Name: Linked.Archi EA on a Page Taxonomy
Creator: Kalin Maldzhanski
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

EA on a Page Classification

▼EA Artifact Types

The six general types of EA artifacts identified empirically by the CSVLOD taxonomy: Considerations, Standards, Visions, Landscapes, Outlines, and Designs. Each type is characterized by its nature (rules/structures/changes) and focus (business/IT).

https://meta.linked.archi/eaonapage/tax#ArtifactTypes
- ▼Considerations
  
  Global conceptual rules and fundamental considerations important for business and relevant to IT. Dual EA artifacts relevant to both business leaders and architects.
  
  Scope Note: Considerations represent planning decisions on how an organization needs to work from the business and IT perspective. They are developed collaboratively by senior business executives and architects and then used to influence all downstream architectural decisions. Considerations can be viewed as the overarching organizational context for information systems planning. The general purpose of all Considerations is to help achieve the agreement on basic principles, values, directions and aims. The proper use of Considerations leads to improved overall conceptual consistency between business and IT.
  
  Example: Architecture principles, policies, business continuity requirements.
  
  See Also: Consideration
  
  https://meta.linked.archi/eaonapage/tax#Considerations
  - Principle (Principles)
    
    Global high-level guidelines influencing all decision-making and planning in an organization.
    
    https://meta.linked.archi/eaonapage/tax#Principle
  - Policy (Policies)
    
    Overarching organizational norms typically of a restrictive nature providing compulsory prescriptions in certain areas.
    
    https://meta.linked.archi/eaonapage/tax#Policy
  - Conceptual Data Model
    
    Abstract definitions of the main data entities critical for the business of an organization and their relationship.
    
    https://meta.linked.archi/eaonapage/tax#ConceptualDataModel
  - Analytical Report
    
    Executive-level analyses of relevant technology trends and their potential impact on the business of an organization.
    
    https://meta.linked.archi/eaonapage/tax#AnalyticalReport
  - Direction Statement
    
    Conceptual messages communicating major organization-wide decisions with far-reaching consequences.
    
    https://meta.linked.archi/eaonapage/tax#DirectionStatement
- ▼Standards
  
  Global technical rules, standards, patterns and best practices relevant to IT systems. Not dual — relevant mostly to architects.
  
  Scope Note: Standards represent mostly planning decisions on how all IT systems should be implemented and some facts on current approaches and technologies. They are developed collaboratively by architects and technical subject-matter experts and used to shape the architectures of all IT initiatives. Standards can be regarded as proven reusable means for IT systems implementation. The general purpose of all Standards is to help achieve technical consistency, technological homogeneity and regulatory compliance. The proper use of Standards leads to faster delivery of new IT initiatives and reduced IT-related costs, risks and complexity.
  
  Example: Technology standards prescribing application platforms, database systems, integration patterns.
  
  See Also: Standard
  
  https://meta.linked.archi/eaonapage/tax#Standards
  - Technology Reference Model
    
    Structured graphical representations of all technologies used in an organization.
    
    https://meta.linked.archi/eaonapage/tax#TechnologyReferenceModel
  - Guideline (Guidelines)
    
    IT-specific implementation-level prescriptions applicable in narrow technology-specific areas or domains.
    
    https://meta.linked.archi/eaonapage/tax#Guideline
  - Pattern (Patterns)
    
    Generic reusable solutions to commonly occurring problems in the design of IT systems.
    
    https://meta.linked.archi/eaonapage/tax#Pattern
  - IT Principle (IT Principles)
    
    Global high-level IT-specific guidelines influencing all IT-related decisions and plans in an organization.
    
    https://meta.linked.archi/eaonapage/tax#ITPrinciple
  - Logical Data Model
    
    Logical or physical platform-specific definitions of common data entities and their relationship.
    
    https://meta.linked.archi/eaonapage/tax#LogicalDataModel
- ▼Visions
  
  High-level conceptual descriptions of an organization from the business perspective. Dual EA artifacts relevant to both business leaders and architects, often focusing on the long-term future up to 3-5 years ahead.
  
