This document provides an introduction to ArchiMate, an enterprise architecture modeling language. It was designed to facilitate communication between different groups and ease modeling of an enterprise's structure, business processes, information systems, and infrastructure. ArchiMate models these elements across business, application, and infrastructure layers and can be used to understand relationships and information flows at a high level. Tools like BiZZdesign Architect and Enterprise Architect support working with ArchiMate models.

1. Archimate introduction
Wilbert Kraan

2. Overview
 ArchiMate background
 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 a few months ago; aligned with
the TOGAF

4. Quick recap on Enterprise Architecture
 Definition:
 “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

7. How does Archimate work?
Structure Behaviour Information
(dynamic) (static)
Business Layer
Application Layer
Infrastructure Layer
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8. How does Archimate work?
Behaviour
Business Layer
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9. How does Archimate work?
Behaviour Information
(static)
Business Layer
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10. How does Archimate work?
Structure Behaviour Information
(dynamic) (static)
Business Layer
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11. Insurance example: business layer
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12. Insurance example: business &
application layer
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13. Insurance example: application &
infrastructure layer
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14. Insurance example:
complete
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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
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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!
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17. Some experiences from JISC
Enterprise Architecture projects
 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
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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
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19. Modelling exercise
 Archi modelling tool: archi.cetis.ac.uk
 Tutorial sheet:
http://tinyurl.com/archiTutorial
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