How are Attributes different to Notes?
SCOPE has methods ways of further documenting your functional model of your software:
The difference between these two types of trees is that:
Attributes are set up as 'key words' that are used to profile your software model to selectively report only those Processes or Data Groups that have that particular key word as their Attribute. Since there may be several options of available SCOPE allows you to group your Attributes into Categories. An example of a common Attribute Category could be "Business Area"; this could be further broken down into specific business areas responsible for specifying the functionality. Each of these Business Areas would be listed as an Attribute e.g. HR, Accounts, Marketing etc. Processes specific to that business area could then be associated by linking to that node on the Attribute Tree. Usually every process would be linked to one or more attributes in a Category. Typically an organisation would have a standard set of Attribute Categories defined so that they can profile the reporting in a standardised way.
Attributes can have values assigned to them so they can be used to selectively quantify your functionality (Processes and Data Groups). See Numerical Attributes
Notes in comparison are usually created to be specific to one Process or Data Group but they may be linked to more than one node in the case of a generic Note. Notes are designed to be used for textual descriptions about a Process or Data Group, rather than for using as a means of profiling the model. Typically Notes are specific to a particular Application, Release or Count Session, rather than being applicable for all Applications within an organisation.
SCOPE has multiple hierarchy trees that provide a multi-dimensional map of the software application’s functionality. This map enables you to develop ‘what if’ scenarios for measuring different sets of functions, based upon selected nodes in other Trees.
For example, you might choose to map specific functions against a particular Category of Attributes such as different developers, implementation priorities or user types. Mappings may be made between any other SCOPE tree to the Attributes Tree. Once these mappings (or Links) have been set-up, they can be recalled at any time and used to selectively profile the application’s size for a particular attribute. For example linking to a high priority attribute enables you to measure the application’s projected size based on the ‘what-if’ scenario that only the high priority functions would be implemented.
Numerical Attributes are a special class of Attribute Category that allow your count to be profiled quantitatively for project governance, project monitoring etc.
For example, different sets of Notes can be used to record assumptions about the specification background for counting decisions, references to project or other related documentation, bug reports, test cases etc. Individual Notes can be written under each of these Note Sets and, if desired, Linked to nodes in one or more other trees.