The core challenge is moving from a tangled, non-reusable current state to a modular, reusable future state. While the ADM provides the process, and the Repository stores outputs, the foundational conceptual shift required is embracing the specification and use of reusable building blocks (like API-based services). This concept directly addresses the ‘spaghetti’ problem by promoting standardized, interoperable components, which is the essence of the desired transformation. The roadmap’s primary goal is to plan the introduction and adoption of these building blocks.

The ADM is designed to produce architectures based on agreed-upon requirements and principles, not on individual preferences. The first and most appropriate step is to ground the discussion back in the formal architecture work products that have already been (or are being) developed. The technology principles and the target technology architecture provide the objective criteria against which any vendor solution must be evaluated. This ensures the process remains aligned to enterprise objectives rather than devolving into a debate over features.

The Statement of Architecture Work is formally approved at the end of the Preliminary Phase and Phase A. Its key purpose is to establish a shared understanding and agreement between the architecture team and the sponsors on what the architecture project will entail. It defines the scope, deliverables, schedule, and resources, effectively serving as a contract for the architecture development work. It does not contain implementation-level project plans or detailed technology specifications.

Data architecture exists to support the business. The business process model shows the activities the business performs. By analyzing the information that is created, read, updated, deleted, or passed between these process steps (information concepts), the data architect can identify the key data entities, their attributes, and the lifecycle events (create, update, archive). This ensures the Data Architecture is directly traceable to and supportive of the Business Architecture.

The Architecture Landscape is the part of the repository that holds the approved, state-of-the-enterprise architectural artifacts at different levels of abstraction (Strategic, Segment, Capability). It effectively represents the ‘live’ architecture that projects must align with. The Reference Library holds external standards and frameworks, the Governance Log tracks compliance events, and the Capability Library relates to running the EA practice itself.

Architecture Governance is not primarily about punishment, but about maintaining the integrity of the architecture and managing risk. The formal process for handling an unapproved deviation is to trigger an exception request. This forces the project to document the rationale, benefits, and risks of the deviation. The Architecture Board can then make an informed decision to grant a formal waiver, request a return to compliance, or demand a change request to the architecture baseline. This balances control with pragmatism.

A key strength of TOGAF is its flexibility and ability to be used alongside other established frameworks. The ADM is an architecture development process. It defines the lifecycle for creating governance for change (architecture). It is complementary to processes that manage how projects are executed (Agile, PRINCE2), how services are delivered (ITIL), or how enterprise IT is governed (COBIT). Effective EA practice involves tailoring the ADM to work in concert with these other methods.

Architecture principles are high-level statements of fundamental belief that guide how an organization fulfills its mission through IT. They are derived from business strategy and inform all subsequent architecture work. By establishing them early in the Preliminary Phase, they provide a stable, agreed-upon set of criteria (e.g., ‘Business Continuity,’ ‘Data is an Asset’) that will be used to evaluate options and make decisions throughout the ADM cycle. They are about guiding decisions, not listing standards or technologies.

This tests the understanding of key TOGAF artifacts. Architecture Building Blocks (ABBs) are defined in Phases B, C, and D as reusable architectural components (e.g., a ‘security service’). Solution Building Blocks (SBBs) represent specific implementations of ABBs. Work Packages, defined in Phase E, are the project-level constructs that organize SBBs and other tasks into manageable units of work with defined scope, resources, and outcomes. They bridge the architecture to the implementation portfolio.

The core challenge is moving from a tangled, non-reusable current state to a modular, reusable future state. While the ADM provides the process, and the Repository stores outputs, the foundational conceptual shift required is embracing the specification and use of reusable building blocks (like API-based services). This concept directly addresses the ‘spaghetti’ problem by promoting standardized, interoperable components, which is the essence of the desired transformation. The roadmap’s primary goal is to plan the introduction and adoption of these building blocks.0