BiSL® - Business Information Services Library - Glossary (EN

Acceptance test :  Test in which is assessed whether the information systems and infrastructures delivered meet the demands (requirements) and whether the results comply with what was agreed.
Annual Business Information Management plan :  A plan that gives an overview of all activities to be undertaken by the business information management function in the coming year, including their planning, budget and their relation to the business processes. It also includes the main future focus of business information management in relation to the overall information provision.
Annual information provisioning plan :  A plan that addresses developments in the existing and future information provision. It includes an overview of the most important activities for the coming year in terms of releases, expected changes, planning and capacity, priorities, necessary support by IT providers, IT services agreed upon for the coming period, cost estimates and budgets.
Application :  The automated part of an information system consisting of application software, application- related data, the storage structures (physical and otherwise) in which this data is embedded, and the relevant documentation.
Application management :  The IT management domain that aims at managing, maintaining and renovating applications.
ASL (Application Services Library)® :  Public domain framework for implementing and setting up application management.
ASP (Application Service Providing) :  A concept whereby an IT provider supplies the functionality of applications instead of the applications themselves. The technical operation of these applications is situated on the IT provider's central technical infrastructure and is offered to several user organizations.
Availability :  Ability of an information provision to provide the agreed functionality to its users.
Availability management :  The activities within the Operational supplier management process ensuring current and future availability of the application for the users. This also includes authorization management.
Best practices :  Proven activities or processes that have been successfully used by multiple organizations.
BiSL® :  Business Information Services Library, a vendor independent public domain library for the implementation of business information management. The library consists of publications describing a process framework for business information management and a large number of best practices, white papers, articles and presentations. The standardized approach of BiSL contributes to the professionalization of the demand organization and facilitates a more efficient and cost effective way of working. It provides a common language and reference to the market, facilitating a better understanding and communication between the parties involved in information provision.
BiSL framework :  A process framework for Business Information Management that aims at professionalizing the demand function within the information provision. It describes process clusters, processes, activities and their results and interrelations.
Business case :  Justification for a significant item of expenditure. The business case includes information about costs, benefits, options, issues, risks and possible problems.
Business data :  Data that is important for carrying out a business process.
Business data management :  The operational BiSL process within the Use management cluster that focuses on the data within the information provision. It aims at ensuring a correct set-up of the data in the information provision (e.g. data definitions and information model) and to ensure that that the data used within both the information systems and the non-automated parts of the information provision of an organization are correct and up- to-date.
Business information administration :  The function within business information management that is concerned with the operational activities.
Business information management :  The IT management domain by which an organization efficiently plans, collects, organizes, uses, controls, disseminates and disposes of its information, and through which it ensures that the value of that information is identified and exploited to the fullest extent.

Business Information Management refers to the activities that organizations perform in order to ensure that they are using information in an appropriate manner and that they are acquiring and using the appropriate information systems.
Business IT alignment :  The degree to which the information provision (IT applications, infrastructure and organization) enable and support the business strategy and processes, as well as the process to realize this.
Business manager :  Manager of a business process
Business process :  A structured set of activities designed to accomplish a specific business objective.
Business unit :  An independent unit within an organization accountable for results.
Call :  A question, note, wish or request from a user regarding information provisioning.
Capacity :  General term that can refer to both human resources for executing business information management as to IT capacity (storage, bandwidth, processing).
Capacity management :  The activities within the Operational supplier management process that are concerned with mapping out of expectations regarding the necessary capacity and the management and monitoring of activities of the IT provider ensuring optimal use of IT resources.
Chain partner :  An external party or organization with which the business organization cooperates in a chain in which information exchange takes place. Only other user organizations in this chain are considered as chain partners.
Change calendar :  Overview showing all changes in a period with their mutual relations.
Change management :  The operational BiSL process within the Connecting processes cluster that deals with determining the changes to the information provision that are to be further defined and implemented.
Connecting processes :  The BiSL process clusters that synchronize the process clusters that focus on the use and structure of information provision with those that focus on the content of information provision.

There are Connecting processes clusters on the following levels:
• Operational
• Strategic
Connecting processes - Operational level :  The BiSL process cluster that deals with coordination and communication between the Use management cluster and the Functionality management cluster.

This cluster consists of the following processes:
• Change management
• Transition management
Connecting processes - Strategic level :  The BiSL process cluster that deals with the alignment between policy plans on content and organization of the information provision.

