Generic Metamodel

The main hierarchy of behavior and structure elements of the ArchiMate language is shown in this diagram. All the elements in this model have italic names, indicating that they are abstract and do not themselves participate in models. They are represented as independent of the layers of the framework as they can apply across all layers. The most fundamental division of the language elements is into Behavior and Structure elements.

Figure: Showing the fundamental hierarchy of the ArchiMate elements.

Elements such as an Application Component - which is a type of Active Structure element - and Application Process - which is a type of behavior element - are added to models of architecture.

Behavior and Structure Elements

The main hierarchy of behavior and structure elements of the ArchiMate language is implemented in Enterprise Architect.  The behavior elements are analogous to verbs and the structure elements to nouns in a natural language.

Active Structure - elements are visible in the Enterprise Architect Toolbox pages and represent a subject that can perform behavior.

Behavior - elements are visible in the Enterprise Architect Toolbox pages and represent the dynamic aspects of an enterprise.

Passive Structure - elements are visible in the Enterprise Architect Toolbox pages and represent items that are worked on by active structure elements. Data, and Information objects are examples of passive structure elements.

Figure: Showing the Application Layer elements and relationships grouped by aspect e.g., Active Structure, Behavior and Passive Structure elements.

Specializations of Structure and Behavior Elements

An architect can use composition and aggregation between processes, functions and interactions.

Figure: Showing the aggregate relate between a number of business processes modeling the picking of items for customer orders.

The collective nature of a behavior can be made either implicit (several active structure elements assigned to the same internal behavior) or explicit through the use of a collective internal behavior (interaction) that is performed by multiple collaborating active structure elements.

Summary of Structure and Behavior Elements

Enterprise Architect implements the core elements from the meta model and provides layer specific representations of these elements. For example a there is a business external active structure element represented by a Business Interface and a Technology external active structure element represented by a Business Interface. There is also a technology external active structure element represented by a technology Interface.

Figure: Showing a range of concrete Business Elements that represent the abstract core elements.

Motivation Elements

The motivation aspect allows users to create models of the forces that drive and design the operation of the enterprise. Enterprise Architect provides a palette of these motivation elements, including stakeholder, value, meaning, driver, assessment, goal, outcome, principle, and requirement, which also includes its subtype constraint.

Figure: Showing the Motivation Toolbox Elements

Composite Elements

Enterprise Architect implements the Archimate Composite elements and allows these elements to be aggregated or compose other composite elements. For example, an architect could model a large warehouse facility as a location and create composite locations that represent the position of specific stockpiles within the containing location.

Figure: Showing Composite Locations in a Food Warehouse model with multiple storage locations for different types of foods.