Scenario: Armstrong Defense Industries
Please read this scenario prior to answering the question
Armstrong Defense Industries is the prime contractor for the Dreadnought Unmanned Aircraft
System program.
Over the course of this contract, the company has grown rapidly by acquisition and has inherited
numerous different procurement processes and related IT systems. Armstrong Defense is moving
aggressively to consolidate and reduce redundant procurement processes and systems. The CEO has
announced that the company will seek to leverage higher volume discounts and lower related IT
support costs by instituting a preferred supplier program.
To achieve this goal, Armstrong Defense needs to define Baseline and Target Architectures. These
architectures must address key stakeholders concerns such as:
1. What groups of people should be involved in procurement-related business processes?
2. What current applications do those groups use?
3. Which procurement-related business processes are supported by zero, one, or many existing
applications?
4. What are the overall lifetimes of the Request for Proposal and Purchase Order business objects?
5. What non-procurement applications will need to be integrated with any new procurement
applications?
6. What data will need to be shared?
At present, there are no particularly useful architectural assets related to this initiative. All assets
need to be acquired and customized or created from scratch. The company prefers to implement
existing package applications from systems vendors with little customization.
The architecture development project has just completed its Architecture Context iteration cycle and
is about to begin the Architecture Definition iteration cycle.
Armstrong Defense is using TOGAF for its internal Enterprise Architecture activities. It uses an
iterative approach for executing Architecture Development Method (ADM) projects.
Refer to the Armstrong Defense Industries Scenario
You are serving as the Lead Architect.
You have been asked to identify the most appropriate architecture viewpoints for this situation.
Based on TOGAF 9, which of the following is the best answer?
A.
In the early iterations of the Architecture Definition:
• Describe the Baseline Business Architecture with a Baseline Business Process catalog
• Describe the Baseline Application Architecture with a Technology Portfolio catalog
• Describe the Baseline Data Architecture with a Data diagram
In the later iterations of the Architecture Definition:
• Describe the Target Business Architecture with an Actor/Process/Data catalog
• Describe the Target Application Architecture with a System/Technology matrix
• Describe the Target Data Architecture with a Data Dissemination diagram
B.
In the early iterations of the Architecture Definition:
• Describe the Target Business Architecture with a Business Service/Function catalog and a Business
Interaction matrix
• Describe the key business objects with Product Lifecycle diagrams
• Describe the Target Application Architecture with Application Communication diagrams and an
Application Interaction matrix
• Describe the Target Data Architecture with a Data Entity/Business Function matrix and a
System/Data matrix
In the later iterations of the Architecture Definition:
• Describe the Baseline Business Architecture with a Business Service/Function catalog and a
Business Interaction matrix
• Describe the Baseline Application Architecture with a System/Organization matrix and a
System/Function matrix
• Describe the Baseline Data Architecture with a Data Entity/Data Component catalog
C.
In the early iterations of the Architecture Definition:
• Describe the Target Business Architecture with a Business Service/Function catalog and an
Organization/Actor catalog
• Describe the key business objects with Data Lifecycle diagrams
• Describe the Target Application Architecture with Application Communication diagrams and an
Application Interaction matrix
• Describe the Target Data Architecture with a System/Data matrix
In the later iterations of the Architecture Definition:
• Describe the Baseline Business Architecture with a Business Service/Function catalog and a
Business Interaction matrix
• Describe the Baseline Application Architecture with an Application and User Location diagram and
a System/Function matrix
• Describe the Baseline Data Architecture with a Data Entity/Data Component catalog
D.
In the early iterations of the Architecture Definition:
• Describe the Baseline Business Architecture with an Organization/Actor catalog
• Describe the Baseline Application Architecture with a System/Function matrix
• Describe the Baseline Data Architecture using a Data Entity/Data Component catalog
In the later iterations of the Architecture Definition:
• Describe the Target Business Architecture with en Organization/Actor catalog
• Describe the Target Application Architecture using Application Communication diagrams end an
Application Interaction matrix
• Describe the Target Data Architecture with a System/Data matrix
Anybody able to explain why B is the right answer?
0
0
Answer D: System/Data matrix is now called Application/Data matrix.
Baseline architecture is covered before target architecture whatever the phase. In this case, it’s just the beginning of Architecture Definition iteration cycle.
Ref. 8.4.2 Develop a Baseline Description of the existing Business Architecture, to the extent necessary to suppor t the Target Business Architecture. The scope and level of detail to be defined will depend on the extent to which existing business elements are likely to be carried over into the Target Business Architecture.
But it is not mentioned anywhere (or I can’t find) that the Baseline should come before Target Arch. Your comments ?
1
0
Option B
It is mentioned that existing system is outdated
– consolidate and reduce redundant procurement processes and systems
– no particularly useful architectural assets
Therefore, it will be useful to first build Target Architecture and then Base Architecture
Also based upon the Stakeholders concerns, Option B looks very relevant.
3
0
Baseline first & then Target…I believe A is the right answer.
1
4
Two approaches can be adopted within the ADM for the development of architectures:
n Baseline First: In this style, an assessment of the baseline landscape is used to identify
problem areas and improvement opportunities. This process is most suitable when the
baseline is complex, not clearly understood, or agreed upon. This approach is common
where organizational units have had a high degree of autonomy.
n Target First: In this style, the target solution is elaborated in detail and then mapped back
to the baseline, in order to identify change activity. This process is suitable when a target
state is agreed at a high level and where the enterpr ise wishes to effectively transition to
the target model.
So we can choose either one of them and hence argument of Option D is incorrect
Out of Options B & C, right answer is B since in D The key point is the Business Objects that can be represented using Product LifeCycle diagram in Business Architecture Phase. Not by using Data Lifecycle Diagram (as in C)
5
0
Option B is the right choice. Reason being is that all the viewpoints(diagrams/matrix/catalogues) are there in the TOGAF. If you check other options there will be some wrong viewpoints mentioned which are not there in TOGAF.
1
0
There is no architectural assets currently so Target first approach is best one. Hence exclude Option (A, D).
Option B is most appropriate at it covers all viewpoints.
2nd most appropriate is Option C
1
0
In Option C, Organization/Actor catalog Captures all the IT Sytems and corresponding actors (users who use it). Its broad and general. Business Interaction Matrix in B is more helpful than that – Represents Services in an Enterprise. So B. Also Target First approach as they are using COTS based product so A and D go off.
0
0
It’s B for another reason: Data Lifecycle Diagram is part of Application Architecture, not Business Architecture.
Target first is the optimum approach if little or no architectural assets exist
3
0