Introduction to ArchiMate Viewpoints

The viewpoint mechanism in ArchiMate is a structured approach for creating tailored views of the enterprise architecture for different stakeholders and their specific concerns. This mechanism recognizes that presenting the entire architecture description at once is impractical and overwhelming for stakeholders who are only interested in particular aspects relevant to their needs.

ArchiMate adopts the definition of viewpoints and views from the ISO/IEC 42010 standard. A viewpoint acts as a filter, selecting and organizing specific information from the underlying architecture description to address the concerns of a particular stakeholder. The resulting view is a representation of the architecture tailored to those concerns, providing a focused and comprehensible perspective.

Purpose of the Viewpoint Mechanism

The purpose of the viewpoint mechanism is to facilitate effective communication and understanding of the enterprise architecture among diverse stakeholders. It allows architects to:

• Focus on specific concerns: By tailoring views to particular stakeholder needs, architects can highlight the aspects of the architecture most relevant to them. This helps stakeholders grasp the implications of the architecture for their domain or responsibilities.
• Reduce complexity: Instead of presenting a monolithic view of the entire architecture, the viewpoint mechanism allows architects to break it down into smaller, more manageable chunks, each addressing a specific concern. This reduces cognitive overload for stakeholders and makes the architecture easier to comprehend.
• Support decision-making: Tailored views can help stakeholders make informed decisions by providing them with the relevant information they need. For example, a view focused on security concerns can help security managers assess the risks and vulnerabilities of the architecture and make decisions about appropriate mitigations.
• Promote collaboration: By providing different stakeholders with views relevant to their concerns, the viewpoint mechanism can foster better communication and collaboration between them. This helps align different parts of the enterprise around a shared understanding of the architecture.

Defining and Classifying Viewpoints

ArchiMate provides a framework for defining and classifying viewpoints based on two dimensions: purpose and content.

Purpose

The purpose dimension addresses the intended use of the viewpoint. ArchiMate defines three categories:

• Designing: Viewpoints intended to support the design and development of the architecture.
• Deciding: Viewpoints aimed at assisting managers in making informed decisions.
• Informing: Viewpoints designed to provide general information and understanding of the architecture to a broad audience.

Content

The content dimension focuses on the specific aspects and layers of the architecture included in the view. It addresses the level of detail and the types of elements and relationships that should be shown.

• Overview: High-level views showing the big picture, often spanning multiple layers and aspects.
• Details: Focused views presenting specific aspects or parts of the architecture in more detail.
• Coherence: Views highlighting the relationships and dependencies between different parts of the architecture, typically across layers or aspects.

Creating the View

Once a viewpoint is defined, architects can create the corresponding view by applying the viewpoint’s specifications to the underlying architecture description. The ArchiMate Specification provides guidance and examples of viewpoints that can be used as starting points or adapted to meet specific needs. It also offers mechanisms for customizing the language and notation to create specialized views for particular domains or stakeholders.

Examples of Viewpoints

• Organization Viewpoint
• Business Process Cooperation Viewpoint
• Product Viewpoint
• Application Cooperation Viewpoint
• Service Realization Viewpoint
• Implementation and Deployment Viewpoint
• Physical Viewpoint
• Layered Viewpoint
• Stakeholder Viewpoint
• Goal Realization Viewpoint
• Requirements Realization Viewpoint
• Motivation Viewpoint
• Capability Map Viewpoint
• Strategy Viewpoint
• Project Viewpoint
• Migration Viewpoint

When to Use ArchiMate Viewpoints

ArchiMate viewpoints should be used whenever there is a need to communicate specific aspects of the enterprise architecture to different stakeholders. This includes:

• Design Phases: During the design and development of the architecture to ensure that all stakeholders understand the design decisions and their implications.
• Decision-Making Processes: When managers need to make informed decisions based on specific aspects of the architecture.
• Information Sharing: When providing general information and understanding of the architecture to a broad audience, such as during presentations or reports.

