Linked.Archi EDGY 23 Ontology
type: Ontology
version IRI: 23#
license: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/
created: 2025-06-27
creator: Kalin Maldzhanski
description: OWL ontology for the EDGY 23 Enterprise Design language by Intersection Group. Defines the four base elements (People, Outcome, Activity, Object), twelve facet and intersection elements, three relationship types (Link, Flow, Tree), and two label types (Tagging, Metrics). EDGY content is available under CC BY-SA 4.0 license.
modified: 2026-04-17
publisher: linked.archi
publisher: Linked.Archi
source: Enterprise Elements
status: draft
preferred namespace prefix: edgy
version info: 23

achieves outcome
type: ObjectProperty
source: People
definition: People achieve outcomes through their activities.
was quoted from: People
domain includes: People
range includes: Outcome

appears in journey
type: ObjectProperty
source: Link
definition: A brand appears in a journey, manifesting in people's experiences over time.
was quoted from: Link
domain includes: Brand
range includes: Journey

authors story
type: ObjectProperty
source: Link
definition: An organisation authors a story, creating the narrative about itself.
was quoted from: Link
domain includes: Organisation
range includes: Story

builds brand
type: ObjectProperty
source: Link
definition: An organisation builds a brand as a symbolic representation of itself.
was quoted from: Link
domain includes: Organisation
range includes: Brand

contextualises purpose
type: ObjectProperty
source: Link
definition: A story contextualises a purpose by providing narrative context for why the enterprise exists.
was quoted from: Link
domain includes: Story
range includes: Purpose

conveys story
type: ObjectProperty
source: Link
definition: Content conveys a story by carrying the narrative through media and messages.
was quoted from: Link
domain includes: Content
range includes: Story

creates product
type: ObjectProperty
source: Link
definition: A process creates a product through its activities.
was quoted from: Link
domain includes: Process
range includes: Product

embodies brand
type: ObjectProperty
source: Link
definition: A product embodies a brand, carrying its identity and promise to people.
was quoted from: Link
domain includes: Product
range includes: Brand

evokes story
type: ObjectProperty
source: Link
definition: A brand evokes a story, triggering narratives in people's minds.
was quoted from: Link
domain includes: Brand
range includes: Story

expresses purpose
type: ObjectProperty
source: Link
definition: Content expresses purpose by communicating the enterprise's reason for being.
was quoted from: Link
domain includes: Content
range includes: Purpose

features in journey
type: ObjectProperty
source: Link
definition: A product features in a journey, appearing in people's experiences over time.
was quoted from: Link
domain includes: Product
range includes: Journey

flows to
type: ObjectProperty
source: Flow
definition: An element influences another by passing objects.
was quoted from: Flow
domain includes: Enterprise Element
range includes: Enterprise Element

has capability
type: ObjectProperty
source: Link
definition: An organisation has a capability it can perform.
was quoted from: Link
domain includes: Organisation
range includes: Capability

has metric
type: ObjectProperty
source: Metrics
definition: Attaches a Metrics label to an enterprise element to add a measurable quantity or quality.
domain includes: Enterprise Element
range includes: Metrics

has tag
type: ObjectProperty
source: Tagging
definition: Attaches a Tagging label to an enterprise element to differentiate it by type, priority, or category.
domain includes: Enterprise Element
range includes: Tagging

is part of journey
type: ObjectProperty
source: Link
definition: A task is part of a journey, representing what people want to accomplish within their experience.
was quoted from: Link
domain includes: Task
range includes: Journey

leads to outcome
type: ObjectProperty
source: Activity
definition: Activities lead to outcomes as their results.
was quoted from: Activity
domain includes: Activity
range includes: Outcome

links to
type: ObjectProperty
source: Link
definition: A meaningful structural association between two enterprise elements.
was quoted from: Link
domain includes: Enterprise Element
range includes: Enterprise Element

makes product
type: ObjectProperty
source: Link
definition: An organisation makes a product for people's benefit.
was quoted from: Link
domain includes: Organisation
range includes: Product

needed to achieve
type: ObjectProperty
source: Object
definition: Objects are needed to achieve outcomes.
was quoted from: Object
domain includes: Object
range includes: Outcome

