DT_Sam
Sam Nice
Dunstan Thomas ConsultingWhat's new with ArchiMate 3.0 & EA v.13?
ArchiMate 3.0
by Phil Chudley, Principal Consultant at Dunstan Thomas Consulting
The Open Group released the official specification of ArchiMate 3.0 in June 2016, and this new specification is supported in Enterprise Architect version 13. This article summarises the new features and changes within ArchiMate 3.0 and provides an example of how to migrate an existing ArchiMate 2.0 model to ArchiMate 3.0 model using Enterprise Architect v.13.
Summary of Changes
The following is a summary of the changes made within ArchiMate 3.0:
- Motivation Extension;
- New element for modelling Outcomes.
- New set of Strategy Elements, Resource, Capability, Course of Action.
- Business Layer;
- Representation of the Contract element modified so as to be different from the Business Object Element.
- Location element removed (although Enterprise Architect has re-located this element to the Technology Layer – Physical Extension).
- Application Layer;
- Two new elements added, Application Process and Application Event
- Technology layer;
- Elements called Infrastructure in ArchiMate 2.0 are now called Technology in ArchiMate 3.0.
- Four new elements added, Technology Process, Technology Interaction, Technology Event and Technology Collaboration.
- New set of Physical Elements, Equipment, Facility, Distribution Network and Material. These elements are known as the Physical Extension.
- Implementation and Migration Extension;
- One new element added, Implementation Event.
- Relationships;
- Representation of Assignment modified to have a directional arrow.
- Bi-directional Access relationship added.
- Plus (positive) and Minus (negative) symbols added to Influence Relationship.
- New relationship, Serving.
Detail of Changes
The following tables provided an example of the changes for each of the sections listed in the Summary of Changes above.
Motivation Extension
Element | Definition | Notation |
Outcome | An end result that has been achieved. | |
Resource | An asset owned or controlled by an individual or organisation. | |
Capability | An ability that an active structure element, such as an organisation, person, or system possesses. | |
Course of Action | An approach or plan for configuring some capabilities and resources of the enterprise, undertaken to achieve a goal. |
Business Layer
Element | Definition | Notation |
Contract | A formal or informal specification of an agreement between a provided and consumer that specifies the rights and obligations associated with a product. |
Application Layer
Element | Definition | Notation |
Application Process | A sequence of application behaviours that achieves a specific outcome. | |
Application Event | An application behaviour element that denotes a state change. |
Technology Layer
Element | Definition | Notation |
Technology Collaboration | An aggregate of two or more nodes that work together to perform collective technology behaviour. | |
Technology Process | A sequence of technology behaviours that achieves a specific outcome. | |
Technology Event | A technology behaviour element that denotes a state of change. | |
Technology Interaction | A unit of collective technology behaviour performed by (a collaboration of) two or more nodes. | |
Equipment | One or more physical machines, tools, or instruments that can create, use, store, move, or transform materials. | |
Facility | A physical structure or environment. | |
Distribution Network | A physical network used to transport materials or energy. | |
Material | Tangible physical matter or physical elements. |
Implementation & Migration Extension
Element | Definition | Notation |
Implementation Event | A behaviour element that denotes a change of state related to an implementation or migration. |
Relationships
Element | Definition | Notation |
Assignment | Expresses the allocation of responsibility, performance of behaviour, or execution. | |
Serving | Models that an element provides its functionality to another element. | |
Access | Models the ability of behaviour and active structure elements to observe or act upon passive structure elements. | |
Influence | Models that an element affects the implementation or achievement of some motivation element. |
Implications to existing ArchiMate models
If an organisation has modelled their Enterprise Architecture using Enterprise Architect and ArchiMate 2, and are now using Version 13 of Enterprise Architect, they have two courses of action:
- Continue to model using ArchiMate 2.0. In this case no action is required either for Enterprise Architect or the model repository. An organisation would continue to model using ArchiMate 2.0 if they do not wish to make use of any of the new features in ArchiMate 3.0.
- Migrate their existing ArchiMate 2.0 model to ArchiMate 3.0, and then continue to model using ArchiMate 3.0. An organisation would continue to model using ArchiMate 2.0 if they wish to make use of any of the new features in ArchiMate 3.0.
My own personal opinion is that an organisation should consider moving to Enterprise Architect version 13 (mainly due its new feature of “Time Aware Modelling”) and ArchiMate 3.0. One of the main reasons, is due to inherent ambiguity (due to the lack of direction indication) in the assigns relationship in ArchiMate 2.0, which has been eliminated in ArchiMate 3.0 by making the assigns relationship directional.
Migrating an ArchiMate 2.0 model to ArchiMate 3.0
Enterprise Architect version 13 provides a migration script for this purpose. The following steps are used to perform the migration:
- Take a backup copy of the existing model repository.
- Using the Configure | Manage Technology ribbon, ensure that both ArchiMate 2.0 and ArchiMate 3.0 MDG technologies are enabled.
- Using the Code | Scripting ribbon, make the scripting window visible:
- Select the topmost package (or view) that contains the model to migrate:
- Select the script Migrate ArchiMate 2 to ArchiMate 3 in the scripting window.
- Right-click and select Run Script from the menu.
- The progress of the migration, together with any errors / warnings will be displayed in the system output window.
- Review the diagrams (you may have to tidy some of the relationships).
- Turn off the MDG ArchiMate 2.0 using the Configure | Manage Technology ribbon.
