TRAK Architecture FrameworkThis page reproduces parts of the overall TRAK0004 specification for information only. It may not therefore reflect the master source content at https://sourceforge.net/projects/trak.
TRAK - Architecture Perspectives
TRAK uses a definition of architecture perspective based on IEEE 1471 (the predecessor standard for architecture description to ISO/IEC/IEEE 42010):
‘IEEE 1471-2000 IEEE Recommended Practice for Architectural Description for Software-Intensive Systems’, IEEE, IEEE 1471-2000, Oct. 2000. https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/875998IEEE 1471 refers to an Architectural Perspective as 'Sharing of architectural models also facilitates an "aspect-oriented" style of architectural description' i.e. a grouping of related and overlapping architectural views.
Architecture perspectives are used in TRAK to:-
- group together architecture viewpoints and hence architecture viewpoints with a common subject area - this is seen on the TRAK architecture viewpoints website
- group together node and connector elements from the TRAK metamodel - this is seen on the TRAK metamodel website. Each metamodel node element has the colour of the architecture perspective of which it is a member.
In doing so architecture perspectives provide a way to view and organise parts of the architecture framework. As each architecture perspective is associated with a particular colour they can aid spotting errors in architecture views.
The architecture perspectives in TRAK are:-
- Enterprise Perspective
- Concept Perspective
- Procurement Perspective
- Solution Perspective
- Management Perspective
The graphics below show parts of the TRAK metamodel. The TRAK metamodel is shown as a series of images on the trakmetamodel project web site. All web page presentations are for information only - the normative master sources are the specification documents.
Enterprise Perspective
TRAK00004. TRAK. Architecture FrameworkThis perspective describes the enterprise in terms of its goals and the enduring capabilities that are required to support the goals. These are high level business needs that everything else contributes to and form part of the long term strategic objectives that need to be managed.
The typical stakeholders are the owner, developer, planner and maintainer of the enterprise.
The Enterprise Perspective is described by the EVp-01 Enterprise Goal, EVp-02 Capability Hierarchy and EVp-03 Capability Phasing TRAK architecture viewpoints.
Concept Perspective
TRAK00004. TRAK. Architecture FrameworkThe Concept Perspective describes the solution-free (logical) view of what is needed in response to the capabilities required by the enterprise in the Enterprise Perspective. It describes the logical connection of nodes, for example a service control centre, to other nodes with no recognition of how this might be realised either by organisation or technology. It also implies no particular part of a life cycle – it covers everything from concept to disposal (“lust to dust”!) - time is only introduced deliberately in either the enterprise and / or procurement perspectives.
Any normative documents or standards applied to the concept and described in the Management Perspective are likely to be technology-free – they won't describe "the how".
The typical stakeholders are the user or operator of the concept. Stakeholders for the solution and for the enterprise are also likely to be involved since the concept will impact on the solution and the ability to realise the enduring capabilities.
The Concept Perspective is described by the CVp-01 Concept Need, CVp-02 Concept, CVp-03 Concept Item Exchange, CVp-04 Concept Activity to Capability Mapping, CVp-05 Concept Activity and CVp-06 Concept Sequence TRAK architecture viewpoints.
Procurement Perspective
TRAK00004. TRAK. Architecture FrameworkThe Procurement Perspective provides a top level view of the procurement of a solution to satisfy the enterprise capability needs outlined in the Enterprise Perspective and developed in the Concept Perspective. It provides a way of showing how projects deliver the solutions described in the Solution Perspective to provide capability. It provides a way of showing time dependency between projects owing to dependencies on systems being introduced or removed and is an essential for investigating capability gaps. It also provides a way of showing how responsibility boundaries change over time.
The typical stakeholders are the acquirer, developer and builder of the solution. The owner and builder of the enterprise will also have an interest in terms of the effect on enterprise capabilities.
The Procurement Perspective is described by the PrVp-01 Procurement Structure, PrVp-02 Procurement Timeline and PrVp-03 Procurement Responsibility architecture viewpoints.
Solution Perspective
TRAK00004. TRAK. Architecture FrameworkThe Solution Perspective describes the solution – whether proposed or realised. It covers the parts of ‘systems’ whether human or machine, their exchanges and protocols. It describes how organisations and equipments are organised and governed.
The Solution Perspective describes how the logical requirements outlined in the Concept Perspective are realised and shows how the solution(s) realise the capabilities needed by the enterprise and described in the Enterprise Perspective.
The typical stakeholders are the owner, acquirer, developer, builder, maintainer and trainer of the solution.
The Solution Perspective is described by the SVp-01 Solution Structure, SVp-02 Solution Resource Interaction, SVp-03 Solution Resource Interaction to Function Mapping, SVp-04 Solution Function, SVp-05 Solution Function to Concept Activity Mapping, SVp-06 Solution Competence, SVp-07 Solution Sequence, SVp-11 Solution Sequence and SVp-13 Solution Risk architecture viewpoints.
Management Perspective
TRAK00004. TRAK. Architecture FrameworkThe Management Perspective describes the architecture task and those relationships that are common across other perspectives. It provides ways of defining the scope and findings of the architecture task - structuring the approach and modelling.
The Management Perspective provides ways of describing the requirements and normative standards that apply.
It provides supporting information to aid the portability and understanding of the architecture description produced as a result of the task.
As the Management Perspective underpins all other perspectives all roles are beneficiaries including the lay reader (or external third party) to the architecture description.
The Management Perspective is described by the MVp-01 Architecture Description Dictionary, MVp-02 Architecture Description Design Record, MVp-03 Requirements & Standards and MVp-04 Assurance architecture viewpoints.
TRAK is subject to the terms of open source license: GNU Free Documentation License (Version 1.3, November 2008) at https://www.gnu.org/licenses/fdl-1.3.html.