There were a number of working group and standing
committee meetings before the start of the full Architecture Forum
meeting:
- TOGAF 2008 Revision Project
- Localization Project
- Case Study Project
- Modeling Team
- Certification Standing Committee
- EA Definition Project
- ADML Project
- Architecture Forum Strategy Project
- Information Architecture Project
Each of these groups reported back within the
structure of the Architecture Forum meeting.
Topics covered during the Architecture Forum meeting
included:
The schedule set for the TOGAF 2008 revision in
January 2008 is holding. Board approval of this revision is planned in
September 2008.
In Q1/2008, a revised draft incorporating the agreed
resolution of the comments arising from the review of the previous draft
was produced and submitted for a re-circulation review on schedule. This
review resulted in 439 change proposals. The sponsors (Capgemini)
reviewed all of the comments and proposed how they should be resolved. A
ballot approved the sponsor recommendations.
The sponsors requested further discussion of 16 of the
change proposals. Prior to the meeting of the Architecture Forum, the
TOGAF 2008 revision team met for more than 12 hours and agreed proposals
and actions to resolve all of these 16 issues.
Revised materials relating to Phases E and F of TOGAF
will be submitted for an informal review ahead of the next (and
hopefully final) re-circulation review of the complete document.
The expectation is that all residual issues will be
addressed during the July 2008 meeting in Chicago.
There is currently no agreement about the long-term
support for Technology Architecture within TOGAF:
- Some Forum members feel strongly that a
freestanding Technology Architecture framework (as embodied in TOGAF
7) is still needed.
- Other members feel equally strongly that the
Technology Architecture approach embedded with an Enterprise
Architecture Framework meets the need.
This has been referred to the Marketing Team to carry
out further research.
During a previous meeting, the idea of a TOGAF User
Group was suggested, providing a forum for TOGAF practitioners to share
experiences of using TOGAF.
After discussion it was agreed that the most
appropriate way to progress this idea is within the overall framework of
the Association of Open Group Enterprise Architects (AOGEA). The
feasibility of extending access to AOGEA to support this broader access
will be examined in the upcoming quarter.
There are a number of offers of substantial examples
of the use of TOGAF, including specific templates. It was agreed that
there needs to be a lightweight process for making these available to
practitioners. The Modeling Team and Case Study Project will develop a
long-term proposal for handling this kind of material.
Meanwhile, members of the Forum will work with those
organizations who have offered materials.
Andrew Josey presented a brief status report on the
activities of the Forum in the three months leading up to this meeting.
The Forum has been extremely active with many different working groups
and projects progressing work through regular teleconferences:
- Localization Project
- Case Study Project
- Modeling Team
- Certification Standing Committee
- Marketing ADML Project
- Architecture Forum Strategy Project (new)
The major activity has been the 2008 TOGAF revision. A revised draft
was prepared and submitted for a re-circulation review.
Two new White Papers were reviewed and approved in the period:
- The Role of Cisco SONA in Enterprise Architecture Frameworks and
Strategies
- Enterprise Architecture and IT Service Management
As at March 31 2008, the Architecture Forum has 180 members.
Andrew Josey, The Open Group, reported verbally.
Moving to a commercial publisher has doubled the sales rate of "TOGAF
– The Book". The Pocket Guide is a major success.
For the TOGAF 2008 revision, the proposed plan is, like TOGAF 8.1.1, to
produce a single volume containing all of the content, supplemented by a
Pocket Guide as soon as possible after publication. [It was noted that
the HTML version on The Open Group web site remains the definitive
version.]
Hans van den Bent, Getronics, presented a summary of the status of
TOGAF certification:
| |
|
April 2008 |
April 2007 |
| TOGAF 7 Certified |
Individuals |
3 |
3 |
| TOGAF 7 Training |
Courses |
1 |
1 |
| TOGAF 7 Professional Services |
Companies |
1 |
1 |
| TOGAF 8 Certified |
Individuals |
5227 |
2414 |
| TOGAF 8 Training |
Courses |
27 |
16 |
| TOGAF 8 Professional Services |
Companies |
7 |
7 |
| TOGAF 8 Tool Support |
Products |
11 |
5 |
Garry Doherty, The Open Group, presented a product management and
marketing update.
After an extensive period of analysis, the recommended name for the
TOGAF 2008 revision is TOGAF 9.
