Architecture development method (ADM)
Process · Chapter 5
What it is
Section titled “What it is”A step-by-step architecture design method built specifically for enterprise architectures, created from many practitioners’ contributions. It’s iterative as a whole, between phases, and within a phase — each pass is a chance to revisit scope, level of detail, schedules, and milestones.
TOGAF context
Section titled “TOGAF context”- The ADM is the core of The Open Group Architecture Framework (TOGAF), an enterprise-architecture framework providing the ADM plus supporting tools. TOGAF is maintained by The Open Group, a vendor-neutral industry consortium.
- Architecture domains (BDAT): TOGAF defines four — Business, Data, Application, Technology architectures — all addressed across the ADM phases.
- TOGAF documentation has seven parts: (I) Introduction, (II) the ADM itself, (III) ADM guidelines & techniques, (IV) architecture content framework, (V) enterprise continuum & tools (the architecture repository), (VI) reference models (e.g. TOGAF Foundation Architecture, III-RM), (VII) architecture capability framework.
Phases of the ADM
Section titled “Phases of the ADM”A preliminary phase prepares the organization, then eight phases follow. Each phase continually checks that requirements are met; organizations can modify/extend the process and mix in other frameworks’ deliverables.
| Phase | Focus |
|---|---|
| A – Architecture vision | Define the overall EA vision, capabilities, and business value; agree scope, goals, drivers, constraints, requirements, roles, scheduling. Deliverable: Statement of Architecture Work. |
| B – Business architecture | Target business architecture (a prerequisite for the other three domains). Steps: understand current state → refine/validate target state → find the gap → build a transition roadmap. |
| C – Information systems architectures | The data and application domains. Use vision + business outputs to determine needed changes; do the same current-vs-target gap analysis and roadmap. |
| D – Technology architecture | Infrastructure (hardware/software) supporting business, data, and application architectures. Assess current capabilities vs target, find the gap, roadmap the target and candidate components. |
| E – Opportunities and solutions | Move from conceptual target toward implementation. Consolidate the B/C/D roadmaps into one overall roadmap; organize candidate solutions into work packages; identify transition architectures for incremental delivery. |
| F – Migration planning | Turn the roadmap and work packages into an implementation plan; work with project/program management to assign work to existing or new projects using existing change processes. |
| G – Implementation governance | Runs in parallel with implementation (using the org’s existing dev process). Keep architects engaged — assist and review development to ensure the build achieves the vision. |
| H – Architecture change management | Also parallel to implementation. Handle issues and proposed changes via the org’s change management, keeping the architecture aligned with requirements and stakeholder expectations. |
Related concepts
Section titled “Related concepts”- Using a systematic approach to software architecture design
- Architecture-centric design method (ACDM)
- Architectural drivers
- Types of software architects
Citations
Section titled “Citations”- Software Architect’s Handbook (Packt, 2018), Ch.5 “Architecture development method (ADM)”, pp. 368-382.