ArchiMate Generic MetaModel
The generic MetaModel serves as a pattern for all the Core Layers MetaModels. It helps identifying the Passive / Behavior / Active elements and provides abstractions for the relationships defined as part of the ArchiMate® generic MetaModel.
The language consists of active structure elements, behavioral elements and passive structure elements.
These three aspects - active structure, behavior, and passive structure - have been inspired by natural language, where a sentence has a subject (active structure), a verb (behavior), and an object (passive structure).
• The passive structure elements are the objects on which behavior is performed. In the domain of information-intensive organizations, which is the main focus of the language, these are usually information or data objects, but they may also be used to represent physical objects.
• The behavioral corresponds to the dynamic aspect. The active structure concepts are assigned to behavioral concepts, to show who or what performs the behavior.
• The active structure elements are the business actors, application components and devices that display actual behavior, i.e., the 'subjects' of activity.
ArchiMate® 'Generic MetaModel' implementation