  Scope Note: Visions represent mostly planning decisions on what IT should deliver to an organization in the long run. They are developed collaboratively by senior business executives and architects and then used to guide IT investments, identify, prioritize and launch new IT initiatives. Visions can be considered as shared views of an organization and its future agreed by business and IT. The general purpose of all Visions is to help achieve the alignment between IT investments and long-term business outcomes. The proper use of Visions leads to improved strategic alignment and effectiveness of IT investments.
  
  Example: Business capability maps, target state architectures, strategic roadmaps.
  
  See Also: Vision
  
  https://meta.linked.archi/eaonapage/tax#Visions
  - Business Capability Model
    
    Structured graphical representations of all organizational business capabilities, their relationship and hierarchy.
    
    https://meta.linked.archi/eaonapage/tax#BusinessCapabilityModel
  - Roadmap
    
    Structured graphical views of all planned IT initiatives in specific business areas having direct business value.
    
    https://meta.linked.archi/eaonapage/tax#Roadmap
  - Target State
    
    High-level graphical descriptions of the desired long-term future state of an organization.
    
    https://meta.linked.archi/eaonapage/tax#TargetState
  - Value Chain
    
    Structured graphical representations of the added value chain of an organization.
    
    https://meta.linked.archi/eaonapage/tax#ValueChain
  - Context Diagram
    
    High-level graphical descriptions of the current operational flows of an organization.
    
    https://meta.linked.archi/eaonapage/tax#ContextDiagram
- ▼Landscapes
  
  High-level technical descriptions of the organizational IT landscape. Not dual — relevant predominantly to architects, more often focusing on the current state.
  
  Scope Note: Landscapes represent mostly facts on the current IT landscape and some planning decisions on its future evolution. They are developed and maintained by architects and used to rationalize the IT landscape, manage the lifecycle of IT assets and plan new IT initiatives. Landscapes can be viewed as a knowledge base of reference materials on the IT landscape. The general purpose of all Landscapes is to help understand, analyze and modify the structure of the IT landscape. The proper use of Landscapes leads to increased reuse and reduced duplication of IT assets, improved IT agility and decreased dependence on legacy IT systems.
  
  Example: Landscape diagrams, application inventories, infrastructure maps, IT roadmaps.
  
  See Also: Landscape
  
  https://meta.linked.archi/eaonapage/tax#Landscapes
  - Landscape Diagram
    
    Technical boxes-and-arrows schemes of different scopes and granularities describing the organizational IT landscape.
    
    https://meta.linked.archi/eaonapage/tax#LandscapeDiagram
  - Inventory
    
    Structured catalogs of currently available IT assets describing their essential properties and features.
    
    https://meta.linked.archi/eaonapage/tax#Inventory
  - Enterprise System Portfolio
    
    Structured high-level mappings of all essential IT systems to relevant business capabilities.
    
    https://meta.linked.archi/eaonapage/tax#EnterpriseSystemPortfolio
  - IT Roadmap
    
    Structured graphical views of all planned IT initiatives of a purely technical nature having no visible business impact.
    
    https://meta.linked.archi/eaonapage/tax#ITRoadmap
- ▼Outlines
  
  High-level descriptions of separate IT initiatives understandable to business leaders. Dual EA artifacts relevant to both business executives and architects, usually focusing on the mid-term future up to 1-2 years ahead.
  
  Scope Note: Outlines represent planning decisions on how approximately specific IT initiatives should be implemented. They are developed collaboratively by architects and business executives and then used to evaluate, approve and fund specific IT initiatives. Outlines can be regarded essentially as benefit, time and price tags for proposed IT initiatives. The general purpose of all Outlines is to help estimate the overall business impact and value of proposed IT initiatives. The proper use of Outlines leads to improved efficiency and ROI of IT investments.
  
  Example: Solution overviews, options assessments, initiative proposals.
  
  See Also: Outline
  
  https://meta.linked.archi/eaonapage/tax#Outlines
  - Solution Overview
    
    High-level descriptions of specific proposed IT solutions understandable to business leaders.
    
    https://meta.linked.archi/eaonapage/tax#SolutionOverview
  - Options Assessment
    
    Lists of available high-level implementation options for specific IT initiatives with their pros and cons.
    
    https://meta.linked.archi/eaonapage/tax#OptionsAssessment
  - Initiative Proposal
    
    Very early idea-level descriptions of proposed IT initiatives and their justifications.
    
    https://meta.linked.archi/eaonapage/tax#InitiativeProposal
- ▼Designs
  
  Detailed technical and functional descriptions of separate IT projects actionable for project teams. Dual EA artifacts relevant to both project teams and architects, usually focusing on the short-term future up to one year ahead.
  
