Dragon1 Standard: Architecture Visualizations

The Difference between a Visualization and an Architecture Visualization

Not all visualizations you create as an architect are architecture visualizations. A visualization is only an architecture if it shows concepts and or their (concept) principles and their key elements (of the concepts).

It could be that the theoretical concept is shown or the applied concepts as a solution is shown, or that a failing or working principle is shown. In all cases, we call this an architecture visualization. It could be that the visualization is at a conceptual, logical, physical, or implementational level.

As criteria 'if a visualization is an architecture visualization', can be answered by: is a (part of a) concept or principle visualized? If so: then it is an architectural visualization.

What is a Visualization?

A visualization is a graphical representation of a model or a view of a model. For instance, a visualization of how the modules in an application support the activities in a process with functionality.

A view is a representation of a model given a certain viewpoint. A viewpoint is a set of issues or concerns of a (type of) stakeholder. For instance, an IT Manager wants to see the technical data of the IT assets on a diagram, whereas a financial manager rather would want to see the financial data of IT assets on a diagram. All because of the concerns and responsibilities they have in their different line of work.

A model is a set of related entities and these relationships can be visualized as-is. A visualization of a pure model compliant with a modeling language, without any context or rich icons, is often unusable for business stakeholders. Therefore we prevail to visualize models and views as stakeholder-oriented.

So strictly speaking a business model is a model of the business but not a visualization.

Main Types of Visualizations

Dragon1 defines the following type of visualizations:

Sketch
Diagram
Blueprint
Landscape
Artist Impression
Heat map
Roadmap
Scenario
Map
Canvas
Gram
Graph
(Score) Cards
Catalog (a list of items)
Matrix (a table of items)
Animation

In architecture, the architect creates formal and informal visualizations, sometimes of the same subject. This is to increase the involvement of stakeholders. Looking at a formal BPMN process model or UML Use Case diagram does not trigger a business manager to take action. But an Artist impression or design sketch or the problem caused by the current process configuration or systems use case, might just be the trigger for the business manager to take action.

Another dimension for visualizations is the dynamics that are shown. We distinguish between static, dynamic, interactive, and responsive. Sometimes a picture shows the static structure of a system or entity, and sometimes a picture shows the dynamic behavior of a system or entity.

Objectives of Visualizations

As an architect is a designer of total concepts and supervisor of the realization of enterprise-wide integral business IT systems, everything he or she draws are views of designs, requirements, visions, problems, and plans. These visualizations are meant to inform, support decision-making, structure thoughts or startup thinking, and create a common view and understanding. So if you create a visualization that does one of these, the visualization is a success.

Visualization Framework

An overview of many common subjects/topics where all the types of visualizations can be created are:

Industry Organizations Chain / Network Enterprise Organization Domain Area Program Project Market Clients / Customers Stakeholder Governance Business

Function Issue Need Decision Requirement Rule Goal Objective Document Activity Identity Mission Vision Priority

Initiative Product Process Service Capability Information Information System Application Data Interface IT Infrastructure Network Storage

Cloud Server Client Robot Security Finance Human Capital Service Delivery Concept Principle Pattern Component Standard Technology

You can create a visualization for one item (like a process or an application) but you can also create a visualization for a subset of or all processes and all applications. This goes for all the subjects/topics above.

Per subject/topic you can create or generate stakeholder-specific views (that filter out any unnecessary data for that stakeholder, focusing the visualization on what the stakeholder understands and finds interesting.

Top 20

The top 20 visualizations (not taking different views or states into account) for starting to work with EA, are:

Enterprise Context Model
EA Product Roadmap
EA Process Diagram (projection of a method onto the organization, with roles & responsibilities)
Strategy Map
Business Model (Canvas) Diagram
Meta Model
Architecture Framework Diagram
Enterprise Structure Blueprint
Enterprise Architecture Blueprint
Domains Standards Diagrams (including Architecture Layers)
Concepts Overview
Principles Overview (Tiles of Details Diagrams)
Business Functions Diagram
Stakeholder Onion Diagram
Stakeholder Needs Requirements Diagram
Business Processes Overview
Business Capabilities Diagram
Application Landscape
IT Landscape
Data Landscape
Security Landscape
Principle Details Diagrams
Architecture Layer Diagrams
Line of Sight
Process (Information) Application Landscape
Project Landscape Map (per project)
Solution Architecture Diagram
Functional Solution Overview Diagram
Technical Solution Overview Diagram

It is common to put these visualizations in an architecture dossier

Architecture Visualizations Matrix - To Organize and Plan

Below is a popular Dragon1 Architecture Visualization Matrix. It has helped hundreds of organizations to organize the work and plan the creation of architecture visualizations

Visualization per Architecture Working Process

Dragon1 has defined architecture working processes and per process what types of pictures should or could be created (MOSCOW). Below, we have listed the most important ones:

Line of Sight
Strategy Map
Business Model
Business Case
Concept Design Sketch
Principles Details Diagram
Process Landscape
Application Landscape
Process-Application Dependency Landscape
IT Landscape
Architecture Vision Poster (Big Picture)
Structure Vision Poster
(Target) Operating Model Diagram
Enterprise (Architecture) Blueprint
Governance (Architecture) Blueprint
Business (Architecture) Blueprint
Process (Architecture) Blueprint
Service (Architecture) Blueprint
Information (Architecture) Blueprint
Application (Architecture) Blueprint
Data (Architecture) Blueprint
Security (Architecture) Blueprint
IT Infrastructure (Architecture) Blueprint / Technology blueprint
Architecture Working Processes Poster (maturity level)
Concept Design Sketch
Agile Projects Overview
Technology Roadmap
Transformation Roadmap

Visualization per Product

Dragon1 defines architecture products, strategy products, and transformation products.

The Architecture Design Book, the Architecture Glossary Document, the Architecture Principles Document, and the Solution Architecture Presentation (PXA) are the most important products in Dragon1. These documents contain various visualizations.

Dragon1 Canvas

Dragon1 promotes architecture visualizations to be created using a context containing strategy and transformation, and with that making a visualization fitter for decision support.