This is the first post in the series related to TOGAF.

TOGAF stands for The Open Group Architecture Framework. Recently I went through the journey to get TOGAF 9 Certified badge and I will share here basic concepts that I learned on the way. In my daily work I’m Infrastructure Architect so I design mainly Information Systems and Technology Architectures. It may seems that this topic is only relevant to Enterprise Architects but either you are Infrastructure, Solution Architect or any other IT Architect/Engineer I think it can be useful for you. I believe it can bring benefits, like:

• Understanding “bigger picture”: processes and practices in the enterprise
• Usage of the same language as all other architects
• Mapping modeling language (like Archimate) to produced architecture content

So let’s get started!

What is TOGAF?

TOGAF is an architecture framework that provides the methods and tools for assisting in the acceptance, production, use, and maintenance of an enterprise architecture. It is based on an iterative process model supported by best practices and a re-usable set of existing architecture assets.

Source

TOGAF is de facto standard of the process and model needed to fulfill enterprise architecture. It defines also techniques that should be used and products that are the outcomes of an architecture design process. TOGAF, as name implies, is open standard managed by The Open Group, consortium including many IT companies, vendors as well as government agencies.

Relation to other frameworks

Probably you have already heard about other frameworks like COBIT, ITIL or PRINCE2. So how they fit into an enterprise and enterprise architecture?

COBIT is an IT governance framework, which has high-level, business-oriented approach to provide an end-to-end view of IT and the decisions to be made about IT. It focuses on processes to enable clear policy development and good practice for IT control throughout organizations.

ITIL is a set of detailed practices for IT service management.  ITIL describes design process of an architecture not from enterprise level (like TOGAF) but rather on solution level, looking from IT service management perspective. It also covers how IT service should be operated, when implemented.

PRINCE2 is a project management framework. When you design a change in enterprise it can produce many projects to achieve your goal. Those projects must be managed somehow, here is where PRINCE2 can step in.

Components

During exam preparation I found in TOGAF Pocket Guide sentence that in my eyes best describes all framework components and how they are related:

Central of TOGAF is Architecture Development Method. The Architecture Capability operates the method. The method is supported by number of guidelines and techniques. This produces content stored in repository, which is classified according to Enterprise Continuum. The repository is initially populated with the TOGAF Reference Models.

In next posts I will get into details and describe each of mentioned components.

Reference materials

Webinar: TOGAF & Major IT Frameworks (ITIL, COBIT, PRINCE2)
Togaf 9.2 documentation