  Scope Note: Designs represent planning decisions on how exactly specific IT projects should be implemented. They are developed collaboratively by architects, IT project teams and business representatives and then used by project teams to implement IT projects. Designs can be considered as communication interfaces between architects and project teams. The general purpose of all Designs is to help implement approved IT projects according to business and architectural requirements. The proper use of Designs leads to improved overall quality of project delivery.
  
  Example: Solution designs, preliminary solution designs.
  
  See Also: Design
  
  https://meta.linked.archi/eaonapage/tax#Designs
  - Solution Design
    
    Detailed technical and functional specifications of approved IT solutions actionable for project teams.
    
    https://meta.linked.archi/eaonapage/tax#SolutionDesign
  - Preliminary Solution Design
    
    Preliminary high-level technical and functional designs of specific approved IT solutions.
    
    https://meta.linked.archi/eaonapage/tax#PreliminarySolutionDesign
▼Maturity Stages

Classification of EA practice maturity into four stages based on empirical observation across 27+ organizations. Describes what is typically observed at each stage, not what should be achieved in a linear progression.

See Also:

https://meta.linked.archi/eaonapage/tax#MaturityStages
- Stage Zero — No Architecture (Stage 0)
  
  No established EA practice. IT decisions are made ad hoc by individual project teams without overarching governance, standards, or strategic alignment. There are no dedicated architecture roles, no shared artifacts, and no architecture governance bodies.
  
  Scope Note: Typical characteristics: no EA artifacts in use, no architecture roles, no governance arrangements, no strategic IT planning. IT is purely reactive.
  
  https://meta.linked.archi/eaonapage/tax#StageZero
- Stage One — IT Optimization (Stage 1)
  
  EA practice focused on technology rationalization. Standards and Landscapes are the primary artifacts. The Technology Optimization process is established. Architecture governance is informal or limited to technology standards compliance.
  
  Scope Note: Typical artifacts: Technology Reference Models, Landscape Diagrams, Inventories. Typical roles: enterprise architects focused on technology. Governance: informal technology standards review.
  
  https://meta.linked.archi/eaonapage/tax#StageOne
- Stage Two — Solution Delivery (Stage 2)
  
  EA practice extends to guiding project delivery. Initiative Delivery process is established alongside Technology Optimization. Outlines and Designs are produced for major initiatives. Solution architect roles emerge. Architecture review becomes a formal gate in the project lifecycle.
  
  Scope Note: Typical artifacts: all Stage One artifacts plus Solution Overviews, Options Assessments, Solution Designs. Typical roles: enterprise architects and solution architects. Governance: formal architecture review board for project-level decisions.
  
  https://meta.linked.archi/eaonapage/tax#StageTwo
- Stage Three — Enterprise Architecture (Stage 3)
  
  Full EA practice with all three processes established. Strategic Planning is active, producing Considerations and Visions that guide investment decisions. All six CSVLOD artifact types are in use. Architecture governance spans from enterprise strategy to project delivery. Business leaders actively participate in architecture-informed strategic planning.
  
  Scope Note: Typical artifacts: all 24 artifacts across all six CSVLOD types. Typical roles: enterprise architects, solution architects, business leaders, IT leaders. Governance: multi-tier governance with strategic and operational review bodies, formal escalation paths, and governed artifact lifecycle.
  
  https://meta.linked.archi/eaonapage/tax#StageThree
▼Governance Model

Classification of EA governance arrangements including architecture tiers, governance body types, and governance activities. Based on EA Function on a Page by Kotusev.

