Introduction

This Architecture Description Framework provides the guidance to construct or maintain an Architecture Description for an Enterprise as a System of Systems (SoS). The purpose of the architecture is to guide the organisation to improve performance, sustainability, flexibility, agility and customer satisfaction as a result of delivering products and services to customers.

The Architecture Description created from this Architecture Description Framework helps:

• Shape the vision for the future state of the organisation
• Identify all of the elements and their interactions necessary to achieve the vision and organisation success.
• Identify a set of changes to structure the architecture states
• Identify and evaluate options for the elements that fit within constraints for the changes (e.g. time / money).
• Establish a roadmap and transformation programmes and projects to deliver the change.
• Ensures that these enterprise elements and their interactions are fit for purpose.

This architecture description framework has been constructed using the international standard for architecture descriptions ISO 42010.

This architecture description framework is based upon the key stakeholders within the organisation and their concerns. The actual stakeholders and concerns will be identified as part of producing the final architecture description. The stakeholders identified in this architecture description framework can be used as a guide.

The architecture description framework contains the following sections:

The approach described in this document is focused on producing a holistic and inclusive Architecture Description for a Enterprise as a System of Systems (SoS). The descriptions in this document are written from a manager's perspective within an organization. (See the references at the end of the document for further information).

NOTE: I have attempted to use management terms in this document. They may be different from current Enterprise Architecture terminology. Also, many of the management writers today are discouraging the separation of leadership and management. The new statement is 'Great Leaders must first be Great Managers'. Leadership is the ability to motivate and inspire in addition to manage (Activities of a manager are included in this document).