Dynamic Views - Scenario 11: 3D Enterprise Architecture Blueprint

To create a dynamic and interactive enterprise architecture blueprint on Dragon1 you need to take the following steps:

• 1. Collect data from different sources in the organization
• 2. Validate and relate the data collected
• 3. Enter or upload the data as entities
• 4. Create links between the entities
• 5. Create models with the links
• 6. Create views of models
• 7. Reuse the visualizations template
• 8. Create popup dialogs
• 9. Create click links to detailed visualizations
• 10. Publish the visualization in the Content Viewer
• 11. Use the visualization to project data and compare with other models

1. Collect data from different sources in the organization

On an Enterprise Architecture blueprint we have four groups of data: Strategy data, Structure data, Architecture data and Transformation data.

The strategy data covers items like identity, mission, vision, stakeholders, objectives, goals, aim, ambitions, strategic starting points, business and IT requirements and issues or concerns.

The structure data is organized in layers, mainly three, four or five layers. A market & layer, a business layer, an information (systems) layer, an application and data layer, and an IT Infrastructure layer.

The architecture data covers items like domains, concepts, principles, capabilities, patterns, building blocks and standards.

The transformation data covers items like programs, projects, deliverables, core figures and policies.

In this excel sheet, you have an example template you can use to collect the data for an enterprise architecture blueprint: dragon1-example-enterprise-architecture-blueprint.xlsx

2. Validate and relate the data collected

Once you have collected data from different sources you need to increase the quality of the data by checking the source, ownership, workflow status and publication status.

Also you must define relationships between the data: how do the processes relate to applications, to goals? How do project deliverables relate to processes and applications? How do identity, mission and vision relate to each other? Once you have established the relationships, you have a data set you can use to create a blueprint.

3. Enter or upload the data as entities

You can either enter the data manually or import it via files.

First, you create a cabinet, dossier and a set of folders in the Architecture Repository.

• Data
  • Strategy
  • Structure
  • Architecture
  • Project
• Models
• Relationships
• Viewpoints
• Views
• Visual Items
• Visualizations

Next, you insert data entities via the menu bar in the repository. In the screenshot below you see an example of entered data in the repository.

Here you can read about how to import files

How to Import files.

4. Create links between the entities

You need to create relationships between the data entities. We need these relationships to create dependencies and click links.

Use the menu button to create relationships.

Create links between the entities.

5. Create models with the links

A model is a set of relationships between entities. In Dragon1 we reuse as much as possible, so to create a model we only need to reuse the relationships.

To create a process model, containing all the processes, create a model in a folder and drag all the processes and relationships to the canvas and save the model.

Create models with the links.

6. Create views of models

In enterprise architecture we work with stakeholders, viewpoints and views. With this, we can provide focused visualizations to people to support their decision-making as a director, a manager, an analyst, a designer, and a developer.

For instance, a financial controller or purchaser might be interested to know for which application more user licenses are used than bought and for which applications there are no service levels agreements (SLAs) with the suppliers.

The purchaser in this case as a stakeholder has an SLA-viewpoint. The SLA viewpoint is a set of rules that filter out data from a model. Application on to the model, the resulting SLA application view only shows applications for which we have no SLAs.

Below you see an example view: the filtered out applications and relations can be hidden or made transparent, like in this example:

Create views of models.

7. Reuse the Visualization template

Until now, we have entered data and created links, models and views.

We are going to choose which icons we use to generate/visualize the data which form the views with.

Below you see the basic template available on Dragon1. The sun-styled icons are called Visual Items. These visual items are configured in such a way that they know in what folders or models the data is in they should take, and what icons they should use.

If this is all configured correctly, clicking on the button View Data, will cause Dragon1 to execute the rules in the visual items.

Reuse the Visualization template.

Below you see an example configuration of a visual item:

Configuration of a visual item.

8. Create popup dialogs

Create popup dialogs.

9. Create click links to detailed visualizations

Create click links to the detailed visualizations.

10. Publish the visualization in the Viewer

Publish the Visualization in the Viewer.

11. Use the visualization to project data and compare it with other models

Finally, the visualization is published and you can use it to support your decision-making and, for instance, leave comments on it.