togaf.md

TOGAF Reference

How TOGAF Relates to Archsight

Archsight is a Ruby-based enterprise architecture documentation tool that uses a complementary combination of TOGAF and ArchiMate standards:

TOGAF's Role - Conceptual Foundation: TOGAF provides the enterprise architecture framework and metamodel - defining what architecture elements exist, how they relate, and why they matter. It establishes:

• The content metamodel (entity types and their relationships)
• Architecture domains (Business, Data, Application, Technology)
• Governance and lifecycle concepts (baseline, target, transition architectures)
• Strategic alignment principles (drivers → goals → objectives → capabilities)

ArchiMate's Role - Visual Communication: ArchiMate provides the modeling language and notation - defining how to visually represent and communicate architecture. Archsight uses ArchiMate concepts for:

• Visual notation and diagram syntax
• GraphViz-based visualizations
• Standardized representation of resource relationships
• Communication with stakeholders

Archsight's Implementation:

• YAML Resources implement TOGAF's content metamodel entities (Business Actor, Application Component, Technology Service, etc.)
• Resource Relations capture TOGAF's entity relationships for traceability and impact analysis
• Directory Structure follows TOGAF's four architecture domains
• Visualizations use ArchiMate-inspired notation to communicate these TOGAF-based resources

In Summary: TOGAF defines what to document and why, ArchiMate defines how to visualize it, and Archsight provides the tool to manage and render both as YAML-based architecture documentation.

This reference helps Archsight users understand the TOGAF concepts underlying their architecture resources, while recognizing that visual communication follows ArchiMate conventions.

Overview

TOGAF (The Open Group Architecture Framework) is a comprehensive framework for enterprise architecture that provides an approach for designing, planning, implementing, and governing enterprise information technology architecture. TOGAF is developed and maintained by The Open Group.

Architecture Development Method (ADM)

The ADM is TOGAF's core - a step-by-step iterative approach to developing enterprise architecture:

1. Preliminary Phase - Preparation and initiation
2. Phase A: Architecture Vision - Define scope, stakeholders, create vision
3. Phase B: Business Architecture - Business strategy, processes, capabilities
4. Phase C: Information Systems - Application and Data Architectures
5. Phase D: Technology Architecture - Infrastructure and platforms
6. Phase E: Opportunities & Solutions - Initial implementation planning
7. Phase F: Migration Planning - Detailed migration plans
8. Phase G: Implementation Governance - Oversight of implementation
9. Phase H: Architecture Change Management - Manage ongoing change
10. Requirements Management - Central hub managing requirements

The ADM is iterative, adaptable to organizational needs, and stakeholder-driven.

Architecture Domains

TOGAF organizes architecture into four interconnected domains:

Business Architecture

Strategy, governance, organization, and business processes.

Elements: Business capabilities, value streams, processes, functions, services, organizational structure

Data Architecture

Logical and physical data assets and management.

Elements: Data entities, models, quality, governance, master data

Application Architecture

Application systems, interactions, and business process relationships.

Elements: Application components, services, interfaces, functions

Technology Architecture

Software and hardware capabilities supporting business, data, and applications.

Elements: Platforms, infrastructure, network, hardware, middleware, technology services

TOGAF Content Metamodel

The metamodel defines architectural entities and their relationships across all domains. Understanding these connections is essential for comprehensive architecture documentation.

Core Entity Categories

Motivation Layer:

• Driver → Goal → Objective → Course of Action
• Measures track objectives; value streams deliver capabilities

Organizational:

• Organization Unit contains Actors performing Roles
• Actors and roles participate in business functions and processes

Business Behavior:

• Business Capability realized by Business Functions and Processes
• Business Service uses functions/processes, automates application services
• Value Stream enabled by capabilities, operationalized through processes
• Events trigger processes; Products result from them

Data Architecture:

• Data Entity → Logical Data Component → Physical Data Component
• Data entities accessed by business/application services

Application Architecture:

• Application Service → Logical Application Component → Physical Application Component
• Application services automate business services, use data components

Technology Architecture:

• Technology Service → Logical Technology Component → Physical Technology Component
• Technology services support application services and components

Cross-Cutting:

• Principle, Constraint, Requirement, Location
• Stakeholder: MotivationStakeholder, with its concerns (hasConcern); the organisation unit or actor behind it is linked with representedBy (BusinessActor, BusinessRole). The stakeholder that has the concern is the source of a requirement, as recorded in the requirements repository
• Gap, Work Package, Deliverable, Plateau, Implementation Event: the Implementation & Migration layer (ImplementationGap, ImplementationWorkPackage, ImplementationDeliverable, ImplementationPlateau, ImplementationEvent)