How to Use ArchiMate Viewpoints

1. Identify Stakeholders and Their Concerns: Begin by identifying the stakeholders who need to understand specific aspects of the architecture and their particular concerns.
2. Select Appropriate Viewpoints: Choose the viewpoints that best address the identified concerns. You can use predefined viewpoints from the ArchiMate Specification or create custom viewpoints.
3. Define the Viewpoint: Clearly define the viewpoint by specifying the purpose and content dimensions. This includes deciding the level of detail and the types of elements and relationships to be shown.
4. Create the View: Apply the viewpoint’s specifications to the underlying architecture description to create the tailored view. Use modeling tools that support ArchiMate to visualize the view.
5. Review and Refine: Review the created view with the stakeholders to ensure it addresses their concerns effectively. Make any necessary refinements based on their feedback.
6. Communicate the View: Share the view with the stakeholders through presentations, reports, or collaborative platforms. Ensure that the communication is clear and aligned with the stakeholders’ needs.

Conclusion

The viewpoint mechanism in ArchiMate is a powerful tool for managing the complexity of enterprise architecture descriptions and making them accessible and meaningful to different stakeholders. It enables architects to effectively communicate the architecture’s rationale, implications, and value to a wide audience, fostering better understanding, alignment, and collaboration across the enterprise. By tailoring views to specific concerns, reducing complexity, supporting decision-making, and promoting collaboration, ArchiMate viewpoints help ensure that the enterprise architecture is well-understood and effectively utilized by all stakeholders.

References

1. Full ArchiMate Viewpoints Guide (Examples Included)
   • This comprehensive guide provides a detailed overview of the 23 official ArchiMate viewpoints, including clear descriptions and diagram examples. It explains how each viewpoint contains a dedicated set of ArchiMate elements that allows architects to model specific aspects of an enterprise architecture16.
2. ArchiMate Viewpoint Guide – Project Viewpoint
   • This article describes the Project Viewpoint in detail, explaining how it represents a particular part of an architecture using a relevant subset of ArchiMate elements and relationships. It includes a table that outlines the specifics of the Project Viewpoint and provides an example diagram17.
3. ArchiMate Viewpoint Guide – Product Viewpoint
   • This guide provides a clear description and example of the Product Viewpoint. It explains how this viewpoint is used to represent a specific part of an architecture, with a focus on the elements and relationships relevant to products within the enterprise18.
4. ArchiMate Viewpoint Guide – Application Usage Viewpoint
   • This comprehensive guide describes the Application Usage Viewpoint in detail. It includes a table that outlines the specifics of this viewpoint and provides an example diagram to illustrate how it represents the usage of applications within the enterprise architecture19.
5. ArchiMate Viewpoint Guide – Strategy Viewpoint
   • This article provides a detailed description of the Strategy Viewpoint, explaining how it represents the strategic aspects of an enterprise architecture. It includes a table that outlines the specifics of this viewpoint and provides an example diagram20.
6. Unlocking the Power of ArchiMate Viewpoints in Enterprise Architecture: Enhancing Clarity, Relevance, and Alignment
   • This guide explains the importance of ArchiMate viewpoints in enterprise architecture, highlighting how they enhance clarity, relevance, and alignment. It discusses what ArchiMate viewpoints are, why they are used, and provides examples of common viewpoints21.
7. ArchiMate Viewpoint Guide – Information Structure Viewpoint
   • This guide provides a clear description and example of the Information Structure Viewpoint. It explains how this viewpoint is used to represent the structure of information within the enterprise architecture, with a focus on the relevant elements and relationships22.
8. ArchiMate Viewpoint Guide – Organization Viewpoint
   • This article describes the Organization Viewpoint in detail, explaining how it represents the organizational structure within the enterprise architecture. It includes a table that outlines the specifics of this viewpoint and provides an example diagram23.
9. Visual Paradigm – Full ArchiMate Viewpoints Guide (Examples Included)
   • This guide provides an overview of the 23 ArchiMate viewpoints, with clear descriptions and diagram examples for each. It explains how each viewpoint contains a dedicated set of ArchiMate elements that allows architects to model specific aspects of an enterprise architecture24.
10. ArchiMate Viewpoint Guide – Technology Viewpoint
    • This comprehensive guide describes the Technology Viewpoint in detail. It includes a table that outlines the specifics of this viewpoint and provides an example diagram to illustrate how it represents the technology aspects within the enterprise architecture25.

These references provide a comprehensive overview of ArchiMate viewpoints, covering various aspects from basic concepts to advanced modeling techniques.