Topics

As a TOGAF Certified Architect, this is the most important framework that I follow. In the Architecture Development Method (ADM), I follow the wheel starting with Preliminary to Architecture Vision. This is where we validate business principles, goals, and drivers. Most importantly, we define scope and components impacted through change. We need to understand Present Mode (PMO) and articulate Future Mode (FMO). In this channel we will focus on Basic UML concepts and may introduce ArchiMate along the way. ArchiMate is a graphical alignment for modeling Enterprise Architecture. Here we can align with the Business, Application, and Technology Layers as we understand the Motivation for Implementation and Migration strategies. For more, go here...

Moving from Vision to Design takes careful planning, but more importantly to follow a consistent repeatable and defined approaches through the Delivery Lifecycles. These approaches are iterative (agile) and never waterfall (one-an-done). We can start design at the first requirement (scope item), the sooner the better. In the UML Operator Channel we will demonstrate how this can be accomplished using Sparx Enterprise Architect (EA), but may introduce other tooling along the journey. For more. go here...

IMPORTANT NOTE: Every Requirement is a "Problem" to "Solve". Whether a small shop or a large enterprise, Solution Architects and Architecture is required. You cannot solve a problem until you know what the problem is to solve!

Build, or Development, requires that we validate Design, but again this is not in waterfall and must be done in an iterative manner (agile). Do NOT wait until Requirements are done, however validate Solution before starting Development.

I would commit Developers to the start of Build, but rather use Modeling to prototype Design and use pseudocode and simulation before spending valuable resources on actual code development. Starting with a Platform Independent Model (PIM), validating the proper technology before moving to Domain Specific Language(s) or technologies can be accomplished in Modeling Platforms such as Sparx EA. For more. go here...

TEST EVERYTHING! Testing should start with the first scope item (requirement or use case). Many organizations or shops fail to engage Testing Team early. I would have the Test Team actually engage before I bring in the first Architect (Solution or Application). This Team would view and understand the Nouns & Verbs first to start their Test Planning. Soon after, the Solution Architect would come in and too would look at nouns and verbs as they pertain to PMO-to-FMO. They, working with Test Team, would perform a Gap Analysis. Following TOGAF, we would look at the Architecture Building Blocks (ABB's) and the Solution Building Blocks (SBB's) to help understand and deliver the targeted Release(s). For more, go here...

Deploy (Release) depends on the capabilities of the Development Shop and the needs of the Client Sponsor. In the old days, we followed Waterfall which meant building everything first and then releasing the code in a production environment. Today we follow best practices for Continuous Integration Continuous Deployment (CICD). We work in a 3-stage development environment where we have Dev, Stage, and Production. Even with Monolithic Architecture mixed with Service Orient Architecture (e.g., Microservice Architecture Style), we still develop Code in Development (Dev) environment and "release" to Staging Environment which emulates Production. In this channel we will catalog our content to reference Release Modeling and Architecture. For more, go here...