NOTE: It appears that composition relationships are NOT HIDDEN, when using nested structures in ArchiMate 3.0. I suspect this is an Enterprise Architect version 13 issue. This is likely to be fixed and should not deter migration, as these relationships can always be hidden using the Visible Relations function in Enterprise Architect. (Layout | Manage ribbon and select Show and Hide Relationships… from the menu).
Phil Chudley
Principal Consultant
Dunstan Thomas Consulting
@SparxEAGuru
You'll find lots of useful Enterprise Architect videos on our YouTube Channel.
New EA workshops from Dunstan Thomas
NEW: Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect Workshops from Dunstan Thomas Consulting
As an alternative to our traditional classroom style training Dunstan Thomas Consulting now offer a series of Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect workshops.
These workshops provide all the fundamental practical skills that are necessary in order for you to use Enterprise Architect efficiently and effectively. The emphasis is on the practical rather than the theoretical and we will work with you so that exercises can be tailored to meet your specific modelling requirements.
Available Workshops
Our current offering of Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect Workshops include:
- Getting started with Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect workshop
- MDG workshop for Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect
- Reporting with Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect workshop
- Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect; Database Modelling workshop
- SysML 1.4 with Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect workshop
- BPMN 2.0 with Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect workshop
- Scripting with Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect workshop
All details are available on our website or call our sales team on +44 (0) 23 9282 2254.
Exploring Enterprise Architect through video...part 7
Re-Using Elements
In this latest instalment in the series Phil Chudley will be looking at how to re-use Elements from your repository in Enterprise Architect.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_DIs2ROV8fM
As always all of our videos are available right now via our YouTube channel ... and don't forget to subscribe!
Exploring Enterprise Architect through video...part 6
Managing Connectors
In this latest instalment in the series Phil Chudley will be looking at managing your connectors in Enterprise Architect.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UhTsvUDrgDU
As always all of our videos are available right now via our YouTube channel ... and don't forget to subscribe!
EA User Group; London - Agenda Confirmed
The EA User Group returns to London this May
On the 17th May the annual London meeting of the Enterprise Architect User Group will be happening at Skillsmatter's Code Node venue.
The final agenda has been confirmed today and we've got a great day lined up...
Agenda
Tickets
Tickets are available from the EA User Group website at the price of £65.00 +Vat per person.
Exploring Enterprise Architect through video...part 5
Creating Composite Elements
In this latest instalment in the series Phil Chudley will be looking at creating composite elements in Enterprise Architect.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EbWwYAc1ijM
As always all of our videos are available right now via our YouTube channel ... and don't forget to subscribe!
New: Dunstan Thomas Consulting MDG Workshop
MDG Workshop
Dunstan Thomas Consulting is proud to announce the new one day MDG Workshop!
Overview
Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect provides modelling extensions to supplement UML through a technology known as Model Driven Generator or MDG. Tools are provided in Enterprise Architect for experienced users to develop their own MDGs either from scratch or based upon an existing MDG such as ArchiMate, or BPMN. This one day workshop will provide attendees with a practical experience of the tasks required to build a typical MDG.
Agenda
The following topics will be covered:
- What is an MDG, what it can contain and the benefits an MDG can provided to an organization.
- Using the Model Wizard to create an MDG model repository.
- The steps in planning an MDG.
- Tagged values, their typed, use and creation.
- Using the MDG Helpers to create a Profile.
- Using the MDG Helpers to create a customized Toolbox.
- Using the MDG Helpers to create a customized Diagram.
- Generating the MDG.
- Testing the MDG.
- Deploying the MDG.
- Making changes to the MDG and applying those changes to an existing model repository.
- Shapescripts, their use, structure and applicability to an MDG.
- The concept of Quicklink and its application to a customized Diagram.
Full details are available on our website.
Exploring Enterprise Architect through video...part 4
Creating a Diagram
In this latest instalment in the series Phil Chudley will be looking at the basics involved in creating a diagram using Enterprise Architect.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hs98ZjLqCMQ
As always all of our videos are available right now via our YouTube channel ... and don't forget to subscribe!
Exploring Enterprise Architect through video...part 3
In this third instalment of exploring EA through video Phil is looking at Creating a Repository:
If you can't wait to view all of our videos from this series please visit our YouTube channel ... and don't forget to subscribe!
BPMN Generator from Dunstan Thomas Consulting
BPMN Generator
An add-in for Enterprise Architect from Dunstan Thomas Consulting
We have had our very own Phil Chudley busy beavering away at a new project which is now commercially available & already in use with DT's customer base.
Overview
Sparx Systems Enterprise Architect has the functionality to create diagrams directly from Use Case textual scenarios, the most common of which is termed an Activity Graph. This Activity Graph is a simplified form of UML Activity Diagram. This works well, but many organisations have, or are in the process of, standardising the modelling of process flows using BPMN 2.0, and this form of diagram is not supported by Enterprise Architect. The BPMN Generator extension for Enterprise Architect has been developed by Dunstan Thomas Consulting Ltd to provide the functionality to generate a BPMN 2.0 process flow diagram from Use Case textual scenarios. A typical example is shown below:
Textual Scenario for the Basic Path
Textual Scenario for the Alternate Path
Generated BPMN 2.0 Diagram
The BPMN Generator also provides the modeller with options to set:
- The top margin of the generated diagram.
- The left margin of the generated diagram.
- The default height of each task.
- The adjustment height of each task (used to ensure that text fits in a task).
- Whether or not a new diagram and elements will be generated rather than overwrite any existing diagram and elements.
Watch the video below to see the BPMN Generator in action:
The BPMN Generator is available from Dunstan Thomas Consulting at £85.00 +Vat per licence. If you would like additional information or to purchase licences for the BPMN Generator then please contact us.