Zachman FrameworkA Tutorial(5  Pages | 2148  Words)    Abstract This paper is about the Zachman Framework and its overall use as an Enterprise Architecture. The paper begins with the definition of Enterprise Architecture and framework in general. Then it shows a brief backgroun...
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Zachman Framework
A Tutorial
(5 Pages | 2148 Words)
Abstract
This paper is about the Zachman Framework and its overall use as an Enterprise
Architecture. The paper begins with the definition of Enterprise Architecture and
framework in general. Then it shows a brief background about the maker of the
framework, John A. Zachman. Next is the history of the Zachman Framework itself.
Finally, we discuss the main purpose and structure of the Zachman Framework.
Who is John Zachman?
John Zachman was born in 1934 and is the pioneer of the Zachman Framework. He was
a former line officer in the United States Navy and a retired commander in the United
States Naval Reserve.
He graduated at Northwestern University with a degree in chemistry, was a former
teacher at Turfs University, and served as a special advisor in three Schools of Library
and Information Management: at the University of Southern California, Emporia State
University, and at Dominican University (“John Zachman,” n.d.).
In 1964 he joined the IBM Corporation and was best known for his contribution in the
Information Strategy methodology (Business Systems Planning) and the Executive team
planning techniques (Intensive Planning) (“John Zachman,” n.d.).
After 26 years of service, he retired from IBM Corporation. According to (“John
Zachman,” n.d.) he is now the Chairman of the board of the Zachman Framework
Associates and the Chief Executive Officer of the Zachman Institute for Framework
Advancement (ZIFA), an organization specializing in the advancement of company’s
Enterprise Architecture.
Outside Enterprise Architecture, according to (http://www.zifa.com/zachman.html):
Mr. Zachman serves on the Elder Council of the Church on the Way (First Foursquare
Church of Van Nuys, California), the Boards of Directors of Living Way Ministries, a radio
and television ministry of the Church on the Way; of the Los Angeles Citywide Children’s
Christian Choir; and of Native Hope International, a Los Angeles-based ministry to the
Native American people. Definitions
, Before we divulge into the Zachman Framework, we begin by defining what a
“framework” really is. According to The American Heritage Dictionary a framework is: 1.
A structure for supporting or enclosing something else, especially a skeletal support
used as the basis for something being constructed. 2. An external work platform; a
scaffold.
3. A fundamental structure, as for a written work.
4. A set of assumptions, concepts, values, and practices that constitutes a way of
viewing reality.
It’s clear that we will be discussing the “technical” definition of what a framework is.
Based on the definitions the Zachman framework can be viewed as the “fundamental
structure” of an Enterprise Architecture or even the fourth definition as a “concept,
values, and practices” but according to one website the Zachman framework is not your
typical framework per se, “Instead of representing the process as a series of steps, he
organized it around the points of view (perspectives) taken by the various players”
(http://www.valuebasedmanagement.net/methods_zachman_enterprise_architecture.ht
ml). Others, like Bentley and Davis (2010) describe the Zachman Framework as a
taxonomy “for developing and documenting the basic element of an Enterprise
Architecture” (p. 80).
Another important aspect of the Zachman framework is its development of the Enterprise
Architecture. According to Ross, Weill, and Robertson (2006), Enterprise Architecture is
“the organizing logic for business processes and IT infrastructure reflecting the
integration and standardization requirements of the company’s operating model” (p. 47)
The Enterprise Architecture serves as the checklist for the company’s business
application and its alignment to its IT capabilities. Framework
The main ideology of the Zachman framework is to populate and organize all elements
of an enterprise and have an alignment to its information infrastructure. The Zachman
Framework is built on the focus of six perspectives: planner, owner, designer, builder,
subcontractor, and the working system. These six perspectives are represented on the
row part of the matrix.
According to Zachman, “it was derived from analogous structures that are found in the
older disciplines of Architecture/Construction and Engineering/Manufacturing that
classify and organize the design artifacts created over the process of designing and
producing complex physical products (e.g. buildings or airplanes.).” Principles
The principle in creating a Zachman framework is simple: fill the gap within each cell of
the rows and columns. Each cell should be unique. The rows represent the six
perspectives and the columns are different aspects of the architecture to reduce
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