part of
type: ObjectProperty
source: Tree
definition: An element is part of another element of the same type.
example: ex:IdentityVerification edgy:partOf ex:CustomerOnboarding . # sub-capability is part of parent capability
example: ex:MobileApp edgy:partOf ex:BankingSuite . # product is part of product portfolio
example: ex:NorthEuropeTeam edgy:partOf ex:SalesDepartment . # team is part of department
scope note: Expresses a hierarchical whole/part relationship. The subject (source) is the subordinate part and the object (target) is the superordinate whole. A tree is always between elements of the same type — e.g. a sub-capability is part of a capability, a team is part of a department. Direction: child → parent (the child "is part of" the parent). Use nesting in visual maps to show the same relationship spatially.
was quoted from: Tree
domain includes: Enterprise Element
range includes: Enterprise Element

performs activity
type: ObjectProperty
source: People
definition: People and objects perform activities.
was quoted from: People
domain includes: Object
domain includes: People
range includes: Activity

performs process
type: ObjectProperty
source: Link
definition: An organisation performs a process as part of its operations.
was quoted from: Link
domain includes: Organisation
range includes: Process

requires asset (process)
type: ObjectProperty
source: Link
definition: A process requires an asset to operate.
was quoted from: Link
domain includes: Process
range includes: Asset

pursues purpose
type: ObjectProperty
source: Link
definition: An organisation pursues a purpose as its reason for existing.
was quoted from: Link
domain includes: Organisation
range includes: Purpose

qualified Flow
type: ObjectProperty
range: Flow
definition: Navigates from a source element to a Flow qualified relationship resource.
domain includes: Enterprise Element
unqualified form: flows to

qualified Link
type: ObjectProperty
range: Link
definition: Navigates from a source element to a Link qualified relationship resource.
domain includes: Enterprise Element
unqualified form: links to

qualified Tree
type: ObjectProperty
range: Tree
definition: Navigates from a source element to a Tree qualified relationship resource.
domain includes: Enterprise Element
unqualified form: part of

realises capability
type: ObjectProperty
source: Link
definition: A process realises a capability by executing the activities needed to produce its outputs.
was quoted from: Link
domain includes: Process
range includes: Capability

represents purpose
type: ObjectProperty
source: Link
definition: A brand represents a purpose, standing for what the enterprise believes in.
was quoted from: Link
domain includes: Brand
range includes: Purpose

requires asset
type: ObjectProperty
source: Link
definition: A capability requires an asset to be performed.
was quoted from: Link
domain includes: Capability
range includes: Asset

requires capability
type: ObjectProperty
source: Link
definition: A product requires a capability to be created and delivered.
was quoted from: Link
domain includes: Product
range includes: Capability

serves task
type: ObjectProperty
source: Link
definition: A product serves a task by helping people accomplish what they want to get done.
was quoted from: Link
domain includes: Product
range includes: Task

supports task
type: ObjectProperty
source: Link
definition: A brand supports a task by creating expectations that help people accomplish their goals.
was quoted from: Link
domain includes: Brand
range includes: Task

traverses channel
type: ObjectProperty
source: Link
definition: A journey traverses a channel, moving across interaction points over time.
was quoted from: Link
domain includes: Journey
range includes: Channel

uses channel
type: ObjectProperty
source: Link
definition: A task uses a channel as the means of interaction with the enterprise.
was quoted from: Link
domain includes: Task
range includes: Channel

uses object
type: ObjectProperty
source: People
definition: People use objects in their activities.
was quoted from: People
domain includes: People
range includes: Object

Activity
type: Class
subclass of: Base Element
source: Activity
definition: What is being done or going on in our enterprise or its ecosystem.
example: A car manufacturer describes the automated and manual activities needed to produce a car.
example: An inbound call centre describes how agents can handle customer calls.
example: Two partnering companies work together and decide each one's contribution as a set of activities.
scope note: An activity represents something happening that is relevant to our enterprise. It can be something done by people individually or collectively. An activity can also be used to refer to something that simply happens, without specifying who is doing what. Activities capture the behaviours and movements of our enterprise, enabling us to model the dynamic nature of our enterprise.
was quoted from: Activity

Architecture Element
type: Class
subclass of: Facet Element
definition: Abstract superclass for elements belonging to the Architecture facet — answering how the enterprise runs, what it is capable of, and what makes everything work together.
is abstract class: true

Asset
type: Class
subclass of: Architecture Element
subclass of: Object
source: Asset
definition: An object we need and use to perform our capabilities.
editorial note: Base element: asset is an object.
example: A public healthcare provider operates with hospital buildings, medical records, and planning systems.
example: A railroad maintenance company requires fuel and gravel, and operates power lines and tracks.
example: An air traffic control organisation runs applications and databases to track flights.
scope note: Enterprises need to develop, buy and manage a broad range of tangible or intangible assets (such as buildings, machines, raw materials, software applications, financial assets and know-how) to perform the capabilities needed to run their business. Buying assets from suppliers connects the enterprise to its supply chain.
was quoted from: Asset

