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1. Introduction
This chapter provides an introduction to the TOGAF® Standard, an open, industry consensus framework for Enterprise Architecture.
Topics addressed in this chapter include:
• An introduction to the TOGAF Standard
• The structure and content of the TOGAF documentation
• An overview of the TOGAF Standard
• The TOGAF Library
• An overview of the TOGAF framework
• How to read the standard
1.1. Introduction to the TOGAF Standard
The TOGAF Standard is a framework for Enterprise Architecture. Put simply, it is a standard approach for developing, approving, using, and maintaining Enterprise Architectures. It applies to all Enterprise Architecture practices. It is based on an iterative process model supported by best practices and a re-usable set of existing architectural assets.
The TOGAF Standard is developed and maintained by members of The Open Group, working within the Architecture Forum. The original development of the TOGAF Standard, Version 1 in 1995 was based on the US Department of Defense Technical Architecture Framework for Information Management (TAFIM). Starting from this sound foundation, The Open Group Architecture Forum has developed successive versions of the TOGAF Standard at regular intervals and published each one on The Open Group public website. Successive versions have represented the current state of stable, scalable, best practice.
This version builds on previous versions of the TOGAF Standard, expanding and updating the material available to architecture practitioners to assist them in building a sustainable Enterprise Architecture.
1.2. Structure of the TOGAF Documentation
The TOGAF documentation set is structured to address the transition from common universal concepts to the unique configuration within an organization. It includes the formal TOGAF Standard and a broader body of knowledge in the TOGAF Library, as shown in Figure 1.
The TOGAF Standard represents today’s stable, scalable, best practices, with concepts and guidance that apply across industries, scale, and pace of change. This is expected from a standard – proven practices, stable concepts, and being actionable. The TOGAF Standard provides a body of proven practices addressing its broad uses. The TOGAF Fundamental Content includes the universal concepts of Enterprise Architecture. The TOGAF Series Guides take these concepts and make them actionable. Together, the TOGAF Fundamental Content and the TOGAF Series Guides are the TOGAF Standard.
Figure 1. The TOGAF Documentation Set
The intent of dividing the TOGAF Standard into these separate documents is to allow for different areas of specialization to be considered in detail and potentially addressed in isolation. Although all the constituent documents work together as a whole, it is also feasible to select particular documents for adoption while excluding others.
The TOGAF documentation set structure is modular. There is a clear hierarchy from the universal concepts in the TOGAF Fundamental Content, to the stable best practices in the TOGAF Series Guides, to emerging ideas in the TOGAF Library. The structure of the TOGAF documentation set makes the adoption of your optimal method easier.
1.3. An Overview of the TOGAF Standard
Figure 2. The TOGAF Standard
The TOGAF Standard applies to all Enterprise Architecture practices. It does not matter whether your architecture will support strategy, portfolio, project, or solution delivery, or whether it is about embarking on a Digital Transformation or legacy simplification. The TOGAF Fundamental Content and TOGAF Series Guides provide enduring, stable, universal concepts, and proven best practices.
1.3.1. The TOGAF Fundamental Content
The TOGAF Fundamental Content consists of six documents as shown in Table 1. Central to the TOGAF Fundamental Content is the TOGAF Architecture Development Method (ADM), which provides a tested and repeatable process for developing architectures.
Table 1. TOGAF Fundamental Content Documents
Document | Summary |
The TOGAF Standard: Introduction and Core Concepts (see Section 5.1) | This document introduces the TOGAF Standard. It provides an executive overview of Enterprise Architecture and the TOGAF Standard; it describes the structure of the TOGAF documentation set, the core concepts of the framework, together with terminology and definitions that apply to the Fundamental Content. |
The TOGAF Standard: Architecture Development Method (see Chapter 6) | This document describes the TOGAF ADM, which is an iterative approach to developing an Enterprise Architecture. |
The TOGAF Standard: ADM Techniques (see Section 5.3) | This document contains a collection of techniques available for applying the TOGAF approach and the TOGAF ADM. |
The TOGAF Standard: Applying the ADM (see Section 5.4) | This document contains guidelines for adapting the TOGAF ADM to address the specific style of architecture required in a practical context. |
The TOGAF Standard: Architecture Content (see Section 5.5) | This document describes the TOGAF Content Framework, a structured metamodel for architectural artifacts, and an overview of typical architecture deliverables. |
The TOGAF Standard: Enterprise Architecture Capability and Governance (see Section 5.6) | This document describes the organization, processes, skills, roles, and responsibilities required to establish and operate an architecture function within an enterprise and describes an Enterprise Architecture governance framework. |
The role of the TOGAF ...
