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UAF Deep Dive

Disclaimer: This is not an official OMG document. The ontology files are an independent RDF/OWL representation of UAF concepts for use within the Linked.Archi architecture knowledge graph.

1. What is UAF

The Unified Architecture Framework (UAF) is an OMG standard that provides a unified architecture framework superseding DoDAF, MODAF, and NAF. UAF organizes architectural data across 10 viewpoints and 11 aspects, defining approximately 288 metaclasses across multiple domains.

UAF supports capability-based planning, service-oriented architecture, and enterprise-wide architecture governance. It is designed for defense, government, and complex enterprise environments requiring rigorous architecture descriptions conforming to ISO/IEC/IEEE 42010.

Source: OMG UAF 1.2 Specification

Predecessor frameworks: DoDAF 2.02, MODAF 1.2, NAF 4.0

2. UAF Grid Structure

UAF uses a grid of Viewpoints × Aspects:

Viewpoints (10)

  1. Architecture Management (Am) — governance, stakeholders, architectural descriptions
  2. Strategic (St) — vision, goals, capabilities, drivers
  3. Operational (Op) — activities, performers, exchanges (implementation-independent)
  4. Services (Sv) — service-oriented architecture
  5. Personnel (Pr) — organizations, persons, posts
  6. Resources (Rs) — systems, platforms, functions (implementation-specific)
  7. Security (Sc) — assets, controls, enclaves
  8. Projects (Pj) — delivery projects, milestones, phases
  9. Standards (Sd) — applicable standards and protocols
  10. Actual Resources (Ar) — deployed instances

Aspects (11)

  1. Motivation — why (vision, goals, drivers)
  2. Taxonomy — hierarchical classification
  3. Structure — internal composition
  4. Connectivity — connections and interfaces
  5. Processes — behavioral flows
  6. States — state machines
  7. Sequences — ordered interactions
  8. Information — data models
  9. Constraints — rules and policies
  10. Roadmap — temporal evolution
  11. Traceability — cross-viewpoint mappings

3. File Inventory (frameworks/uaf/)

File Description
uaf-onto.ttl Main ontology — UAF metaclasses and relationships
uaf-metamodel.ttl Metamodel manifest — aggregates all resources
uaf-tax.ttl SKOS taxonomy — classification by viewpoint and aspect
uaf-viewpoints.ttl Viewpoint definitions — arch:Viewpoint instances
uaf-shapes.ttl SHACL shapes — domain/range constraints
uaf-crossmappings.ttl Cross-language SKOS mappings — UAF ↔ ArchiMate 4.0, UAF ↔ DoDAF

4. Namespaces

Prefix Namespace
uaf https://meta.linked.archi/uaf/onto#
uafmm https://meta.linked.archi/uaf/metamodel#
uaftax https://meta.linked.archi/uaf/tax#
uafvp https://meta.linked.archi/uaf/viewpoints#
uafsh https://meta.linked.archi/uaf/shapes#

5. Cross-Language Integration

UAF concepts integrate with other Linked.Archi modeling languages:

  • ArchiMate 4.0 — uaf:Capability ↔ am:Capability (closeMatch), service and organizational concepts mapped via relatedMatch
  • DoDAF 2.02 — Direct lineage mappings (closeMatch) for most operational and capability concepts
  • Core ontology — All UAF elements extend arch:Element; all qualified relationships extend arch:QualifiedRelationship

6. References