CONCEPTS OF THE
FRAMEWORK FOR ENTERPRISE ARCHITECTURE
Background,
Description and Utility
by John A. Zachman, President, Zachman
International
© Copyright 1993-1997 Zachman International, Inc. All Rights
Reserved.
 John Zachman - "Concepts of Framework
for Enterprise Architecture"
In the early ‘80’s, there was little interest in the
idea of Enterprise Reengineering or Enterprise Modeling and the
use of formalisms and models was generally limited to some
aspects of application development within the Information Systems
community. The subject of "architecture" was
acknowledged at that time, however, there was little definition
to support the concept. This lack of definition precipitated the
initial investigation that ultimately resulted in the
"Framework for Information Systems Architecture."
Although from the outset, it was clear that it should have been
referred to as a "Framework for Enterprise
Architecture," that enlarged perspective could only now
begin to be generally understood as a result of the relatively
recent and increased, world-wide focus on Enterprise
"engineering."
The Framework as it applies to Enterprises is simply a
logical structure for classifying and organizing the descriptive
representations of an Enterprise that are significant to the
management of the Enterprise as well as to the development of the
Enterprise’s systems. It was derived from analogous
structures that are found in the older disciplines of
Architecture/Construction and Engineering/Manufacturing that
classify and organize the design artifacts created over the
process of designing and producing complex physical products
(e.g. buildings or airplanes.)
The Framework graphic in its most simplistic form depicts the
design artifacts that constitute the intersection between the
roles in the design process, that is, OWNER, DESIGNER and
BUILDER; and the product abstractions, that is, WHAT (material)
it is made of, HOW (process) it works and WHERE (geometry) the
components are, relative to one another. Empirically, in the
older disciplines, some other "artifacts" were
observable that were being used for scoping and for
implementation purposes. These roles are somewhat arbitrarily
labeled PLANNER and SUB-CONTRACTOR and are included in the
Framework graphic that is commonly exhibited. The Framework, as
it is applied to an Enterprise, depicting Enterprise design
artifacts (models,) using Enterprise terminology appears below in
Figure 1.
Figure 1: The First Three
Columns of the Zachman Framework
The older disciplines of Architecture and Manufacturing have
accumulated considerable bodies of product knowledge through
disciplined management of the "product definition"
design artifacts. This has enabled enormous increases in product
sophistication and the ability to manage high rates of product
change over time. Similarly, disciplined production and
management of "Enterprise definition" (i.e. the
set of models identified in the Framework for Enterprise
Architecture) should provide for an accumulation of a body of Enterprise
knowledge to facilitate enormous increases in Enterprise
sophistication and accommodation of high rates of Enterprise
change over time.
From the very inception of the Framework, some other
product abstractions were known to exist because it was obvious
that in addition to WHAT, HOW and WHERE, a complete description
would necessarily have to include the remaining primitive
interrogatives: WHO, WHEN and WHY. These three additional
interrogatives would be manifest as three additional columns of
models that, in the case of Enterprises, would depict: WHO does
what work, WHEN do things happen and WHY are various choices
made. The state of the art in terms of modeling formalisms, as
well as the inclination to devote energy to produce these
additional artifacts is still somewhat limited, certainly in the
case of Enterprises. Because experience in modeling is so
limited, the examples of models for the cells in the "other
three columns" are much more hypothetical and much less
empirical. However hypothetical they may be, the remaining three
columns of models appear below in Figure 2.
Figure 2: The Other Three
Columns of the Zachman Framework
The Framework is a generic classification scheme for design
artifacts, that is, descriptive representations of any complex
object. The utility of such a classification scheme is to enable
focused concentration on selected aspects of an object without
losing a sense of the contextual, or holistic, perspective. In
designing and building complex objects, there are simply too many
details and relationships to consider simultaneously. However, at
the same time, isolating single variables and making design
decisions out of context results in sub-optimization with
all its attendant costs and dissipation of energy. Restoration of
integrity or retrofitting the sub-optimized components of the
resultant object, such that they might approximate the purpose
for which the object was originally intended, may well be
financially prohibitive.
