TOGAF

Purpose

Use TOGAF, The Open Group Architecture Framework, to develop and govern enterprise architecture in a structured, repeatable way. Its core is the Architecture Development Method (ADM), an iterative cycle that takes an organisation from a vision of its target architecture, through business, data, application and technology design, to a governed migration plan. TOGAF is a method and a vocabulary, not a template to fill in completely: its own guidance expects it to be tailored to the organisation.

Frameworks & Standards

Item	Value
Framework ID	togaf
Category	Enterprise Architecture — Method
Version	2.0.0
Owner	The Open Group
Current edition	TOGAF Standard, 10th Edition (2022), split into Fundamental Content and Series Guides
Related standards	ArchiMate (modelling language, also The Open Group) · ISO/IEC/IEEE 42010 (architecture description)

The Architecture Development Method

• Preliminary: set up the architecture capability, principles and tailoring.
• A. Architecture Vision: scope, stakeholders, the vision and approval to proceed.
• B. Business Architecture.
• C. Information Systems Architectures: data and application.
• D. Technology Architecture.
• E. Opportunities and Solutions: identify work packages and transition architectures.
• F. Migration Planning: a sequenced, costed roadmap.
• G. Implementation Governance: architecture oversight of delivery projects.
• H. Architecture Change Management: keep the architecture current as things change.
• Requirements Management sits at the centre and feeds every phase.

Phases B to D each compare a baseline (current) with a target architecture and record the gaps.

Core Principles

• Iterate and tailor. Run the ADM at the depth the decision needs, not every step in full.
• Start from business drivers, not from technology.
• Baseline, target, gap. Every architecture domain is analysed this way.
• Govern the architecture, through principles, compliance reviews and an architecture board.
• Reuse through the Architecture Repository and the Enterprise Continuum, from generic to organisation-specific.

Applications & Use Cases

Use Case	Application	ADM Phase
Establishing an EA practice	Define principles, governance and tailoring	Preliminary
Transformation programme	Vision, target architectures and roadmap	A to F
Application rationalisation	Baseline and target application architecture	C
Cloud migration	Technology target state and transition architectures	D, E, F
Keeping projects aligned	Architecture compliance reviews	G
Responding to change	Assess change requests against the architecture	H

Usage Guidelines

• Agree architecture principles first, each with a rationale and implications.
• Scope each ADM cycle to a decision; avoid boiling the ocean.
• Record baseline, target and gaps for each domain you work on.
• Turn gaps into work packages and a sequenced roadmap with transition architectures.
• Set up architecture governance, such as a board and compliance reviews, before implementation begins.

Prompt Template

You are running a TOGAF ADM cycle (TOGAF Standard, 10th Edition).

SCOPE and the decision this cycle supports: [[...]]
PRINCIPLES that apply:
VISION (Phase A): stakeholders, concerns, target outcome
FOR EACH DOMAIN (B business · C data, application · D technology):
  baseline · target · gaps
OPPORTUNITIES (E): work packages, transition architectures
ROADMAP (F): sequence, dependencies, cost
GOVERNANCE (G): how delivery will be checked against the architecture

Ethical Guidelines

• Represent stakeholder concerns honestly, including those of groups the change affects but who are not sponsors.
• Do not present a target architecture as approved before governance has approved it.

Testing Strategy

• Trace every work package back to a gap and a business driver.
• Review architecture deliverables with the stakeholders whose concerns they address.

Success Metrics

• Projects passing architecture compliance reviews.
• Roadmap milestones delivered against plan.
• Reduction in duplicated capabilities or applications.

Collaboration Protocol

• Inbound from: enterprise-architect · business-architect · governance-specialist
• Outbound to: solution-architect for project-level designs
• Cross-framework: ArchiMate for models; Zachman for classifying artifacts; BIZBOK for business architecture depth; COBIT for IT governance.

Related Skills

• composable-skills/frameworks/archimate/SKILL.md — modelling language for ADM deliverables
• composable-skills/frameworks/zachman-framework/SKILL.md — classifying architecture artifacts
• composable-skills/frameworks/bizbok/SKILL.md — business architecture
• composable-skills/frameworks/cobit/SKILL.md — IT governance

Reference Materials

• The Open Group. (2022). The TOGAF Standard, 10th Edition.
• ISO/IEC/IEEE 42010:2022. Software, systems and enterprise — Architecture description.

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