Architecture Partitioning

Overview

The TOGAF standard provides a framework for partitioning an architecture into different components.

Approach

A divided subset of an Architecture facilitates its development and management. A specific form of abstraction.

  1. Defined boundaries, governance and ownership
  • This may lead to serveral architecture partions
  1. One owning team
  • Architecture are partitioned such that there is a single team owning the Architecture
  1. Multiple Architecture Partitions
  • A single team may own multiple partitions, but a single Architecture cannot be owned by multiple teams.
  • The team will execute the ADM to define, govern and realise the Architecture.
  1. Adopt a partitioning model that reflects the Enterprise Operating Model.

Benefits

The theory is that partitioning will simplify the development and management of Architectures - Note if this is not the case the review the approach and alignment to the Enterprise Operating Model.

  • Conflict Management - Clear partitions along Organisational boundaries may avoid conflicts and disputes.
  • Re-Use - Effective Architecture should encourage modularisation and re-use of components that can be incorporated into other Architectures.
  • Parallelisation - Enables specific groups of Architects to own and develop elements of Architectures in at the same time (in parallel)
  • Manage Complexity - Divides an Architecture into subsets to reduce complexity, ensure effective governance and simplify the development & management.