object Management Group's definition of common business objects. In pioneering its object-oriented approach to business engineering (OOBE(R)), OEI has integrated object modeling with IDEF modeling techniques and made these business modeling techniques compatible with and transformable to UML. OEI has successfully applied these techniques across the entire life cycle of large-scale, mission-critical systems, and in the process has migrated a wide variety of data- and process-focused IDEF models to object orientation. And OEI has successfully applied the OOBE approach to capture and connect enterprise strategic thinking with business process engineering, and to deliver powerful data and process integration solutions.