This cluster comprises one process:
• Information coordination.
Continuity management :  The activities within the Operational supplier management process that are concerned with taking measures to ensure that information provision can continue to function undisturbed or with an acceptable level of risk.
Contract management. :  The managing BiSL process that is responsible for defining appropriate agreements for automated information provisioning and services by the IT provider. Contract management is also responsible for monitoring and improving agreements.
Data :  BiSL distinguishes business data and control data.
Define I-organization strategy :  The strategic BiSL process within the I- organization strategy cluster that defines the desired organization of the I-function: organization form(s), responsibilities, carrying out and cooperation between the various departments involved within the organization.
Demand :  The formalized need for information to support business processes.
Demand management :  The managing BiSL process that manages the demands from the business process for support by information provisioning. These business demands are translated into demands to the quality of the information provisioning and the quality of the IT services. The process is also responsible for ensuring that demands within the business process are recognized.
Demand perspective :  The business point of view, as opposed to the IT or supply perspective.
Design non-automated information systems :  The operational BiSL process within the Functionality management cluster that aims at creating a clear and coordinated work method for the information processing activities within the business process, including use of automated information provisioning. Design non-automated information systems creates and maintains relevant documentation for everyday use such as procedures, work instructions and manuals.
Dossier of Agreements and Procedures (DAP) :  A dossier that describes the way communication takes place and the procedures for everyday reporting between customer and supplier.
End users :  Individual users within the user organization who use information systems or other areas of the information provisioning to carry out their work.
End user support :  The operational BiSL process within the Use management cluster that aims at supporting, facilitating and guiding end users in the use of information provision. Important subjects are (proactive) communication with the end user and dealing with calls.
Establish business process developments :  The strategic BiSL process within the Information strategy cluster that maps out the developments in the longer term within the organization and the associated business processes, so that over the long term the business processes are supported in an efficient, coordinated and balanced manner by information provision.
Establish information chain developments :  The strategic BiSL process within the Information strategy cluster that maps out the developments in the longer term in the area of information provision among organizations (thus not limited to the developments within the own organization) and translates these developments into consequences for the content of information provision for the own organization.
Establish technological developments :  The strategic BiSL process within the Information strategy cluster that maps out which technical developments are significant for the organization and information provision in the longer term.
Financial management :  The managing BiSL process that aims at the preparation, maintenance and monitoring of a (from a financial and business perspective) cost- effective information provision, and at a cost- effective use of IT resources for support and execution of the business processes of the organization.
Functionality management :  The operational BiSL process cluster that aims at initiating and ensuring the definition and implementation of desired changes in the information provision.

The Functionality management cluster consists of the following processes:
• Specify information requirements
• Design non-automated information systems
• Review and testing
• Prepare transition
I-Organization :  The organization or function that controls the information provision. I.e. the organization that carries out tasks in the field of business information management.
I-organization strategy cluster :  The strategic BiSL process cluster that aims at setting up the operation and management of the organization's information provision in such a way that the method of control and decision- making is optimal. The decision-making is also coordinated with the structure of the user organization and the environment in which the organization operates and which can also influence the content of information provision in the organization.
Implementation calendar :  Overview that identifies when changes are actually implemented within the user organization.
Implementation plan :  A plan that lists the activities that are to be carried out while preparing the transition of changes in the automated and non-automated information provisioning to operational use.
Information architecture :  A high-level subdivision of the information provision, which includes characteristics for parts such as investment value, status, interest, quality, strengths and weaknesses.
Information coordination :  The strategic BiSL process that monitors and supervises the connection between all the various plans for information provision: the portfolio plans at the corporate level, the various plans for the business information (systems) managers related to their information systems, and planning for the definition of the I- organization.
Information domain :  See: information management area
Information lifecycle management :  The strategic BiSL process that aims at creating a strategy for information provision, translating this into actions and investments and ensuring this is implemented.
Information management :  The part of business information management that gives direction to and monitors the content and form of information provisioning in broad terms (often for the medium and long term) and defines the most suitable organization in order to realize this content and form. This is captured in information strategy, information policy, information plans and automation plans.
Information management area :  A specific aspect area within the user organization with its own business process, process organization, process characteristics and own specifically required knowledge, for example, finance, purchasing, research and development or human resource management.
Information model :  A structure that provides an insight into the data relevant to the organization, data definitions and relationships between the data.
Information plan :  All the plans of an organization outlining what shape the information provisioning will take in the medium term (normally three to five years) and how this is to be realized.
Information policy :  The policy used by an organization for the purpose of information provisioning. It often consists of descriptions of developments, underlying organization policy visions, sketches of information provisioning required in the medium and long term and the method with which this is controlled and realized.
Information portfolio management :  The strategic BiSL process that, from a business- wide point of view, aims at ensuring an optimal use of resources and set-up of the information provision, and at coordinating the various (sub)plans regarding the future development of information provision.
Information provision :  Information provision: (1) the information that is made available to (a part of) an organization, and (2) the people, procedures, data, data carriers, software and hardware that produce this information.