See Also:

https://meta.linked.archi/eaonapage/tax#GovernanceModel
- ▼Architecture Tiers
  
  Levels in the architecture governance hierarchy.
  
  https://meta.linked.archi/eaonapage/tax#ArchitectureTiersGroup
  - One-Tier Model
    
    A single EA team handles all architecture activities — strategic planning, technology optimization, and initiative delivery. Typical in smaller organizations or early-maturity EA practices.
    
    https://meta.linked.archi/eaonapage/tax#OneTierModel
  - Two-Tier Model
    
    Enterprise architects handle strategic and technology artifacts (Considerations, Visions, Standards, Landscapes) while solution architects handle initiative-level artifacts (Outlines, Designs). The most common governance model observed in practice.
    
    https://meta.linked.archi/eaonapage/tax#TwoTierModel
  - Three-Tier Model
    
    Adds a domain or segment architecture layer between enterprise and solution tiers. Domain architects manage domain-specific standards, landscapes, and cross-initiative coordination. Typical in large, complex organizations.
    
    https://meta.linked.archi/eaonapage/tax#ThreeTierModel
- ▼Governance Bodies
  
  Types of organizational bodies that govern architecture decisions.
  
  https://meta.linked.archi/eaonapage/tax#GovernanceBodiesGroup
  - Architecture Review Board
    
    A governance body that reviews and approves architecture artifacts, particularly Outlines and Designs, for standards compliance and strategic alignment. Typically operates at the solution/project tier.
    
    https://meta.linked.archi/eaonapage/tax#ArchitectureReviewBoard
  - Steering Committee
    
    A senior governance body that oversees strategic architecture direction, approves Visions and Considerations, and resolves escalated architecture decisions. Typically includes business and IT leaders.
    
    https://meta.linked.archi/eaonapage/tax#SteeringCommittee
  - Technology Council
    
    A governance body focused on technology standards and landscape rationalization. Reviews and approves Standards artifacts, manages the Technology Reference Model, and governs technology lifecycle decisions.
    
    https://meta.linked.archi/eaonapage/tax#TechnologyCouncil
- ▼Governance Activities
  
  Types of governance activities in an EA practice.
  
  https://meta.linked.archi/eaonapage/tax#GovernanceActivitiesGroup
  - Architecture Review
    
    Review of architecture artifacts against standards, principles, and strategic direction.
    
    See Also: ArchitectureReview
    
    https://meta.linked.archi/eaonapage/tax#ReviewActivity
  - Approval
    
    Formal approval of an architecture artifact or initiative to proceed.
    
    See Also: Approval
    
    https://meta.linked.archi/eaonapage/tax#ApprovalActivity
  - Amendment
    
    Modification of an approved architecture artifact to reflect changed requirements.
    
    See Also: Amendment
    
    https://meta.linked.archi/eaonapage/tax#AmendmentActivity
  - Exemption
    
    Temporary deviation from established standards or principles for a specific initiative.
    
    See Also: Exemption
    
    https://meta.linked.archi/eaonapage/tax#ExemptionActivity
  - Escalation
    
    Escalation of a decision or conflict to a higher-tier governance body.
    
    See Also: Escalation
    
    https://meta.linked.archi/eaonapage/tax#EscalationActivity
▼Classification Dimensions

The independent facets used to classify EA artifacts. Each artifact is classified along all dimensions simultaneously (post-coordinated).

https://meta.linked.archi/eaonapage/tax#ClassificationDimensions
- ▼Nature
  
  Classification of EA artifacts by what objects they describe. The first dimension of the CSVLOD taxonomy organizes all EA artifacts into rules, structures and changes.
  
  https://meta.linked.archi/eaonapage/tax#NatureDimension
  - Rules
    
    EA artifacts that describe general global rules defining an organization or its divisions. Rules are permanent, created once and periodically updated. They do not refer to specific instances but apply to all instances of a certain type. Rules provide the basis for all other planning decisions and answer: "How do we work or want to work?"
    
    Scope Note: Often represented in textual formats. Intangible and uncountable. The most stable and infrequently changing EA artifacts.
    
    Example: Considerations (principles, policies) and Standards (technology reference models, patterns).
    
    https://meta.linked.archi/eaonapage/tax#Rules
  - Structures
    
    EA artifacts that describe high-level structures of an organization or its parts. Structures refer to specific but relatively abstract instances and often describe relationships between them. They are permanent, created once and continuously updated. Structures provide high-level maps facilitating decision-making and answer: "What approximately do we have or want to have?"
    
