The most effective use of ArchiMate is in the production of viewpoints. A single function/process/service in the architecture can be represented in many ways depending on the stakeholders reviewing the status of development.
Senior executives need to know how their requirements, goals and principles are being met. Business unit managers want to confirm that the services and products will provide customers the appropriate services. Application, data and IT systems managers have to ensure that they can provide the supporting framework for service and product delivery.
The relationship between the ArchiMate toolset and TOGAF
In this article, we will investigate the relationship between ArchiMate and TOGAF using figure 1 below as a reference.
The preface to these articles explains that The Open Group developed ArchiMate to be tightly linked to the TOGAF model. The bulk of the relationship is with the Architecture Development phases B-D, but recently The Open Group added Motivation as well as Implementation and Migration concepts. This makes the modeling tool effective throughout the TOGAF ADM.
Standard Concepts
The standard concepts in ArchiMate provide graphics that represent the various elements of an architecture framework. These elements include Actors, Roles, Services, Functions, Collaborations, Data and Application Objects, Processes, and more. Each of the TOGAF Architecture Development phases (Business, Information Systems Architecture, and Technology) has a unique set of concepts.
The graphic in Figure 2 shows the mapping between Phases B-D to ArchiMate Layers. Notice that Phase B maps to ArchiMate’s Business Layer, Phase C to its Application Layer, and Phase D to its Technology Layer. The Application Layer in ArchiMate addresses both data and application elements.
This is the heart of ArchiMate. Each Layer is broken down into three types of concepts: Passive Structure, Behavior, and Active Structure. Passive structure elements are written to and read from by Active structure elements. Behavior elements describe the transaction between the Active and Passive structure elements as well as between Active structure elements.
Examples of Passive structure elements are contracts, data objects and products. Actors, roles, collaboration, and others represent active structure elements. Functions, processes, and events are some of the elements that represent behavior structure elements.
Motivation
Motivation concepts apply to Architecture Capability development.
Its concepts are Stakeholders, Assessments, Drivers, Goals, Principles, Constraints, and Requirements. These concepts assist in understanding the way the enterprise architecture is aligned to its context, persons or organizations that influence, guide or constrain, and internal or external factors which influence plans and aims.
Implementation and Migration
Implementation and Migration concepts in ArchiMate apply to Transition Planning and Architecture Governance. Its concepts are Work Packages, Deliverables, Gaps, and Plateaus.
These concepts assist in understanding programs/projects that carry out implementation, results and outcomes produced as part of implementation, and baseline, transition, and target architectures. The differences between architecture states are addressed in the migration plan.
Summary
This article provided a thumbnail sketch of how ArchiMate maps into the TOGAF model, especially in relation to the ADM.
The next article will start getting into more details beginning with an introduction to the Standard concepts.
This blog includes extracts of the ArchiMate 2.0 Specification, Copyright © 2009-2012 The Open Group. ArchiMate® is a registered trademark of The Open Group. For the original material please refer to this page.
