Architecture Design Content Framework

An Architecture Design is created by following a series of iterative steps. With each step, another level of abstraction is designed.

The steps below are often followed to create an architecture design for an enterprise, domain, function, process, system, or solution:

Get a Design Contract
Create / Moderate a Program of Requirements
Do a Feasibility Study
Create a Conceptual Design
Create a Preliminary Design (Functional)
Create a Definite Design (Functional)
Create a Detailed Design (Technical)
Create a Technical Specification (a legal document)

The following activities are continuously in parallel:

Create and update a library for norms, values, standards, frameworks, methods, and languages
Create and update a library for concepts, patterns, principles, concepts, reference models, viewpoints, and views
Create and update a glossary of terms
Document and improve the processes of working with architecture

Four levels of abstraction are used during the design:

Conceptual
Logical
Physical
Implementational

Three roles collaborate in this process:

The owner/client
The architect
The stakeholders (the user community (often employees and customers), contract party for realizing the solution, clients, suppliers, government, etc...

Dragon1 Architecture Design Content Framework

Levels of abstraction	Entity types (Types of data)	Design Contract (owner/clientàarchitect)	Program of Requirements (moderated by the architect)	Concept Design (Concept Design)	Preliminary Design / Overall / Solution Design(s) (address: feasibility / business case)	Definite Overall / Solution Design(s)	Detail (Solution/) Designs (Definite Design)	Technical Specifications (bestek)	Glossary of Terms Document	Norms, Values and Standards (Languages, Methods & Frameworks) Library (i.e. reference architecture)	Concepts, Principles and Patterns, Ref. Models, Views, and Viewpoints Library (i.e. reference architecture)
Types of visualizations		Context Sketch, Problem sketch	Functional Design (requirements from stakeholders) Norms, standards, rules	Design Sketch, Artist impressions, Metaphoric sketch symbols per concept	Landscapes, Blueprints, Roadmaps, Principle detail diagrams, UML models, BPMN models, ArchiMate Models	Landscapes, Blueprints, Roadmaps, Principle detail diagrams, UML models, BPMN models, ArchiMate Models	Landscapes, Blueprints, Roadmaps, Principle detail diagrams, UML models, BPMN models, ArchiMate Models
Conceptual Level	Concepts & Principles & Patterns			+	+	x	x	X
Logical level	Concepts, Principles & Patterns + Elements				+	+	+	X
Implementational level	Concepts + Elements + Components					+	+	+
Technical product level	Concepts + Elements + Components + Technical Products	Bit and pieces of everything: Concepts + Elements + Components + Technical Products	Unfortunately often bits and pieces of everything: Concepts + Elements + Components + Technical Products				+	+

In an organization you would normally have high-level large overall architecture documents together in an Enterprise Architecture Dossier and EA Repository:

Ref Archs, EA, BA, IA, TA, and per business domain, business function, business process or information system solution/system architecture documents.

An architecture document consists of 4 levels of architecture design.

The architect does many iterations with the owner/client and stakeholders to get reviews and feedback on the architecture designs.

User Models should as much as possible be compliant to Meta Models.

And diagrams should contain as few levels of abstraction as possible.

Every document at one point in time should be approved of/signed by the owner/client.