What is OPM?

OPM stands for Object Process Methodology which is a holistic methodology intended for generic system development using a single unified model with two different representations: Diagram representation and textual representation. Diagram representation called Object Process Diagram (OPD) aims to provide a representative diagram consisting of objects, process, and links, while the textual representation called Object Process Diagram (OPD) is an English-like language that is an adequate translation of the OPD representation of the system.

OPM treat every system and Information System in practical as a set of objects and process that interact with each other. Process can consume, produce, or change the status of the object. At any point of time, objects are at some state, process transform these states producing different “snapshot” of the system.

A system involved two sides: static-structural side and dynamic-behavioral side. Modeling languages developed over the years can be classified into three categories:

1. Structure (Object Oriented): such modeling languages only specify the static structure of the system. ERD and Class diagrams are examples for such methodologies.
2. Behavior (Process Oriented): other modeling language focus mainly on the behavior side of the system and neglecting the structure side of the system. DFD, Sequence Diagram, Collaboration Diagram could be good example for these type of methodologies.
3. Hybrids: this type of methodologies try to specify all system aspect but with different approaches. UML uses multiple diagrams specifying both the behavior and the structure of the system.

OPM principle is that objects and processes are the two types of equally important things (entities) required to describe a system in a single, unifying model. In OPM the structural aspect of the system specified by structural relations connected objects or process, while the behavior aspect of the system specified by a procedural relation connected process and object.

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