Archimate is an enterprise architecture modeling language designed to facilitate communication among diverse groups and model an organization's structure, principles, and processes. Developed by the Dutch IT research group Novay, it complements existing modeling standards like UML and BPMN and offers a unified way to visualize enterprise architecture. The recent version 2.0 aligns with TOGAF and is currently used by various organizations, including the Dutch tax office, for effective enterprise architecture modeling.

1. Archimate introduction
Wilbert Kraan

2. Overview
 ArchiMate background
 A little aside about Enterprise Architecture
 ArchiMate motivation- what it's meant to do
 ArchiMate application- what it's used for
 How ArchiMate works
 Tools
 Experiences

3. Background
 Designed by a Dutch IT research group called Novay
(formerly the Telematica Instituut)
 Currently used by a wide range of organisations,
including Dutch tax office, insurance companies,
construction multinationals, most of Dutch HE
 Used by all JISC Enterprise Architecture group
members in some way
 An Open Group standard; i.e. vendor independent
 Version 2.0 released 2 months ago; aligned with the
TOGAF

4. Quick recap on Enterprise Architecture
 Architecture the thing:
 “The fundamental organization of a system embodied in its
 components,
 their relationships to each other and to the environment,
and the
 principles guiding its design and evolution.” (IEEE 1471)
 Enterprise architecture the approach:
 “Continuous alignment of an enterprise’s assets and
capabilities with its mission and strategy.” (Fehskens, Open
Group)
 “a coherent whole of
 principles,
 methods, and
 models
 that are used in the design and realisation of an enterprise's
 organisational structure,
 business processes,
 information systems and
 infrastructure” (Lankhorst, Novay)

5. Motivation behind ArchiMate
 Enterprise Architecture modelling language
 i.e. It models:
 The organisation's structure
 Motivations, principles and goals
 Business processes
 Information systems
 Infrastructure
 Resembles Unified Modelling Language (UML)
 Complements Business Process Modelling Notation
(BPMN) and UML, doesn't replace them
 Very good at modelling high level business entities
and processes, doesn't aim to model process itself in
detail

6. Application
 ArchiMate aims to ease communication between as
many different groups of people as possible (does not
necessarily capture everything)
 Unified way of modelling EA
 Offers a good drill down approach – describing,
analysing and visualising relations
 A lot of experience with ArchiMate has resulted in
accepted, organisation-wide baseline models

7. How does Archimate work?
Structure Behaviour Information
(dynamic) (static)
Business Layer
Application Layer
Infrastructure Layer
7

8. How does Archimate work?
Behaviour
Business Layer
8

9. How does Archimate work?
Information Behaviour
(static)
Business Layer
9

10. How does Archimate work?
Information Behaviour Structure
(static) (dynamic)
Business Layer
10

11. Insurance example: business layer
11

12. Insurance example: business &
application layer
12

13. Insurance example: application &
infrastructure layer
13

14. Insurance example:
complete
14

15. Summing up:
 Divided into sub layers
based on requirements
 All three layers are
interdependent and
support each other
 Views: you only ever
show a particular
audience the part that
they are interested in, in
the way that makes
sense to them
15

16. Tools that support Archimate
 BiZZdesign Architect
 IDS Sheer ARIS
 Troux metis
 Avolution Abacus
 Sparxsystems Enterprise Architect
 Templates for Microsoft Visio and Omnigroup
Omnigraffle
 Some people have used generic UML tools
 Archi!
16

17. Some experiences from the JISC
Enterprise Architecture pilots
 Made users think in terms of business side rather
than the application/technical side.
 Articulates the link between people, process,
information and systems.
 Enhances the communication between different
stakeholders
 Articulates the dataflow between systems and
services that can be depicted in a presentable and
understandable manner
 Makes analysts consider the audience before
drawing activity diagrams
17

18. Further information
•
Archimate page at Open Group:
http://theopengroup.org/archimate/
•
Archi tool: http://archi.cetis.ac.uk/
•
Wilbert Kraan
•
w.g.kraan@ovod.net
18

19. Modelling exercise
 Archi modelling tool: archi.cetis.ac.uk
 Tutorial sheet:
tinyurl.com/archiTutorial
19