The Building Blocks- Components of EA Part 2- Process, People, Network and Time

1. Zachman Framework

Information (Data) – Answer the Question ‘What?’

Contextual: List of Things important to the Business

Conceptual: Semantic Model – Taxonomy

Logical:  Entity Relationship Diagram

Physical: Physical Data Model

As Built: Data Dictionary; Data Definitions; Data Structures

Functional: Data created and deployed in work activity

Strategy/ Motivation – Answer the Question ‘Why?’

Contextual: Organisational Strategy; Business Goal and Strategies

Conceptual:  Business Plan

Logical:  Business rule model

Physical: Rule design

As Built: Rules Specification

Functional: Actual Activity

Function(Process) – Answer the Question ‘How?’

Contextual: List of Business Processes (Porter’ Value Chain)

Conceptual: Business Process Model

Logical: Application Architecture

Physical: System Design

As Built: Programs

Functional: Work activity

People – Answer the Question ‘Who?’42:16

Contextual: List of organisations Important to the Business

Conceptual: Work Flow Model

Logical: Human Interface Architecture; Role Descriptions

Physical: Presentation Architecture

As Built: Security Architecture

Functional: People at work

Timing – Answer the Question ‘When?’

Contextual: List of events significant to the business

Conceptual: Master Schedule (to get prepared and allocate resources)

Logical: Processing Structure

Physical: Control Structure

As Built: Timing Definition

Functional: Actual Business Schedule

Network – Answer the Question ‘Where?’

Contextual: List of Operating Locations

Conceptual: Business Logical Systems

Logical: Distributed System Architecture

Physical: Technology Architecture

As Built: Network Architecture

Functional: Actual physical Networks

2. Issues with Zachman Framework

where to start

Top-down

Down-up:start documenting processes but different engineers have different views on processes

Middle-out:cannot start technology configuration

Static template

Conceptualises architecture as a ‘thing’, not a process. It does nothing.

Document rich

Multiple stakeholders views x multiple communities of stakeholders

Operationally there are 30 cells(exclude ‘motivation’) each with its own set

Absence of process, could lead to a process-heavy approach to over compensate

(each unit might be have its own function)

Detailed traceability matrix or database/inventory – sound good in theory, but could add overheads to the architecture project.

3. Zachman Framework Benefit

As Governance Instrument providing

-Visibility

-Control

-Re-usability

Repository of artefacts describing the business

Coordination between business units for decision making

Explicitly shows the many different perspectives that need to be addressed by an architecture (i.e. it reinforces the understanding that an architecture has many different stakeholders and of the different issues that need too be considered)

– Scope(planner’s view)

– Enterprise(business owner’s view)

– System model (architect’s view)

– Technology model (designer’s view)

– Detailed representation (builder’s view)

4. Risks with Zachman Framework

No formal requirements planning management have to engage stakeholders, but when, how

No transition planning

Not able to deconstruct into units of work

What is the expected output from individual cells and the overall model?

Compartmentalization of perspectives suggests level of mutual exclusivity that does not exist

Governance procedures, management structure, process, controls.

1:09:00

Zachman framework as a concept you need to consider about how you conceptualize that to script process bounded, knowledge particularly  the objects, which leaving no cells with an overall balance view and the overall enterprise architecture.