The ArchiMate Viewpoints
ArchiMate is composed of a set of diagrams, called viewpoints, which address different parts of an enterprise architecture.
Below are the definitions of these viewpoints as outlined in the ArchiMate Specification 2.1.
Introductory Viewpoint
The Introductory viewpoint forms a subset of the full ArchiMate language using a simplified notation. It is typically used at the start of a design trajectory, when not everything needs to be detailed yet, or to explain the essence of an architecture model to non-architects that require a simpler notation. Another use of this basic, less formal viewpoint is that it tries to avoid the impression that the architectural design is already fixed, an idea that may easily arise when using a more formal, highly structured or detailed visualization.
We use a simplified notation for the concepts, and for the relations. All relations except “triggering” and “realization” are denoted by simple lines; “realization” has an arrow in the direction of the realized service; “triggering” is also represented by an arrow. The concepts are denoted with slightly thicker lines and rounded corners, which give a less formal impression.
+ Not implemented in this version of HOPEX Archimate.
Organization Viewpoint
The Organization viewpoint focuses on the (internal) organization of a company, a department, a network of companies, or of another organizational entity (i.e a Business Actor). It is possible to present models in this viewpoint as organizational charts. The Organization viewpoint is very useful in identifying competencies, authority, and responsibilities in an organization.
Actor Co-operation Viewpoint
The Actor Co-operation viewpoint focuses on the relations of actors with each other within a Business Collaboration. It is very useful in determining external dependencies and collaborations and shows the value chain or network in which the actor operates.
Org Process Viewpoint
The Organizational Process viewpoint is used to describe the implementation of one business processes in a given organizational context. It emphasizes the breakdown of the described process into activities.
Next to the processes themselves, this viewpoint contains other directly related concepts, such as:
• The services a business process offers to the outside world, showing how a process contributes to the realization of the company’s products
• The realized business process
• The assignment of activities to Business actors
• The usage of business or application services by activities
The information (business objects via the intermediate object / work products concepts) used by the business process
Business Function Viewpoint
The Business Function viewpoint shows the main business functions of an organization and their relations in terms of the flows of information, value, or goods between them. Business functions are used to represent the most stable aspects of a company in terms of the primary activities it performs, regardless of organizational changes or technological developments. Therefore, the business function architecture of companies that operate in the same market often exhibit close similarities. The business function viewpoint thus provides high-level insight in the general operations of the company, and can be used to identify necessary competencies, or to structure an organization according to its main activities.
Business Process Viewpoint
The Business Process viewpoint is used to show the high-level structure and composition of one business process. Next to the processes themselves, this viewpoint contains other directly related concepts, such as:
• The services a business process offers to the outside world, showing how a process contributes to the realization of the company’s products
• The assignment of business processes to roles, which gives insight into the responsibilities of the associated actors
• The information used by the business process
Business Process Co-operation Viewpoint
The Business Process Co-operation viewpoint is used to show the relations of one or more business processes with each other and/or with their environment. It can both be used to create a high-level design of business processes within their context and to provide an operational manager responsible for one or more such processes with insight into their dependencies.
Important aspects of business process co-operation are:
• Causal relations between the main business processes of the enterprise
• Mapping of business processes onto business functions
• Realization of services by business processes
• Use of shared data
• Execution of a business process by the same roles or actors
Each of these can be regarded as a “sub-view” of the business process co-operation view.
+ Not implemented in this version of HOPEX Archimate.
Product Viewpoint
The Product viewpoint depicts the value these products offer to the customers or other external parties involved and shows the composition of one or more products in terms of the constituting (business or application) services, and the associated contract(s) or other agreements. It may also be used to show the interfaces through which this product is offered. A Product viewpoint is typically used in product development to design a product by composing existing services or by identifying which new services have to be created for this product, given the value a customer expects from it. It may then serve as input for business process architects and others that need to design the processes and ICT realizing these products.
Application Behavior Viewpoint
The Application Behavior viewpoint describes an Application Function carried out by an application detailing the internal behavior of an application; e.g. how it realizes one or more application services. This viewpoint is useful in designing the main behavior of applications.
Application Co-operation Viewpoint
The Application Co-operation viewpoint describes the relations between applications components in terms of the information flows between them, or in terms of the services they offer and use within an Application Collaboration.
Application Structure Viewpoint
The Application Structure viewpoint shows the structure of one application component. This viewpoint is useful in designing or understanding the main structure of application components and the associated data usgae; e.g., to break down the structure of the system under construction, or to identify legacy application components that are suitable for migration/integration.