Enterprise Architecture: An Introduction to using ArchiMate in Enterprise Architect

Enterprise Architect 15.2 Build 1554

ArchiMate 3.1 is supported in Enterprise Architect V15.2 – this includes Diagrams and Toolboxes containing core business, application and technology elements as well as strategy, motivation, physical, implementation & deployment elements.

Enterprise Architect has a baselining feature built-in to the Corporate edition or higher and this can be used as an internal version control mechanism. It permits comparison of the current model with previous baselines and has a roll-back feature. For more information on baselines: Manage Baselines in Model
Alternatively, Enterprise Architect can be integrated with an external version control system. The following links provide information on the topic of version control: Use Version Control Change Management and Version Control

Yes.

Enterprise Architect has add-in technologies for various architecture frameworks including UPDM (DoDAF and MODAF), Zachman and TOGAF.

Please visit the Sparx Systems website on UAF, to learn more about the Unified Architecture Framework (UAF) and NAF, Unified Architecture Framework

Regards versioning, see answer above.

Enterprise Architect has a search facility with a wide range of build-in searches. You can also create your own searches using a query builder or SQL editor. It is straight forward to search for a tagged value using the query builder and filters on 'TagValue'.

Enterprise Architect allows you to create document templates (and supplies built-in templates) to allow you to generate traditional Word documents or PDF documents. You can also generate HTML reports or share models on a web browser using Pro Cloud Server combined with WebEA or Prolaborate.

Sparx Systems has a number of regional services partners that provide a wide range of Enterprise Architect training courses (including combined courses with ArchiMate or UML) as well as consulting and mentoring services.

Sparx Services UK (Hippo Software) is the authorised services partner in the UK and Northern Europe and offers customer specific and custom courses: Enterprise Architect Services
Sparx Services UK also offers a wide range of 1-day public Enterprise Architect courses, ideal for individuals or small groups: EA Public Webinar Training

ArchiMate motivation elements can be used to justify projects and define high level project requirements. The following webinar provides more guidance on this topic: Enterprise Architect and ArchiMate Motivation Models
This can be combined with Requirements diagrams and UML Use Case diagrams (also supported in Enterprise Architect) to document project requirements in greater detail.

ArchiMate can be used to model both ‘as-is’ and ‘to-be’ designs. Consider creating a separate root node or database for your future design options, and then migrate the chosen option into the as-is model when implemented.

Yes they can. There is also a partner company (LeiberLeiber) who provide an add-in tool called LemonTree that can help to simply integration between Enterprise Architect and Git. www.lieberlieber.com/lemontree/en/

ArchiMate is a general purpose industry standard notation and can be used on any size of project. It is very suitable for large infrastructure projects due to its high level of abstraction, allowing applications, system software and hardware to be modelled with their interfaces and dependencies.

Enterprise Architect is particularly good at facilitating traceability between different elements within a model. You can start with high level capabilities, delve into project goals and requirements, and connect to the business processes and applications that implement these.

Sparx Services UK has worked with power companies in the UK using ArchiMate to provide an overall business architecture (and drilling down into detailed BPMN business process diagrams) and to capture and document their application portfolio (understanding interfaces and dependencies between applications).

Derived relationships can be exposed using the Traceability window to navigate and reveal connections between elements in your model. Alternatively use Insert Related Elements to create a traceability diagram displaying up to 5 levels of relationships within the model.

A partner company (Ability Engineering) have an add-in tool Model Expert that facilitates derived relationships in a relationship matrix: www.eamodelexpert.com

ArchiMate contains an Application Interface element that can be connected to the Application Component that ‘provides’ this interface using a Composition relationship and to the Application Component that ‘requires’ this interface with a Serving relationship.

To add information to the Interface such as the underlying technology, a tagged value can be used to create a custom property. Use an Enum type of tagged value to offer a drop-down list of technology options (for example SOAP, HTTP).

Possibly a Constraint from the Motivation toolbox would be the best match for a Business Rule.

A Path in ArchiMate is used to show a logical link for communication of data between two Nodes, each representing execution environments (for example, Client PC and Server).

A Path (Object) can be added to a diagram like any other ArchiMate element and an Association relationship is used to connect it to the Nodes that have a communication link.

Alternatively a Path (Connector) can be used in a manner similar to relationship connectors in Enterprise Architect. Simply select Path (Connector) in the Toolbox and then drag your mouse from one Node to another.

Tagged Values are a general extension mechanism provided by Enterprise Architect for all technologies, not just ArchiMate. It permits custom properties to be added to any elements, including ArchiMate elements.

Select any element, then from the Properties window, select the Tags tab and use the toolbar buttons to add a Tagged Values, and to define the format of custom properties. For more information on Tagged Values: Tagged Value Types Predefined Structured Types

At a project level it is important to have a good logical structure in the Enterprise Architect Project Browser using Root Nodes, Views and Packages. It can be helpful to have a separate area (or even a separate database) for the published current architecture and the proposed future architecture vision.

Implementing security with groups and users becomes essential for larger project scenarios. Also we would recommend setting up a design authority with appropriate standards and guidelines to ensure the quality of models prior to migrating them from a proposed area of the model to the published area.

Probably best to contact the sales team at Sparx Systems ([email protected]) and they will put you in touch with the appropriate regional services partner for support.

Yes, the Relationship Matrix has the same features in Enterprise Architect version 14 and 15. Recent enhancements include text overlays, the ability to save a configuration as a profile and the ability to highlight empty rows and columns in colour.

Thanks for the suggestion. This might well be a good topic for a future webinar. There is no standard way of combining these two industry standard notations, but we are happy to debate options and provide suggestions through our consulting services.

Yes, you could have a maturity Tagged value as a custom property (tagged value) assigned to different elements in your model such as capabilities, resources, business roles, business processes and application services.

You could then use a Diagram Legend to auto-colour diagrams to create a heat map that reveals the level of maturity.

You can choose any RGB value and select from common accessibility palettes found online.