    Scope Note: Usually represented in graphical formats. Tangible and countable. Change together with an organization and its plans.
    
    Example: Visions (capability maps, target architectures) and Landscapes (application maps, inventories).
    
    https://meta.linked.archi/eaonapage/tax#Structures
  - Changes
    
    EA artifacts that describe specific proposed incremental changes to an organization — separate change initiatives or projects. Changes thoroughly describe concrete instances with internal details. They are temporary, created for specific purposes and then discarded. Changes represent the tactical plans and answer: "What exactly are we going to change right now?"
    
    Scope Note: Usually represented in mixed textual and graphical formats. The most volatile EA artifacts with short lifespans limited to project timeframes.
    
    Example: Outlines (solution overviews, options assessments) and Designs (solution designs, detailed specifications).
    
    https://meta.linked.archi/eaonapage/tax#Changes
- ▼Focus
  
  Classification of EA artifacts by how they describe objects. The second dimension of the CSVLOD taxonomy classifies all EA artifacts into business-focused and IT-focused.
  
  https://meta.linked.archi/eaonapage/tax#FocusDimension
  - Business-Focused
    
    EA artifacts that tend to be technology-neutral and use plain business language (money, customers, capabilities, business goals). They are brief, largely informal, use intuitive presentation formats, and contain only the most essential information relevant to executive-level audience. Business-focused artifacts are always dual — they serve as communication interfaces between business and IT. All are either developed collaboratively by architects and business executives, or at least consciously approved by business leaders.
    
    Scope Note: Help business leaders manage IT without understanding its technical details.
    
    https://meta.linked.archi/eaonapage/tax#BusinessFocused
  - IT-Focused
    
    EA artifacts that tend to be purely technical and use highly IT-specific language (systems, applications, databases, platforms, networks). They can be voluminous, formal, and detailed, sometimes using specialized modeling notations. IT-focused artifacts are intended primarily for architects and other IT specialists — used as reference materials for decision-making and project implementation within the IT department. Essentially internal IT tools invisible to business.
    
    Scope Note: Help architects organize IT according to their best understanding of the business interests.
    
    https://meta.linked.archi/eaonapage/tax#ITFocused
- ▼Scope
  
  Classification of EA artifacts by organizational scope.
  
  https://meta.linked.archi/eaonapage/tax#ScopeDimension
  - Organization-Wide
    
    Artifacts that apply across the entire organization.
    
    https://meta.linked.archi/eaonapage/tax#OrganizationWide
  - Initiative-Scoped
    
    Artifacts scoped to a specific initiative or programme of work.
    
    https://meta.linked.archi/eaonapage/tax#InitiativeScoped
  - Project-Scoped
    
    Artifacts scoped to a specific delivery project.
    
    https://meta.linked.archi/eaonapage/tax#ProjectScoped
- ▼Lifecycle
  
  Classification of EA artifacts by temporal lifecycle.
  
  https://meta.linked.archi/eaonapage/tax#LifecycleDimension
  - Permanent
    
    Artifacts developed once and updated periodically — rarely change fundamentally.
    
    https://meta.linked.archi/eaonapage/tax#Permanent
  - Long-Lived
    
    Artifacts maintained continuously and evolving as the organization changes.
    
    https://meta.linked.archi/eaonapage/tax#LongLived
  - Short-Lived
    
    Artifacts produced for a specific initiative or project, then archived.
    
    https://meta.linked.archi/eaonapage/tax#ShortLived
- ▼Usage Frequency
  
  Classification of EA artifact types by how commonly they are used across organizations.
  
  https://meta.linked.archi/eaonapage/tax#FrequencyDimension
  - Essential
    
    Used by the majority of organizations with an EA practice.
    
    https://meta.linked.archi/eaonapage/tax#Essential
  - Common
    
    Used by 25-50% of organizations with an EA practice.
    
    https://meta.linked.archi/eaonapage/tax#Common
  - Uncommon
    
    Used by 10-25% of organizations with an EA practice.
    
    https://meta.linked.archi/eaonapage/tax#Uncommon

Linked.Archi EA on a Page Taxonomy

EA on a Page Classification

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