With the new version 3 of ArchiMate®, this architecture modeling standard has reached a higher level of maturity. The latest version makes the architecture language much better for enterprise architects to use and strengthens its position as the worldwide modeling standard. In fact, when it comes to enterprise architecture modeling, there is no alternative as widely accepted as ArchiMate.
Benefitting from one language
The number one benefit of ArchiMate to the worldwide community of architects is that it provides a common language. Enterprise architects have a habit of discussing methods, practices, and solutions. For a long time, these discussions were characterized by a babel of opinions in the most literal meaning of the word. That was caused by every method and every consultancy using its self-developed vocabulary and practice. With the acceptance of ArchiMate, that has changed (although there are still some rearguard battles fought by old-school architects that stick to their vocabulary) and discussions now focus on the architectural topics themselves instead of on terminology.
Let’s be frank. ArchiMate is, like most human inventions, full of flaws.
But that doesn’t prevent the standard from doing what we want from a standard: providing a common foundation on which the enterprise architecture profession can build and grow, and better deliver the results that businesses expect. It’s a significant achievement that this standard that started as a small collaborative experiment in the Netherlands years ago has reached the status of worldwide standards in such a diverse professional community.
ArchiMate & You
So, what can an individual enterprise architect do to take advantage of what ArchiMate offers? The ArchiMate specification is publicly available on The Open Group website. Also, many books have been published that help beginning architects master the skills of modeling. But be careful: architecture modeling is full of pitfalls. And though ArchiMate provides you with the grammar of modeling, not every grammatically sound model is a good one. Just as that knowing the grammar of the English language doesn’t make one a good writer.
Get started!
To get kickstarted on ArchiMate, a proper training course such as that offered by ITpreneurs is essential. It provides you not only with the basic knowledge of the ArchiMate standard but also lets you exercise with architecture modeling according to this standard. It addresses all ArchiMate key learning topics, proof of which is The Open Group training course accreditation.
But when we developed this training course, it wasn’t accreditation that we set as our goal. Instead, we aimed for developing a training course that helps you gain practical skills in enterprise architecture modeling. Not the checklist was our guide, but our over twenty years of personal experience in modeling in public and private sector organizations. This training course therefore not only helps you get ArchiMate certified, but it helps you become a better architect.
About the author
Principal consultant in enterprise architecture. Committed to help organizations using architecture as an effective means to achieve business/IT alignment, to reduce the complexity of – and increase control over – complex IT environments, and to anticipate worldwide trends and developments in IT.
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