computer science

Macroscope (methodology suite)

Macroscope (methodology suite) is a computer science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Macroscope (methodology suite) rather than just read about it. In short: Macroscope is an integrated set of methods aimed at enterprise IT activities. Macroscope was developed and is maintained by Fujitsu in Canada.

Key takeaways

Macroscope (methodology suite) belongs to computer science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Macroscope (methodology suite) to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Macroscope (methodology suite) from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Macroscope is an integrated set of methods aimed at enterprise IT activities. Macroscope was developed and is maintained by Fujitsu in Canada. It is primarily used as their core body of knowledge to support the consulting services that they provide to their clients and is also licensed as a commercial product to a number of their clients

History

1984-1985: "DMR" Information System Development Guides The first publication of methods that are at the source of Macroscope were two "Information System Development Guides": Part 1 Managing the Project and Part 2 Developing the System. The same books were published in French in 1984. These two methods were known as the "DMR" methods and were later attributed version number 1.0. The two methods were based on fundamentals or principles that established the general approach. The methods were described in terms of processes, techniques and deliverables. The main approach for system design was by integrating the French Merise data and the American Gane and Sarson process modelling methods.

1987-1990: Information System Delivery Series Publication of a set of five books collectively called "Information System Delivery Series" by DMR Group Inc. This publication was also issued in French under the title: "Collection Mise en oeuvre de systèmes d'information". The collection contained the following books:

Project Management Guide, ISBN 2-9801017-5-3 System Development Guide, ISBN 2-9801017-7-X System Owner's Guide, ISBN 2-920921-01-0 Prototyping Guide, ISBN 2-9801017-9-6 Sample Set of Phase Reports. ISBN 2-920921-03-7 The 1987 edition was later attributed version number 2.0. The 1990 edition of this collection was re-labeled "DMR Productivity Plus", which was quickly nicknamed to "P+" by users. This edition is later attributed version number 2.1.

1990-1996: DMR Macroscope Research and Development project labelled "Le Macroscope Informatique", leads to the product initially called "DMR Macroscope" and re-branded in 2002 to "Macroscope". This program was initiated by DMR Group Inc., along with the Province of Quebec (Canada), industrial partners, research centers partners, and user groups that contributed financially and logistically. The initial objective of this program was to "develop a set of integrated products, that is, methods, software tools, training program in order to improve the development and usage of information technology". In a 1996 Research Note, Gartner writes: Taken together, this is one of the most extensive sets of methods and tools produced by any vendor. DMR's purpose is focused on service delivery, but the methods are clearly designed for use by clients. This R&D effort was divided into four knowledge domains, initially known as Productivity Plus (P+), Strategy Plus (S+) Benefits Plus (B+) and Architecture Plus (A+).

1994-1995: "P+OnLine" method A first commercial product under the "DMR Macroscope" umbrella, called "P+ OnLine" is released in 1994 and is the first release to display a version number, that is 2.2. Then the project gradually releases the following product components under new commercial names:

DMR ProductivityCentre (renaming of ProductivityPlus) DMR ArchitectureLab (renaming of Architecture Plus) DMR ResultStation (renaming of Benefits Plus) DMR StrategyForum (renaming of Strategy Plus)

1996-1998: DMR Macroscope 3.0 - 3.1 Released in 1996, DMR Macroscope 3.0 was the first publication of the methodology in the HTML format, with mitigated success. This version was replaced in 1998 with version 3.1.

2001: DMR Macroscope 3.5 Release of version 3.5. The domain names lose their "DMR" prefixes, and ManagementSuite is added to the DMR Macroscope product.

2002-2011: Macroscope 4.0 - 4.9 Release of 4.0 in 2002. Re branding of the company to Fujitsu Consulting and the product suite loses its "DMR" prefix and is simply branded as "Macroscope". Then successive versions 4.5 to 4.9, and interim updates are released at a pace of approximately one per year.

2012: Macroscope 5.0 Release of 5.0 in 2012. The domain names are changed to a simpler terminology. The product is also offered "as a service" or hosted version for specific clients.

2014: Macroscope 5.2 The enterprise architecture approach is substantively revised.

Knowledge organization The Macroscope methodology suite is organised into five process domains, The domains are: Architecture (previously known as ArchitectureLab) for enterprise architecture, Project (previously known as ManagementSuite) for project management, Solution (previously known as ProductivityCentre) for system development and maintenance, Benefits (previously known as ResultStation) for benefits realisation program management and portfolio management, and Vision (previously known as StrategyForum) for enterprise strategy. All domains of Macroscope are structured in a similar fashion using concepts described in the Software Process Engineering Metamodel (SPEM) of the Object Management Group (OMG). Fujitsu was one of the many contributors to SPEM and sections of Macroscope are used to depict some elements of SPEM. A domain of Macroscope typically presents the following sections. A process, usually presented as a workflow, describes the phases, steps and activities, under the responsibility of which role, and what deliverables are resulting from the process. A deliverable, presented with a description, a template and, generally, one or more examples, is a work product resulting from a process. A technique is a detailed method of accomplishing something, and is used to produce the content of one or more deliverables. Some domains of Macroscope contain many processes. For example, the domain called Project, contains only one process, called Project Management, while the Benefits domain contains a Program Management process and a Portfolio Management process. Each Macroscope domain is also based on a set of fundamental principles, which help understanding, adapting and using the process.

Methodology domains

Vision Before version 5.0, this was known as StrategyForum, formed of two words: Strategy, the main subject of interest, and Forum, referring to a group of stakeholders discussing about the evolution or the future of something. The intent of Vision is to provide a methodology to capture, structure, document and confirm an organisation's business strategy, and understand the organisation's strategy process.

… excerpt ends here. Continue reading the full article.

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Macroscope (methodology suite)

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Macroscope (methodology suite) claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In computer science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Macroscope (methodology suite) before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Macroscope (methodology suite) ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Macroscope (methodology suite)

In research: Macroscope (methodology suite) appears in computer science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Macroscope (methodology suite) in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Macroscope (methodology suite) is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Enterprise architecture, Fujitsu, MacOS programming tools, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Macroscope (methodology suite) outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Macroscope (methodology suite) in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Macroscope (methodology suite) means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Macroscope (methodology suite) out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Macroscope (methodology suite) in simple terms?

Macroscope is an integrated set of methods aimed at enterprise IT activities. Macroscope was developed and is maintained by Fujitsu in Canada.

Why does Macroscope (methodology suite) matter?

Because it connects several computer science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Macroscope (methodology suite)?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Macroscope (methodology suite).