Area Context Diagram

Overview

The Area Context Model template provides a visio tool for developing a graphical representation for a an organizational / project scope enabled using technology.  The template uses stick-people, rectangles, and circles to help organize information.  Below are instructions for how to prepare a context diagram.  This tool is useful for students who are in the introduction to information systems analysis and design, as well as for departments or teams engaged in project / departmental planning.

Creating your Diagram

Guidance is provided here in this section to assist you with developing your context diagram.  

Circle in the Middle

The circle in the middle is where you provide the general scope for the project.  First, you would provide the context of the systems that are involved in the project.  

For departmental unit context  - list the functions that the department is accountable for fulfilling.  

For project context - specify the enabling technology on the first line, and then below list the functions that are to be addressed in the project.

Stickpeople with Rectangle

The stickpeople with rectangles represents users and their responsibility in the department or project.  Here, you are helping to provide a descriptive representation of how these individuals use the system or their role in the department.

For departmental unit context - list the staff in the departments and their roles.

For project context - list the user's role and the processes that they will execute in the system.

Stakeholders

The stakeholder boxes allows for you to identify individuals/groups who have an interest or who are impacted by the department or project.  For internal stakeholders, you want to identify people/groups within the organization.  For external stakeholders, you want to identify people/groups outside of your organization who have a stake in the activities noted.

Template and Samples

Below is the template as well as two samples.  The "Sample_Context_InstructionalTech" provides a sample for a departmental context diagramming and the "Sample_Articulations-AreaContextModel_v1.vsd" provides a sample for a new project.