Base Element
type: Class
subclass of: Enterprise Element
definition: Abstract superclass for the four generic base elements that describe what is happening in an enterprise and its ecosystem.
is abstract class: true

Brand
type: Class
subclass of: Intersection Element
subclass of: Object
source: Brand
definition: Our name and what it stands for.
editorial note: Base element: brand is an object. Intersection of Identity and Experience facets.
example: A label used by different companies to communicate a sustainability certification.
example: A product name used for sales on commercial markets and within franchising partnerships.
example: The name a consumer goods company uses to represent itself, protected as a trademark.
scope note: A brand is a symbolic representation that stands for our enterprise and its products. It is designed to communicate our identity, especially how we are different from others. It invokes a set of expectations in people about our enterprise and our products. Positive expectations about a brand pull people towards the products an enterprise offers, negative expectations push them away.
was quoted from: Brand

Capability
type: Class
subclass of: Architecture Element
subclass of: Outcome
source: Capability
definition: What we are able to do by orchestrating people and assets.
editorial note: Base element: capability is an outcome.
example: A design studio excels in its digital product design practice, building upon research and prototyping capabilities.
example: A national government develops the capability to warn citizens about potential environmental dangers.
example: A technology company sets up a government relations capability to affect upcoming regulation.
scope note: Enterprises strive to achieve their purpose by creating products. To do so, they must design and realise their capabilities by orchestrating meaningful combinations of people and assets. Each capability produces well-defined outputs for internal or external business use. Capabilities guide the modularisation of our enterprise by defining boundaries around what belongs together.
was quoted from: Capability

Channel
type: Class
subclass of: Experience Element
subclass of: Object
source: Channel
definition: The means people use to engage and interact with us.
editorial note: Base element: channel is an object.
example: A tech company builds a virtual Metaverse presence to interact with their job candidates.
example: An airline uses an instant messenger app to communicate with their customers synchronously.
example: An insurance company operates physical stores to sell printed tickets to use their services.
scope note: Channels are the means of communication between people and the enterprise. They are where moments of interaction between people and the enterprise take place. They include media, devices, communication systems, or physical environments used to facilitate interactions.
was quoted from: Channel

Content
type: Class
subclass of: Identity Element
subclass of: Object
source: Content
definition: What is being communicated to people.
editorial note: Base element: content is an object.
example: A car manufacturer displays the latest models and their features on a website, including videos and animations.
example: A consultant develops a mission statement and a process dashboard available to employees on the intranet.
scope note: Content refers to the information and data that is being communicated between and to people. Content always conveys messages and clues, both explicit and implicit, that people use to construct their perception of the enterprise's identity. It requires a medium to convey those underlying messages to its audiences. For an enterprise, content is a valuable asset, vital for its success.
was quoted from: Content

Enterprise Element
type: Class
subclass of: Element
definition: Abstract superclass for all EDGY enterprise elements — the building blocks used to describe what an enterprise consists of.
is abstract class: true

Enterprise Label
type: Class
subclass of: ModelConcept
definition: Abstract superclass for EDGY label types used to differentiate or quantify elements.
is abstract class: true

Enterprise Relationship
type: Class
subclass of: QualifiedRelationship
definition: Abstract superclass for all EDGY relationship types that connect enterprise elements.
is abstract class: true

Experience Element
type: Class
subclass of: Facet Element
definition: Abstract superclass for elements belonging to the Experience facet — answering what role the enterprise plays in people's lives.
is abstract class: true

Facet Element
type: Class
subclass of: Enterprise Element
definition: Abstract superclass for elements that describe an enterprise using a specific enterprise design facet (Identity, Architecture, or Experience).
is abstract class: true

Flow
type: Class
subclass of: Enterprise Relationship
source: Flow
definition: An element influences another by passing objects.
example: A business pays another by transferring money.
example: A business process involves data passed from one information system to another.
example: A supply chain involves transferring raw materials and physical goods between locations.
scope note: An enterprise functions through the way its parts influence each other to produce an aggregated result no single part can produce alone. Understanding and improving the effectiveness and ease with which things flow through the enterprise and its elements helps it function efficiently and effectively.
was quoted from: Flow
domain includes: Enterprise Element
range includes: Enterprise Element
unqualified form: flows to

Identity Element
type: Class
subclass of: Facet Element
definition: Abstract superclass for elements belonging to the Identity facet — answering why the enterprise exists, who it is, and what matters to it.
is abstract class: true

