Beyond the Zachman framework: Problem-oriented system architecture

The year 2012 marks the twenty-fifth anniversary of BA framework for information systems architecture,[ written by John Zachman and published in the IBM Systems Journal. The first part of this paper reviews the Zachman and similar frameworks and concludes that there are a number of limitations in the framework approach when applied to today’s technology environment and business problems. These include the inability of the problem owner to properly describe a solution, the partitioning approach, and the decision-making processes in the context of uncertainty and change. The second part of this paper analyzes today’s problems and allocates them to one of three classifications: tame, complex, and wicked, depending on the degree of certainty and stability of knowledge and decisions in both the problem and the solution domains. The final part outlines an approach to problem-solving and architecture development using techniques borrowed from cybernetics and control theory. It proposes that partitioning should be determined by the nature of the problem and potential solutions; that feedback loops should be implemented in order to control the process; that the architect should work across the business problem and solution spaces; and that decisions should be related to business value.