What is Architecture?

ISO/IEC 42010 describes Architecture as:

“THE fundamental concepts or properties of a system in its environment embodied in its elements, relationships, and in the principles of its design and evolution”.

In the case of the NAF, a system is anything that can be considered with a: systemic approach, that is a:

• product,

• service,

• information system

• system of systems, or

• enterprise.

However a description of architecture can be started before any identification of systems. This is the case when the description starts with a pure operational description or a set of operational capabilities explaining what the user needs.

Why Develop Architecture?

Architectures are developed for a number of purposes. Their development can be described as both a process and a discipline. Architectures aid the development of systems that deliver solutions that can meet an organisations needs in achieving its mission.

Examples of why architecture is required:

• Planning the transition of capability throughout its lifecycle.

• Achieve greater flexibility, adaptability and capacity for cost effective acquisitions and building Multinational systems for supporting operations.

• Understanding and mitigating risks.

• Adapt better to changes in the business landscape, industry trends and regulatory environment.

• Align business and technology to the same set of priorities.

• In planning investment and controlling expenditure to business.

• Improve communication within technical domains and between communities of interest.