The TOGAF ADM emphasizes that architecture is driven by business needs. An architecture description that omits business drivers and measurable outcomes (like those defined in Phase A: Architecture Vision) is fundamentally misaligned. The primary risk is building a technically correct solution for the wrong problem, failing to deliver value, which is a core concern of the framework.

TOGAF views architecture artifacts as strategic assets, not just documentation. A Technology Architecture model creates a controlled, shared understanding of the technology landscape. This blueprint enables informed decision-making, ensures different teams deploy consistently, identifies integration or compliance risks early, and makes the environment easier to modify later—directly supporting the goals of enterprise architecture.

TOGAF is a business-driven framework. Phase E focuses on identifying and evaluating implementation options that fulfill the architecture defined in earlier phases. The ultimate arbiter is which option best enables the business goals and architecture requirements (like time-to-value) captured in the Architecture Vision and Business Architecture. While standards and TCO are important considerations, they are evaluated in the context of delivering business objectives.

The statement describes each domain in isolation. In reality, a core principle of TOGAF’s integrated information system architecture is the critical interdependence between data and applications. Applications process and transform data entities. The data structure influences application design, and application functionality dictates data usage. Defining their interaction (e.g., how Application Components access Data Entities) is a crucial part of creating a coherent overall architecture.

The ADM is a structured, iterative process. Phase B defines the business context and requirements. Phase C uses that output to design the logical Data and Application Architectures that will support the business. Detailed system specifications cannot be reliably derived until you know what data is needed and what applications will manage it. Starting development without Phase C outputs risks building components that don’t integrate or meet underlying data needs.

The TOGAF standard content framework defines Catalogs, Matrices, and Diagrams as core artifact types. Catalogs are structured lists (like a spreadsheet or database table) that inventory instances of architectural building blocks (e.g., Business Services, Actors, Data Entities). They provide a definitive, at-a-glance inventory. Diagrams visualize relationships and flows, while Matrices (like the Application/Business Service matrix) show relationships between two lists.

Per TOGAF, the Architecture Board is a governance body. Its primary purpose is strategic oversight: ensuring that individual projects and initiatives align with and contribute to the broader Enterprise Architecture and business strategy. While technical soundness is part of this, focusing solely on ‘technological perfection’ misses the board’s crucial role in business alignment, compliance with standards, managing cross-project dependencies, and realizing the target architecture.

Phase H establishes a governed process for managing changes to the architecture. The first step for any change (whether a new requirement, technology, or business driver) is formal capture and impact analysis. The team must assess how the change affects existing architectures, the target architecture, and ongoing projects. This analysis informs the decision on whether to trigger a new ADM cycle (for significant change) or handle it through a smaller change initiative.

In TOGAF, Architecture and Solution Building Blocks (ABBs/SBBs) are fundamental concepts. A Building Block is a reusable component of business, IT, or architectural capability. It is defined by its function (what it does) and its interfaces (how it connects to other blocks), not its implementation. This abstraction allows it to be specified logically in the target architecture (ABB) and then realized by specific products or services (SBB) in different solutions, promoting standardization and reuse.

The TOGAF ADM emphasizes that architecture is driven by business needs. An architecture description that omits business drivers and measurable outcomes (like those defined in Phase A: Architecture Vision) is fundamentally misaligned. The primary risk is building a technically correct solution for the wrong problem, failing to deliver value, which is a core concern of the framework.0