Understanding Hierarchical Derived Type Elements in Relatics v6

Introduction to Hierarchical Derived Elements in Relatics
In complex engineering and construction projects, organizing data and managing relationships between different components is essential. Tools like Relatics v6 provide a powerful way to manage these relationships using Hierarchical Derived Type Elements. This feature allows users to define parent-child relationships between elements within a system, enabling the breakdown of complex structures into manageable parts.

What Are Hierarchical Derived Type Elements?

Hierarchical Derived Type Elements are used to define logic between different types of elements or within the same element. They allow users to create parent-child relationships within a hierarchy, providing a clear organizational structure. There are two primary configurations in Relatics v6 for hierarchical-derived elements:

1. Parent-Child Relationships Between Different Elements: In this configuration, a parent element has child elements that are of a different type. For example, a Work Package (the parent) may contain several Activities (the children), representing specific tasks required to complete the work package. These elements are linked to one another in a clear hierarchy, allowing for better management and visibility of related tasks.
2. Recursive Relationships Within the Same Element: This configuration involves an element acting as a parent and a child within the same element type. An example is a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) or System Breakdown Structure (SBS), where an element like “Activity” can have sub-activities, further breaking down tasks. In this setup, an element (e.g., “Activity”) can be recursively linked to itself, forming a multi-level structure. This is useful for creating detailed breakdowns of a system, where each level can be explored further to reveal smaller components.

Benefits of Hierarchical Derived Elements in Relatics

1. Structured Data Management: By utilizing hierarchical-derived elements, Relatics enables users to organize large datasets in a logical, tree-like structure. This structure allows for the systematic breakdown of complex systems into smaller, manageable components, making it easier to track and manage the flow of tasks or elements.
2. Efficient Task Tracking: With hierarchical derived elements, the relationship between parent elements (such as Work Packages) and their child elements (such as Activities) is automatically maintained. This ensures that tasks are derived in a way that simplifies workflow management, improving efficiency. For example, as activities are completed, the system can automatically update the status of the associated work package.
3. Consistency and Data Integrity: The dynamic nature of hierarchical-derived elements ensures that data remains consistent across the system. When changes are made to a parent element, the related child elements are automatically updated, ensuring that the hierarchy remains accurate and that the data within the system is reliable.
4. Tree View Representation: Relatics v6 offers a tree view for hierarchical-derived elements, providing users with a visual representation of the relationships between different elements. This makes it easy to understand the hierarchy and navigate through different levels of the structure.

Real-World Applications of Hierarchical Derived Elements in Relatics

1. Work Package and Activity Management: One of the most common uses of hierarchical-derived elements in Relatics v6 is to manage the relationship between Work Packages and Activities. Work Packages often represent larger tasks or deliverables in a project, while Activities are the individual tasks required to complete them. By setting up a hierarchical structure, Activities are derived from their associated Work Package, ensuring a clear link between the two and improving overall project tracking.

1. System Breakdown Structures (SBS): Hierarchical-derived elements are also useful in defining System Breakdown Structures (SBS). For example, in a construction project, the main element “Building Structure” could have child elements like “Foundation,” “Walls,” and “Roof.” One of these child elements, such as “Walls,” can further be broken down into sub-elements like “Exterior Walls” and “Interior Walls.” This recursive hierarchy allows users to dive deeper into the project structure, revealing increasingly detailed components of the system.

Instruction for breakdown structures (Trees)

1. Create a hierarchical-derived type element
2. Create a standard type element.
3. Create a type relation of single cardinality originating from the just-created type element and set the to-element to this same type element.
4. In the Type graphview, click on the just-created type element.
5. In the toolbox, click on Edit.
6. On the tab Advanced, change the field Configuration to Derived.
7. On the tab Advanced, change the field Origin relation to the desired relation. The checkbox for Hierarchical is automatically active.
8. Click on Update.