Enterprise architecture modelling—the issue of integration

Abstract

The problem of aligning and integrating business and IT is hampering many companies in their strategic and tactical development. Constructing integrated architecture models contributes to tackling this problem. Unfortunately, no enterprise architecture description language currently exists that fully enables integrated enterprise modelling. A variety of architectural domains are commonly distinguished for which architects use their own modelling techniques and concepts, tool support, visualisation techniques, etc. In this paper we outline such an integrated language and describe concepts that relate architectural domains. This language also serves as a bridge between other existing modelling languages. Furthermore, we present the design of a workbench for enterprise architecture that serves as a modelling tool and a tool integration environment at the same time: it supports both the integration of models in existing modelling languages and the integration of existing modelling tools.