- A plan showing the activities leading up to the launch of the new
specification was discussed, with a tentative launch date of
November 2008, subject to completion of the revision
process.
The Forum addressed six defects reported in the TOGAF 8.1.1
specification:
- Proposals to address two were approved by the Forum.
- A further two were rejected (not defects).
- Actions were placed to propose resolutions to two
defects.
Judith Jones, Architecting-the-Enterprise, reported
on the activities of the Localization Project:
- The initial target is translation of the TOGAF
Pocket Guide into five additional languages by October 2008.
- This needs to be based on an agreed glossary. A
proof-of-concept glossary with terms in Polish and Chinese has been
developed by Architecting-the-Enterprise.
- This approach follows the recommendations from Van
Haren (the publisher of TOGAF documents).
Judith Jones, Architecting-the-Enterprise, reported on the
achievements of the TOGAF Case Study Project.
Since January 2008, the group has developed a standard template,
which addresses both the commercial and architectural aspects of each
case, for documenting case studies and has tested the template on two
existing cases:
In the upcoming quarter, the group will:
- Revise the template as a result of experience to
date
- Complete a number of additional case studies
Bill Estrem reported on the achievements of the Modeling working
group.
Since January 2008, the group has:
- Revised the requirements document
- Reviewed initial terminology documents
- Created and reviewed TOGAF 8.1.1 SPEM model
- Started work on the TOGAF 9 SPEM model
In the upcoming quarter the group will:
- Complete SPEM analysis of the TOGAF 2008 revision
- Revise ontology based on SPEM analysis
- Finalize master terminology list
Later in the meeting, David Jackson, Armstrong Process Group,
demonstrated a full SPEM model of the TOGAF 8.1.1 processes that has
been donated to The Open Group and Paul van der Merwe, Real IRM, invited
the Forum members to review a restated set of requirements for the
modeling work.
Hans ven den Bent, Getronics, provided an update on the activities of
the Certification Standing Committee.
The Certification Standing Committee has met a number of times, by
teleconference and face-to-face since the January 2008 meeting.
Activities have included:
- Routine handling of issues relating to the certification program
- Program update to TOGAF 9
- Certification Criteria and Accreditation:
- Governance
- Quality assurance
- Integrity
- Alignment with International Standards (e.g., IS 17024)
- Industry best practice
- Possible accreditation of:
- Training products
- Trainers
- Internal processes
- Other themes:
- Application of the latest market/industry best practices to
new types/layers of certification
- Update of other certification areas (tools, services)
- Non-English certifications (related to the Localization
Project)
Len Fehskens, The Open Group, is leading an activity to define the
term Enterprise Architecture and the structure of an Enterprise
Architecture.
To date, he has proposed a definition, which represents an
abstraction of the IEEE 1471 definition of Architecture.
Judith Jones, Architecting-the-Enterprise, provided an update on the
activities of the ADML project.
There are now multiple activities within The Open Group which are
addressing the same topic area – formal language definition of
architecture – including:
- The new Archimate Forum
- AADL project in the Real-time & Embedded
Systems Forum
The role of the ADML project is to ensure that these activities are
co-ordinated. The first task will be to ensure that requirements for
ADMLs are clear.
Janine Kemmeren, Getronics, presented a proposal to create an
Architecture Forum Strategy Working Group and called for participation.
The objective of the group is to develop a long-term strategy for the
Forum addressing:
- Long-term (three to five-year) vision
- Mode of operation
The working group will seek to integrate into the annual planning
cycle of The Open Group Board of Directors.
Chris Harding, The Open Group, presented an update on the activities
of the SOA Working Group.
Major activities during the April 2008 meeting:
- Information Architecture
- SOA and TOGAF Practical Guide
- SOA and Security: early planning work
- SOA The Opera: plan for a structured demonstration of SOA and
TOGAF
Other activities that are underway:
- Ontologies for SOA
- SOA Governance
- SOA Reference Architecture
- Service-Oriented Infrastructure
- Legacy Evolution to SOA
- "SOA The Book"
Dave van Gelder, Capgemini, presented an update on the activities of
the Business Architecture Working Group.
Ongoing activities include:
- A more precise description of Enterprise Business Architecture (EBA)
- A vision on the added value of EBA in relation to TOGAF
- Change of focus from inwards looking to outwards looking
The long-term objective is to integrate the results of this work into
a future version of TOGAF.