Intersection Element
type: Class
subclass of: Enterprise Element
definition: Abstract superclass for elements that sit at the intersection of two facets (Organisation, Product, Brand).
is abstract class: true

Journey
type: Class
subclass of: Activity
subclass of: Experience Element
source: Journey
definition: The events and activities people experience in their lives.
editorial note: Base element: journey is an activity.
example: A new employee goes through a journey of signing the contract, onboarding activities, and meeting their team.
example: A traveller goes through a journey of making travel plans, booking tickets, and embarking on the actual trip.
scope note: A journey describes what a person does, feels, thinks, or otherwise experiences over time as they live a specific portion of their life, in particular when interacting with our enterprise. It is captured as a simplified sequential and chronological representation of activities and events people experience, and tasks they want to accomplish.
was quoted from: Journey

Link
type: Class
subclass of: Enterprise Relationship
source: Link
definition: A meaningful structural association between two elements.
scope note: A link expresses a structural relationship between two elements in terms that explain or illustrate the relevance of that relationship to the enterprise. EDGY provides twenty-four pre-defined types of links (core links) that enable co-designers from different disciplines to better communicate and connect their specialised designs. In addition, custom shortcut links can be defined to bypass the core model.
was quoted from: Link
domain includes: Enterprise Element
range includes: Enterprise Element
unqualified form: links to

Metrics
type: Class
subclass of: Enterprise Label
source: Metrics
definition: Used to add a quantity or quality to an element that can be measured or otherwise determined.
scope note: Metrics add a quantity or quality to an element that can be measured or otherwise determined. Typically this is used to express information about the performance, importance or status of the respective element. Combined with a colour coding scheme, metrics can be used to display a heat map. EDGY suggests: Priority, Investment, Cost, Risk, Performance, Quality/fitness.
was quoted from: Metrics

Object
type: Class
subclass of: Base Element
source: Object
definition: A structure that is relevant to the enterprise.
example: A broadcasting company provides a public website about food including recipes, food and famous chefs.
example: A hospital manages beds, drugs and equipment, patient medical records, and teams of doctors and nurses.
example: An airport handles infrastructure such as taxiways and buildings, as well as planes, passengers and flights.
scope note: An object is a tangible or intangible multi-part structure such as a machine, building, application or data. Objects can have behaviour, such as performing automated activities, or support people that are doing activities. Objects consist of parts: objects that combine to form an object of a higher complexity and function.
was quoted from: Object

Organisation
type: Class
subclass of: Intersection Element
subclass of: Object
source: Organisation
definition: A group of people working together.
editorial note: Base element: organisation is an object. Intersection of Identity and Architecture facets.
example: A commercial company is structured into a hierarchy of roles and responsibilities.
example: An NGO defines volunteer roles and processes needed to direct the organisation.
scope note: An organisation is a complex social structure. People form organisations to collaborate and co-create outcomes they cannot achieve alone without explicit agreements about membership, responsibilities and behavioural rules. Organisations are fractal: they are made up of nested structures that have similar attributes on each level. Organisations are complex adaptive systems displaying both designed and emergent attributes and behaviours.
was quoted from: Organisation

Outcome
type: Class
subclass of: Base Element
source: Outcome
definition: A result or change that occurs within our enterprise or its ecosystem.
example: Double our market share in a country by the end of the following year.
example: Explore the potential outcomes of a physical infrastructure upgrade.
example: React to an important development in the labour market as an outcome of regulatory change.
scope note: Outcomes are the results of activities. These can be intended results such as goals, objectives or more generally the purpose an enterprise strives to achieve. Outcomes can also be unintended. An outcome represents a state change we can observe in our own organisation, with our customers or co-creators, in our markets or ecosystem.
was quoted from: Outcome

People
type: Class
subclass of: Base Element
source: People
definition: The individuals co-creating the enterprise or using products.
example: A manufacturing business makes goods for private household customers and relies on investors and suppliers.
example: An NGO works with volunteers to run campaigns and make their case to parliamentarians.
example: An open-source software company works remotely with thousands of independent developers.
scope note: People are individuals with an identity, motivation and intent, skills and expertise, background, story and personality. They have the unique ability to have ambitions, find meaning and purpose in the world, and share those with other people. The roles people play in an enterprise relate to the activities they are expected to be involved in.
was quoted from: People

