Capture ICT object category data

An ICT object category bundles and classifies content-specific ICT objects in order to evaluate various aspects of ICT objects including cost analyses. ICT object categories may have a hierarchical structure with multiple subordinate ICT object categories. Each ICT object may be associated with only one ICT object category.

In the navigation panel, click Application Architecture > ICT Object Categories.​ Per default, the data workbench displays only a set of basic attributes. You can add more columns to capture other attributes directly in the data workbench or you can navigate to an ICT object categorie's content area and define it in more detail there. Click to learn about how to use data workbenches.

ICT object categories are structured in an ICT object hierarchy. Before you begin, you should consider which ICT object categories are your main categories and which are their subordinate categories.

Go to Application Architecture > ICT Object Categories:

• Add a new root-level ICT object category. Click the root node of the explorer and click the New button to open the edit panel to specify a name. Click OK to create the ICT object category.
• Add a new subordinate ICT object category. Click the parent ICT object category in the explorer, go to the Overview tab and open the Subordinate ICT Object Categories view. Click   > Create ICT Object Category to open the edit panel.
• Define the details of the ICT object category.. Click the Navigate   button next to an ICT object category to open its content area. Specify the ICT object category's attributes as well as the relationships that it has to other assets in the repository.
• Change the parent of an ICT object category. In the Subordinate ICT Object Categories view, click   > Move Existing ICT Object Category Here to open a selector where you can chose the ICT object category to move to the new parent ICT object category.

• Name: (Mandatory) Enter a meaningful name for the ICT object category that is known by the users in your enterprise.
• Authorized User: The user who creates the ICT object category is the authorized user per default. This can be changed.

  authorized user

  An authorized user has primary responsibility to maintain the data for an object. Typically this is the user that has created the object. The authorized user as well as members of authorized user groups have write permissions to objects they are responsible for.

• Authorized User Groups: Select one or more authorized user groups that shall have write permissions to the ICT object category. All users in the authorized user group can edit the ICT object category.

  authorized user group

  An authorized user group is a set of users that have been granted write permissions to an object. More than one authorized user group may be specified for an object.

A role represents a functional responsibility that a user or organization has for the ICT object category. Assigning users and organizations to roles is critical to understanding responsibility for assets in the IT and is required to answer the business question Who is responsible for our assets?.

Responsibilities are based on preconfigured role types. Your company may also configure custom role types via the Portfolio Admin user profile. Depending on the role type, a specified user and/or a specified organization may fulfill the responsibility for the ICT object category. A user assigned responsibility via a role has read-only permissions to the ICT object category. To change data about the ICT object category, they must also be specified as an authorized user or member of an authorized user group.

Roles can be assigned to an ICT object category in the ICT Object Categories data workbench or the ICT object category content area via Overview > Responsibilities. A person or organization can have one of the following roles or a custom role added by your company:

• Business Owner: A person or organization that owns the ICT object category and understands its purpose for the business.
• Stakeholder: A person or organization that has an interest in the ICT object category and therefore requires read-only access permissions.

To specify responsibilities for the ICT object category:

1. Click in the relevant role field to open the selector.
2. Expand the ORGANIZATION or USER sections in the selector and select the person or organization fulfilling the role.
3. Click OK to save the role definition and close the selector.

1. Go to Application Architecture > ICT Object Categories data workbench.
2. Define the ICT object categories that you want to see in the data workbench. These are the ICT object categories that will be displayed in the report.
3. Click Visualize > ICT Object Category Analysis > ICT Object Category Landscape.
4. The report displays a nested matrix showing the ICT object categories filtered in the data table. Here's how to interpret the information:
   • Each ICT object category is represented by a nested box in the matrix.
   • Per default, the top 3 levels of ICT object categories in the ICT object category hierarchy are displayed.
   • Each ICT object category displays the number of ICT objects explicitly assigned to it.
5. You can do the following:
   • Single-click an ICT object category to open its preview pane where you can edit relevant information and view the names of the ICT objects assigned to the category.
   • Double-click an ICT object category to navigate to its content area where you can edit more details and analyze the ICT object category in more detail.
   • Click the  three vertical dots button > Show Legend to understand the icons in the report.