Governance:

• Control: a decision-making step with accountability and authority, applied to a process or function. ArchiMate has no element for it; Archsight models it as BusinessControl, which a BusinessProcess is guidedBy

Risk and security: the Open Group overlay (Modeling Enterprise Risk Management and Security with the ArchiMate Language) maps threats to Driver (MotivationDriver), threat and loss events to Business/Application/Technology Event, risks and vulnerabilities to Assessment (MotivationAssessment), control objectives to Goal, control measures to Requirement and policies to Principle (MotivationPrinciple), each with a type annotation. See Modeling Guide. How relations are directed (top-down, DAG) is described under Direction of Relations. Which of capability, product, service and component an element is follows the questions in Choosing the Kind.

Critical Relationships

1. Traceability: Drivers → Goals → Objectives → Course of Action → Business Elements → Applications → Technology
2. Service Layers: Business Services → Application Services → Technology Services
3. Logical-Physical: All domains separate logical design from physical implementation
4. Value Chain: Value Stream → Business Capability → Business Service → Application Service
5. Data Flow: Business Process → Data Entity → Logical Component → Physical Component

Artifacts & Deliverables

Artifacts (work products describing architecture):

• Catalogs - Lists of building blocks
• Matrices - Relationship mappings
• Diagrams - Visual representations

Deliverables (contractual work products):

• Architecture Vision, Definition Document, Requirements Specification
• Architecture Roadmap, Capability Assessment
• Implementation and Migration Plan, Transition Architecture

Building Blocks

Architecture Building Blocks (ABBs)

Define what functionality is required - architecture entities, relationships, and requirements that guide solution development.

Solution Building Blocks (SBBs)

Define how functionality is implemented - specific implementations mapping to actual products and technologies.

Characteristics: Well-defined interfaces and functionality, interoperable, replaceable, reusable

Architecture Governance & Change

Change Profiles

• Rapid Change - Fast iterations, minimal governance, focus on innovation
• Functional Change - Balanced approach, standard governance (most common)
• Robust Change - Rigorous governance, high assurance, compliance-critical

Governance Framework

• Architecture Board and contracts
• Compliance reviews at project milestones
• Configuration and version management
• Dispensations and exception handling

Key Concepts

• Baseline Architecture - Current state
• Target Architecture - Desired future state
• Transition Architectures - Intermediate states
• Gap Analysis - Compare baseline to target, identify changes needed
• Architecture Repository - Central storage for metamodel, capability, landscape, standards

Integration with Other Frameworks

TOGAF and ArchiMate

• TOGAF provides the process (ADM) and content framework
• ArchiMate provides the modeling language and notation
• Complementary: ArchiMate is TOGAF's recommended modeling language

TOGAF and Agile

• ADM adapts to agile delivery through iterations
• Architecture vision provides guardrails
• Continuous architecture refinement supports rapid change

Other Integrations

• COBIT - IT governance alignment
• ITIL - Service management integration

Architecture Principles

General rules guiding IT resource use and deployment:

Structure: Name, Statement, Rationale, Implications

Examples:

• Business Continuity - Ensure operations continue
• Data is an Asset - Manage strategically
• Data is Shared - Eliminate redundancy
• Technology Independence - Avoid vendor lock-in
• Interoperability - Enable seamless integration
• Requirements Based Change - Justify all changes

Viewpoints and Views

Viewpoint

Specification for constructing views - defines stakeholders, concerns, models, techniques, and notations. Reusable across projects.

View

Representation of the system from specific stakeholder perspectives, addressing their concerns using models defined by viewpoints.

Common Viewpoints: Enterprise, Information System, Computing Platform, Communications, Security, Business Process, Application

Key TOGAF Benefits

• Standardization - Common language and framework across the enterprise
• Efficiency - Reusable processes and proven patterns
• Risk Reduction - Proven approach minimizes project failures
• Better Decisions - Holistic view enables informed strategic choices
• Alignment - Ensures business and IT work toward common goals
• Flexibility - Adaptable to various industries and organizational contexts

TOGAF Terminology Quick Reference

• Enterprise - Collection of organizations with common goals
• Architecture - Fundamental concepts/properties of a system in its environment
• Building Block - Component of business or IT capability (reusable architectural component)
• Artifact - Architectural work product (catalog, matrix, diagram)
• Deliverable - Contractually specified work product
• Viewpoint - Perspective from which a view is taken
• View - System representation addressing specific concerns
• Baseline - Current architecture state
• Target - Desired future architecture state
• Gap - Difference between baseline and target requiring action

Resources & Version History

Reference: The TOGAF® Standard, 10th Edition - The Open Group Architecture Framework Copyright © The Open Group