Note 1: An organization's information provision usually consists of several information systems that each fulfil part of the information demand.

Note 2: Data carriers are either digital or analogue (e.g. paper)

Note 3: In addition to the user data needed to produce the required information for the user organization, 'data' also includes artefacts such as information policy, requirements, designs etc. that are needed to support the information provision activities.
Information strategy :  The strategic BiSL process cluster that considers the future of information provision within the organization. It aims at ensuring the alignment between the information provision and the business processes in the future.
Information system :  Information system: the people, procedures, data, data carriers, software and hardware that produce information to accomplish goals of (part of) an organization.

Note 1: An information system may be automated or non-automated or a combination of both.

Note 2: An information system often supports one business process or a part of it.

Note 3: Another more limited definition is often used in practice: the application software and digital data carriers and data sets used by an organization for carrying out or supporting information processing procedures. BiSL usually uses the limited sense of the term.

Note 4: An information system is part of the information provision for one or more organizations.
Installed base :  The total number of units of a particular system that is installed in various organizations.
Interface :  An interconnection between systems, equipment, concepts, or human beings.
IT infrastructure management :  The IT management domain that aims at managing, maintaining and renovating the IT infrastructure in the information provisioning.
IT management domain :  Specific areas of consideration that are important within the overall area of the management of information provision. Three IT management domains are distinguished within the overall management of information provisioning:
• IT infrastructure management
• Application management
• Business information management. Strictly speaking, unlike the other two domains, Business information management is not a domain that provides IT services. Business information management acts as the customer for the IT providers application management and IT infrastructure management.
IT provider :  The party or parties supplying the services, projects or products necessary for the realization, use, management, maintenance or renewal of the automated information provisioning.

An IT provider in BiSL can be one or more external and/or internal parties, for example, the internal automation department in the organization.
IT services :  The services of an IT provider
ITIL® :  A framework for IT Service Management for identifying, planning, delivering and supporting IT services to the business.
Levels of information provisioning :  In BiSL there are three levels of information provision: the operational level, the managing level and the strategic level.
Control data :  Data of a critical nature that is used but not maintained by end users. It is maintained in the Business data management process.
Management processes :  The BiSL Management processes cluster on the managing level that controls the information provision of an organization. It forms the link between the strategic and operational processes in the BiSL framework. The main elements of control within the BiSL process framework are time, money, quality and agreements, and therefore the Management processes cluster consists of the following processes:
• Planning & resource management
• Financial management
• Demand Management
• Contract management
Managing level :  A level in the BiSL framework that deals with the costs, returns, contracts and planning of the information provision.
Market development :  Developments that occur in the marketplace, for example a declining market share for certain forms of technology, or the opposite.
Non-functional quality demands :  Demands regarding the use of the information provision, for example in the areas of performance, accessibility and reliability, and not regarding the functionality
Operational level :  A level in the BiSL model that deals with the use of the information provisioning and defining the demands that the information provisioning must satisfy.
Operational supplier management :  The operational BiSL process within the Use management cluster that aims at issuing assignments to the IT provider and monitoring the work of the IT provider to enable processes for information provisioning in the user organization. Availability, capacity and continuity of the information systems are typical control aspects.
Organization strategy :  Strategy of the business (user) organization.
Outsourcing :  Transferring responsibility for parts of the service (previously carried out within the organization itself) to third parties.
Planning & resource management :  The managing BiSL process that aims at planning, monitoring and adjusting the activities of the organization involved in providing information so that the necessary use of information provision in the organization is realized on time with an optimal use of human capacity.