Process
type: Class
subclass of: Activity
subclass of: Architecture Element
source: Process
definition: A set of related activities our enterprise carries out.
editorial note: Base element: process is an activity.
example: A car company has largely automated their production process.
example: A software company uses agile methods to manage their development process.
example: An insurance provider treats incoming claims in a structured fashion.
scope note: Processes are the flows of activities needed for product creation. They transform a set of inputs into a set of products or intermediary outputs and consist of a set of activities performed in coordination. A process can be strictly structured or less structured. Well-designed processes lead to enterprises that operate efficiently and effectively.
was quoted from: Process

Product
type: Class
subclass of: Intersection Element
subclass of: Object
source: Product
definition: What we make, offer and deliver for people's benefit.
editorial note: Base element: product is an object. Intersection of Architecture and Experience facets.
example: A car manufacturer makes cars and offers them for leasing or buying with custom loans.
example: A law office offers advice, contract creation and legal representation as services.
example: A railway company offers different trains, tickets and discount subscriptions.
scope note: Products are the result of our enterprise activity and encompass physical things manufactured and delivered, or services rendered to people. A product can be composed of any combination of physical goods and other tangible and intangible objects. A product helps people complete a task, and thereby adds value to their lives when used in the right context.
was quoted from: Product

Purpose
type: Class
subclass of: Identity Element
subclass of: Outcome
source: Purpose
definition: A reason why an enterprise exists and what people pursue and believe in.
editorial note: Base element: purpose is an outcome.
example: A public hospital seeks to provide everyone with the care they require.
example: A technology company wants to make use of the latest innovations in engineering.
example: An enterprise makes the best doohickies in the world - that's all they focus on.
scope note: An enterprise's purpose expresses what its people believe in, consider valuable, and are striving for, usually expressed as outcomes/goals the enterprise aspires to achieve. The purpose acts as a shared 'north star' people can use to find inspiration and motivation in, and align their activities with.
was quoted from: Purpose

Story
type: Class
subclass of: Activity
subclass of: Identity Element
source: Story
definition: The way we make sense of our enterprise and communicate to people what it does.
editorial note: Base element: story is an activity.
example: An enterprise has its roots in manual manufacturing before moving on to be a leader in automated production systems.
example: An enterprise in the food industry is all about sustainable and eco-friendly production.
scope note: An enterprise story is a narrative with our co-creators as protagonists, the enterprise as the setting, the ecosystem as context, and the co-creators' activities as actions. Stories help us make sense of complex ideas, concepts and situations and share that sense with other people. Creating a story is a co-creative process, bringing together a group of stakeholders.
was quoted from: Story

Tagging
type: Class
subclass of: Enterprise Label
source: Tagging
definition: Used to differentiate elements based on a set of values.
scope note: Tags capture characteristics that apply to multiple elements. They add information that helps to distinguish types of elements, to establish priorities or highlight elements that require a particular treatment. One element can have several tags applied to it.
was quoted from: Tagging

Task
type: Class
subclass of: Experience Element
subclass of: Outcome
source: Task
definition: What people want to achieve and get done.
editorial note: Base element: task is an outcome.
example: A customer checks their insurance coverage before starting the procedure to file a claim.
example: A private investor compares the financial performance of various stocks.
example: An airline official looks up current delays to inform passengers waiting at the airport.
scope note: People have numerous tasks they want to accomplish every day. Those tasks are about the outcomes people want to achieve, not the means to get there. Tasks can be seen as a stable expression of people's needs, motivations and intent. Achieving clarity on people's tasks offers our enterprise a chance to focus on people's most important needs and motivations.
was quoted from: Task

Tree
type: Class
subclass of: Enterprise Relationship
source: Tree
definition: An element is part of another element of the same type.
editorial note: Use: 1) Decompose an element into its smaller sub-elements. 2) Express that a sub-element is a part of its superior element. The constraint is that both source and target must be of the same element type (e.g. both Capability, both Organisation, both Product).
example: A brand portfolio is structured as a tree of corporate, product and special edition brands.
example: A capability decomposition is structured as a tree of sub-capabilities.
example: A product portfolio is structured as a tree of categories, products and components.
example: A purpose and goal portfolio is structured as a tree of strategic, tactical and operational outcomes.
example: An organisation is structured as a tree of departments, teams and roles.
scope note: A tree represents a hierarchical whole/part relationship between elements of the same type. Hierarchical relationships are based on degrees or levels of superordination and subordination, where the superordinate element represents a whole and subordinate elements represent its members or parts. In the qualified form, arch:source is the child (part) and arch:target is the parent (whole). The visual notation uses a filled diamond on the parent (target) end.
was quoted from: Tree
domain includes: Enterprise Element
range includes: Enterprise Element
unqualified form: part of