According to TOGAF’s Architecture Development Method (ADM), Phase A (Architecture Vision) is the crucial starting point. Before any detailed modeling (which happens in Phases B, C, and D), the architect must establish a clear, agreed-upon vision, define the scope, identify stakeholders, and create Architecture Principles. This ensures all subsequent work is aligned and has the necessary buy-in, preventing misalignment and rework later.

In a scaled agile or multi-team environment, Architecture Definition Documents serve as the crucial ‘architectural runway’ and shared source of truth. They capture key decisions, models, and constraints (like interoperability standards or security patterns) that individual teams must adhere to. This enables agility at the team level while maintaining enterprise-wide coherence and integration, which is a core value proposition of TOGAF.

TOGAF defines Architecture Contracts as the joint agreements between development partners and sponsors on the deliverables, quality, and fitness-for-purpose of an architecture. They are fundamentally internal governance instruments. Their primary purpose is to ensure clear understanding and commitment between the architecture function (which defines the ‘what’ and ‘why’) and the implementation projects (which handle the ‘how’ and ‘when’), thereby facilitating effective governance.

Following TOGAF’s structured approach, logical data definition precedes technology choice. The architect should first understand and define the key data concepts (entities like ‘Counterparty’, ‘Transaction’, ‘Market Data’) and their relationships in a logical data model. Concurrently, defining non-functional requirements for this data—such as latency (for ‘real-time’), availability, security, and quality—is critical. This logical foundation then correctly informs the subsequent Technology Architecture phase (selecting databases, etc.).

Architecture Compliance Reviews are a key governance process in TOGAF’s Phase G (Implementation Governance). Their explicit purpose is to ensure that the implemented projects conform to the defined target architecture. By conducting these reviews at major milestones, the enterprise architecture team can identify and correct deviations early, thereby controlling architecture drift and ensuring the strategic benefits of the architecture are realized.

The TRM’s Application Platform entity contains the collection of services (categorized into service categories) that support applications. When evaluating middleware for loose coupling and event-driven patterns, the architect would drill into relevant service categories within this entity, such as ‘Messaging’ (for message queues/brokers), ‘Transaction Processing’ (for distributed transaction coordination), and potentially ‘Software Engineering’ services. The TRM provides a standardized taxonomy to ensure a comprehensive evaluation.

Phase E (Opportunities and Solutions) is the bridge between architecture definition and implementation planning. Its primary output is not a detailed project plan, but a strategic-level Implementation and Migration Strategy. This includes identifying discrete work packages and projects derived from the architecture, grouping them into manageable initiatives, and sequencing them into a high-level roadmap. It provides the directional plan that subsequent project management will detail.

TOGAF emphasizes that architecture views are created for specific stakeholders to address their specific concerns. Therefore, the fundamental principle is stakeholder-driven communication. The architect must first understand the board’s concerns (e.g., cost, risk, strategic alignment, compliance) and then select or design the viewpoints and corresponding models that most effectively address those concerns. This ensures the review is relevant and effective.

A core strength of the TOGAF ADM is its central Requirements Management process, which handles change dynamically. New or changed requirements are formally captured. Their impact is then assessed. If significant (like a major regulatory change), a change request is raised that could cause the project to cycle back to an earlier phase (e.g., back to Phase C to revise the Data Architecture). This ensures the architecture remains relevant and compliant throughout its development.

According to TOGAF’s Architecture Development Method (ADM), Phase A (Architecture Vision) is the crucial starting point. Before any detailed modeling (which happens in Phases B, C, and D), the architect must establish a clear, agreed-upon vision, define the scope, identify stakeholders, and create Architecture Principles. This ensures all subsequent work is aligned and has the necessary buy-in, preventing misalignment and rework later.0