Gap Analysis Matrix

[philchudley]

Hi Guys

Seeking your option / views on EA's Gap Analysis Matrix

This is a common tool using in Enterprise Architecture modelling and something I get asked about a lot.

For Enterprise Architecture Modelling I use Archimate  and often with TOGAF


On the face of it, the Gap Analysis Matrix in EA seems useful, BUT here is what I have found which is, in my opinion, making it a useless feature which needs MAJOR work

1) When selecting an element for Record Gap As [highlight]I cannot select any Archimate elements, but I can select TOGAF elements (for example WorkPackage - gives me a TOGAF element and NOT the Archimate element I want!!). I CAN select Archimate elements for filtering Baseline and Target packages)
[/highlight]2) A lot of background information can be recorded as Notes behind the cells ...[highlight] how an earth do you report it!! There appears to be NO WAY to report on anything in the Gap Analysis Matrix. I could probably work out a fancy SQL script to drive a RTF Template Fragment ....
[/highlight]
Am I missing something or is the [highlight]Gap Analysis Matrix fundamentally flawed
[/highlight]
Using EA version 12 latest build, TOGAF 9.1 and Archimate 2.0

All the best

Phil

[YogaMatt]

Hi Phil, and all

Update: using EA 12.1.1225 things haven't progressed.

It gets worse: you can only create new gap elements from the "Missing/Eliminated" right-hand column and from the "New" bottom row. We have a legitimate reason to want to do it within the grid too: we're considering an AS-IS baseline architecture and a TO-BE target architecture, and looking at how the roles of <<ApplicationComponent>>s may be enhanced or reduced role in the target operating model. Someone in the team has painstakingly added Gap Notes within the grid, now we want to report on them so we want to turn them into model elements to overcome the limitation of the Gap Matrix. Can't.
Does anyone where the Gap Notes are stored in the backend database (we're on MS-SQL).
Namaste
YM

[Geert Bellekens]

I'm not sure, but if I were looking for them I would start in t_document.

Geert

[YogaMatt]

Thanks Geert
t_document holds the definition of the GAP matrix (and other types). I think the Gap Notes have to be in the BinContent, having searched extensively in many tables.
So, stuck in terms of getting the Gap Note information out. I'll try support and come back with anything that's of any value.
Namaste, YM

[Geert Bellekens]

The bincontent is probably a base64 encoded zipped xml string.

So if you first base64 decode, and then unzip you should get to the content.

Geert