Glossary and Quick Reference
This glossary uses concise practitioner-oriented explanations rather than reproducing the standard’s normative definitions.
For the expanded A–Z reference and abbreviation list, see the comprehensive abbreviations and terminology glossary.
A–B
ADM
Architecture Development Method; TOGAF’s central iterative method.
Architecture
The fundamental organization of a subject and the principles guiding its
evolution; also the discipline of making and governing consequential
design choices.
Architecture Board
The governance body accountable for defined architecture decisions and
oversight.
Architecture Building Block (ABB)
A reusable description of required architecture capability or behavior,
independent of a specific implementation.
Architecture Capability
The people, roles, method, governance, information, and tools that
enable architecture work.
Architecture Contract
An agreement defining architecture responsibilities, expectations,
evidence, and conformance between parties.
Architecture Description
The collection of work products used to express an architecture.
Architecture Governance
The decision rights, controls, accountabilities, and feedback used to
direct and monitor architecture.
Architecture Landscape
An organized view of architecture assets across enterprise levels,
domains, states, and time horizons.
Architecture Principle
A durable rule or guideline used to make consistent architecture
decisions.
Architecture Repository
The managed store and operating mechanism for architecture content.
Architecture Roadmap
A strategic, time-oriented sequence of work packages and transition
states.
Artifact
An architecture representation, usually a catalog, matrix, or
diagram.
Baseline Architecture
The relevant current state from which change is planned.
Building Block
A potentially reusable component of architecture or solution
content.
Business Architecture
Architecture of strategy, capabilities, value, organization, services,
processes, and related business concepts.
Business Capability
An ability the enterprise possesses or needs to achieve an outcome.
Business Scenario
A concrete description of a business problem, actors, environment,
process, measures, and requirements.
C–G
Catalog
An artifact that lists architecture entities of a particular kind.
Concern
An interest or issue important to a stakeholder.
Content Metamodel
A definition of architecture entity types, relationships, and rules.
Data Architecture
Architecture of data meaning, structure, ownership, use, movement,
lifecycle, quality, and protection.
Deliverable
A formally reviewed work product that may contain one or more
artifacts.
Enterprise
The organizational scope addressed by the architecture; not necessarily
an entire company.
Enterprise Architecture
The discipline that connects strategy and outcomes to coordinated change
across the enterprise.
Enterprise Continuum
A method for classifying architecture and solution assets from generic
to organization-specific.
Gap
A meaningful difference between baseline and target that implies
change.
I–R
Implementation and Migration Plan
The prioritized, resourced plan for executing work packages and reaching
transition and target states.
Matrix
An artifact showing relationships between two types of architecture
content.
Model
A simplified representation of a subject for a particular purpose.
Reference Architecture
A reusable architecture approach for a recurring class of problem.
Reference Model
A reusable abstract model of concepts and relationships in a domain.
Requirement
A statement of what the architecture or implementation must enable,
constrain, or satisfy.
Requirements Management
The continuous ADM activity for eliciting, analyzing, tracing,
prioritizing, verifying, and controlling requirements.
S–Z
Solution Building Block (SBB)
A specific implementation component that realizes architecture building
blocks.
Stakeholder
A person, group, or organization with interests in the architecture.
Standards Information Base
The repository area for adopted standards, products, versions, status,
and related guidance.
Statement of Architecture Work
The agreement defining an architecture engagement’s objective, scope,
approach, plan, governance, and acceptance.
Target Architecture
The intended future state that satisfies agreed goals and
requirements.
Technology Architecture
Architecture of platform, infrastructure, runtime, network, standards,
and operational technology services.
TOGAF Fundamental Content
The stable core concepts and practices of the modular 10th Edition.
TOGAF Series Guides
Topic-specific guidance for configuring and applying the Fundamental
Content.
Transition Architecture
A coherent intermediate state between baseline and target.
Value Stream
The stages through which value is created for a stakeholder.
View
An actual representation of an architecture from a specific
viewpoint.
Viewpoint
The conventions and concerns used to construct and interpret a view.
Work Package
A bounded set of actions or change used to implement part of a
roadmap.
ADM quick reference
| Phase | Remember it as |
|---|---|
| Preliminary | Set up the practice |
| A | Agree the vision and work |
| B | Design how the business operates |
| C | Design data and applications |
| D | Design enabling technology |
| E | Package solution opportunities |
| F | Prioritize and plan migration |
| G | Govern implementation |
| H | Monitor and manage change |
| Requirements | Trace needs through everything |
Artifact quick reference
flowchart LR
Catalog[Catalog<br/>What exists?] --> Matrix[Matrix<br/>How does it relate?]
Matrix --> Diagram[Diagram<br/>How should we understand it?]
Diagram --> Decision[Decision<br/>What will we do?]
Decision --> Roadmap[Roadmap<br/>When and in what order?]
Roadmap --> Evidence[Evidence<br/>Did it work?]