This is the condition in which many Enterprises find
themselves after about fifty years of building automated systems,
out-of-context. They have a large inventory of "current
systems," built out-of-context, not integrated, not
supporting the Enterprise, that are consuming enormous amounts of
resource for "maintenance" and are far and away too
costly to replace. As a matter of fact, the inventory of existing
systems has come to be referred to as "the legacy," a
kind-of "albatross," a penalty to be paid for the
mistakes of the past.
A balance between the holistic, contextual view and the
pragmatic, implementation view can be facilitated by a Framework
that has the characteristics of any good classification scheme,
that is, it allows for abstractions intended to:
- simplify for understanding and communication, and
- clearly focus on independent variables for analytical
purposes, but at the same time,
- maintain a disciplined awareness of contextual
relationships that are significant to preserve the
integrity of the object.
It makes little difference whether the object is
physical, like an airplane, or conceptual, like an Enterprise.
The challenges are the same. How do you design and build it
piece-by- piece such that it achieves its purpose without
dissipating its value and raising its cost by optimizing the
pieces, sub-optimizing the object.
Although the Framework for Enterprise Architecture is an
application of Framework concepts to Enterprises, the Framework
itself is generic. It is a comprehensive, logical structure for
descriptive representations (i.e. models, or design artifacts) of
any complex object and is neutral with regard to the processes or
tools used for producing the descriptions. For this reason, the
Framework, as applied to Enterprises, is helpful for sorting out
very complex, technology and methodology choices and issues that
are significant both to general management and to technology
management.
In summary, the Framework is:
- SIMPLE - it is easy to understand ... not technical,
purely logical. In its most elemental form, it is three
perspectives: Owner, Designer, Builder ... and three
abstractions: Material, Function, Geometry. Anybody
(technical or non-technical) can understand it.
- COMPREHENSIVE - it addresses the Enterprise in its
entirety. Any issues can be mapped against it to
understand where they fit within the context of the
Enterprise as a whole.
- a LANGUAGE - it helps you think about complex concepts
and communicate them precisely with few, non-technical
words.
- a PLANNING TOOL - it helps you make better choices as you
are never making choices in a vacuum. You can position
issues in the context of the Enterprise and see a total
range of alternatives.
- a PROBLEM-SOLVING TOOL - it enables you to work with
abstractions, to simplify, to isolate simple variables
without losing sense of the complexity of the Enterprise
as a whole.
- NEUTRAL - it is defined totally independently of tools or
methodologies and therefore any tool or any methodology
can be mapped against it to understand their implicit
trade-offs ... that is, what they are doing, and what
they are NOT doing.
The Framework for Enterprise Architecture is not "the
answer." It is a tool ... a tool for thinking. If it is
employed with understanding, it should be of great benefit to
technical and non-technical management alike in dealing with the
complexities and dynamics of the Information Age Enterprise.
1. "A Framework for Information Systems
Architecture." John A. Zachman. IBM Systems Journal, vol.
26, no. 3, 1987. IBM Publication G321-5298. 914-945-3836 or
914-945-2018 fax.
2. "Extending and Formalizing the
Framework for Information Systems Architecture." J.F. Sowa
and J. A. Zachman. IBM Systems Journal, vol. 31, no. 3, 1992. IBM
Publication G321-5488. 1-800-879-2755.
John Zachman is the
author of the "Framework for Information Systems
Architecture", which has received broad acceptance
throughout the world as an integrative framework for managing
change in Enterprises and in the systems that support them. He is
not only known for this work, but also for his early
contributions to Business Systems Planning, IBM's widely
used information planning methodology in the 1970s, as well as Intensive
Planning, the basis for IBM's executive, team planning
techniques.
Mr Zachman has focused on planning and information strategies,
and on architecture, since 1970 and has written many articles on
these subjects. He travels nationally and internationally,
teaching and consulting, and has facilitated innumerable
executive team planning sessions. He is a popular conference
speaker known for motivating messages on information issues. He
has spoken to thousands of information professionals and business
managers on every continent.
John Zachman is a member of the International Advisory Board
of the Data Administration Management Association, DAMA
International; a member of the International Information Resource
Management Advisory Council of Smithsonian Institution in
Washington DC; and of the Board of Directors of the
Repository/Architecture/Development Users Group.
John A. Zachman
Zachman International
2222 Foothill Blvd. Suite 337
La Cañada, Ca. 91011
Int'l Phone: +1-818-244-3763
Int'l Fax: +1-818-244-3763
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