Reference Model
A reusable blueprint for consistent design: common vocabularies, patterns, and standards that speed delivery and reduce risk.
Why it matters
Reference models give teams a shared language and set of patterns to design solutions consistently—improving speed, interoperability, and auditability. Good practice anchors them in TOGAF® guidance and expresses them clearly with ArchiMate® viewpoints; ISO/IEC/IEEE 42010 ensures views/viewpoints are defined for actual stakeholders. In Saudi public entities, NORA explicitly calls for building reference models as part of the EA lifecycle.
How the Reference Model is built
Scope & Structure
Define the reference model set across business, data, application, and technology layers with traceability between them (capabilities ↔ data domains ↔ applications ↔ platforms). (TOGAF®/Library).
Business Reference Model (BRM)
Capability map and value streams; common definitions to avoid duplicate functions and to guide portfolio choices. (Capability-based planning).
Data Reference Model (DRM)
Domain taxonomy, critical data entities, ownership/stewardship, and exchange semantics to support interoperability and governance. (ISO 42010 views/viewpoints; ArchiMate® data views).
Application Reference Model (ARM)
Catalog and logical groupings (e.g., ERP, CRM, ECM, IAM), fit-for-purpose criteria, and "keep/transform/retire" guidance to reduce duplication. (Reference architecture/library concepts).
Technology Reference Model (TRM)
Standard platform stacks (cloud landing zones, integration runtimes, observability, end-user platforms) with product versions and life-cycle status. (TOGAF® reference library).
Integration & Security Patterns
API and event-driven patterns, canonical data formats, and zero-trust principles expressed as reusable views and checklists. (ArchiMate® viewpoints; ISO 42010).
Viewpoints & Notation
Standard stakeholder-oriented ArchiMate® viewpoints (executive capability heatmap, solution context, integration map, data lineage) and a style guide for uniform diagrams.
Governance & Change Control
Risk-based exception process, decision logs, and periodic refresh to keep reference models current as products and standards evolve. (TOGAF® governance concepts).
Repository & Reuse
Reference library in the EA repository with templates, model kinds, and quality checks; links to portfolio tools to measure standards adoption. (TOGAF® repository/library).
Public-sector alignment (as needed)
Cross-reference to NORA stage "Build Reference Models" and related artifacts for accreditation readiness.
What you get
- Business, data, application, and technology reference models with traceability across layers.
- Unified traceability model linking capabilities, information, systems, and platforms.
- Ready-to-use patterns and standards for integration, data, security, and cloud with a structured exceptions process.
- Governance and change control including policies, decision logs, and periodic refresh mechanism.
- Repository and reference library for reuse with dashboards to track standards adoption and measure maturity.
- NORA alignment (if public) to support accreditation requirements and EA lifecycle maturity standards.
Ready to build your reference models?
Let's discuss how we can help you create TOGAF®, ArchiMate®, and NORA-aligned reference models.
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