This domain extends to the IT organization, the business information management organization and the user organization.
Planning and deployment overview :  A document that gives an insight into scheduled activities, planned and available capacity and available expertise (planning overview) and into the allocated use of personnel resources to assignments and activities (deployment overview).
Prepare transition :  The operational BiSL process within the Functionality management cluster that aims at ensuring a problem-free move to the new or changed functionality by satisfying all required pre-conditions in such a way that the desired change can be achieved without problems.
Process :  A structured set of activities designed to accomplish a specific objective. A process takes one or more defined inputs and turns them into defined outputs.
Process architecture :  Description of the setup and context of the business processes such as can be recognized within the organization, including their relationships and mutual dependencies.

In BiSL these are also referred to as information policy model/policy architecture.
Process cluster :  A logical group of processes. In BiSL there are seven process clusters:
• Use management
• Functionality management
• Connecting processes - operational level
• Management processes
• Information strategy
• I-organizational strategy
• Connecting process - strategic level
Process owner :  The person who is accountable for a business process.
Quality demands :  Demands to the quality of the products, processes in and the organization of the information provision
Quality plan :  A plan in which points for improvement in the quality of the information provision, an improvement plan and quality demands to the information provision are defined.
Release :  A collection of changes in the information provisioning to be put into use at the same time.
Release planning :  Overview of the releases planned for the coming period (normally two to three years).
Requirement :  A description of the desired effect of (a part of) the information provision (also called: specification).
Review and testing :  The operational BiSL process within the Functionality management cluster that aims at ensuring that the desired change is carried out smoothly in the organization and that the tools, resources and other forms of support are working correctly.
Service Level Agreement (SLA) :  A description of the required services and the preconditions under which the IT provider can deliver these services.
Specification :  See: Requirement.
Specify information requirements :  The operational BiSL process within the Functionality management cluster that aims at translating desired changes in functionality into options for intrinsic and non-intrinsic solutions and at laying these solutions down for the purpose of both the automated and the non- automated information provisioning. This should be done in a way that enables clear acceptance of any services supplied by IT providers.
Strategic information partner management :  The strategic BiSL process within the I- organization strategy cluster that that aims at enabling information to be exchanged between various organizations. This exchange is made possible by defining interfaces in the area of information provision and maintaining these interfaces .
Strategic level :  A level in the BiSL model that deals with the future of the information provisioning.
Strategic supplier management :  The strategic BiSL process within the I- organization strategy cluster that aims at defining which parties (suppliers) are the most suitable to provide required knowledge and resources for information provision and at defining the role and responsibilities of these IT providers so that the resources and knowledge are put to optimal use for the organization.
Strategic user relationship management :  The strategic BiSL process within the I- organization strategy cluster that aims at designing and monitoring the consistency, connection and communication between the information provision function (I-function) and the user organization.
Structure plan for the I-function :  A plan for positioning, structure and decision- making of the I-function, based on an insight into the decision-making structures, hierarchy and balance of power within the user organization.
Supplier policy :  A policy that identifies which suppliers are most suitable for the organization and which types of relationships are sought.
Supply perspective :  The point of view of the IT service provider, as opposed to the demand perspective
System design :  A description of the setup and workings of an information system created by an IT provider.
System development architecture :  The structure and context of the (automated) information systems.
System owner :  Owner of an information system.
Technological developments :  Developments in applications or infrastructure (like hardware, system software and tools) that could be relevant for the organization's current and future information provision.
Test approach :  A stipulated strategy, plan and planning for the execution of acceptance tests
Transition (activity) :  The actual deployment of a change to the end users.
Transition management :  The operational BiSL Connecting process that aims at the actual deployment of a change to the end users. It forms the governing mechanism for the operational implementation of changes or renovations.
Transition plan :  A description of all activities to be carried out during the transition phase (also called: transition script).
Transition script :  See: transition plan
Usability :  The ease with which the information provision can be used.
Use management :  The operational BiSL process cluster that monitors the continuous and optimal support for the daily information provisioning for the end users.

Use management consists of the following processes:
• End user support
• Business data management
• Operational supplier management
User organization :  The organization responsible for carrying out the business processes supported by information provisioning. This organization includes both end users and middle management as well as higher management within this organization. A common synonym for user organization is business.