A critical investigation of TOGAF - based on the enterprise engineering theory and practice

Abstract

TOGAF (The Open Group Architecture Framework) is growingly considered to be the de facto standard way of working for the development and deployment of modern IT systems in enterprises. A major characteristic of modern IT systems, as opposed to the ones in the past, is that they are an integral part of the total enterprise, and effectively support some part of the enterprise’s activities. Consequently, they must be developed with unity and integration in mind. Business development, organization development, and IT systems development cannot be addressed anymore as unrelated subjects. In this paper, the authors report on an investigation of TOGAF (version 9) regarding the extent to which it satisfies the indispensable requirement of unity and integration. The conclusion is that TOGAF fails to do this, as it fails to achieve several other ambitions. The main cause of these failures seems to be the lack of a sound and appropriate theory. In carrying out the investigation, the authors have based themselves on the enterprise engineering theory, as well as on extensive practical experiences.