What is Meta Model in LeanIX explain in layman terminology

The Meta Model in LeanIX is like a blueprint or a predefined structure that helps you organize and understand all the different parts of your company's IT landscape – think of it as all the applications, servers, software, and how they connect to support the business.

Imagine you have a big collection of Lego bricks. The Meta Model in LeanIX is like having a set of labeled boxes and instructions on how these bricks can fit together to build different things (like a car, a house, or a spaceship).

Here's a breakdown in simpler terms:

• Building Blocks (Fact Sheets): These are like the individual Lego bricks. In LeanIX, these represent different IT elements like applications, business capabilities (what your business does), IT components (like servers), and projects. Each "brick" holds specific information about that element.
• Connections (Relations): These are the ways the Lego bricks connect to each other. In LeanIX, these show how the different IT elements are related. For example, an application "uses" a specific IT component, or a business capability is "supported by" an application.
• Labels and Categories (Attributes and Types): Just like you have different types and colors of Lego bricks, the Meta Model defines the different kinds of IT elements (e.g., "customer-facing application" vs. "internal application") and the specific information you can store about each (e.g., cost, owner, technology).
• Predefined Structure: LeanIX provides a standard Meta Model based on best practices. This means you don't have to start from scratch in figuring out how to organize your IT information. It gives you a head start and ensures consistency.

In essence, the Meta Model helps you:

• See the big picture: It provides a structured way to visualize your entire IT landscape.
• Understand relationships: You can easily see how different IT elements depend on each other.
• Speak a common language: It provides a consistent way for everyone in the company to talk about IT.
• Make better decisions: With a clear and organized view, you can make more informed decisions about your IT investments, risks, and future strategy.

Think of it as moving from a chaotic pile of Lego bricks to a well-organized system that allows you to build and understand complex structures. The Meta Model in LeanIX provides that structure for your IT landscape.