Executive Summary

Background

The MOD Architectural Framework (MODAF) is an enabler for managing complexity. It provides a specification of how to represent an integrated model of an enterprise, from the operational / business aspects to the Systems that provide capability, with appropriate Standards and programmatic aspects. It assists in managing complexity by providing a logical, standardised way to present and integrate models of the enterprise. By covering both the operational and technical aspects across the enterprise, MODAF-compliant Architectures enable all communities of interest to gain the essential common understanding that will be required to deliver the benefits to be derived from Network Enabled Capability (NEC) 1.

MODAF provides a rigorous method for understanding, analysing, and specifying: Capabilities, Systems, Systems of Systems (SoS), Organisational Structures and Business Processes. It is intended to facilitate the successful delivery of NEC. The key benefits that MODAF delivers are improvements to the specification and implementation of interoperability between Systems. MODAF supports a wide variety of MOD processes, including: capability management, acquisition and sustainment.

Enterprise Architecture, Architectural Frameworks, & MODAF

What is Enterprise Architecture?

An Enterprise Architecture is the formal description of the structure and function of the components of an enterprise, their interrelationships, and the principles and guidelines governing their design and evolution over time. Note that ‘Components of the enterprise’ can be any element that goes to make up the enterprise and can include people, processes and physical structures as well as engineering and information systems.

Enterprise Architecture (EA) is about managing and understanding complexity – covering how business / operational requirements are met by technical and operational capability. The term “architecture” is apt – EA is all about providing blue-prints (models) of the organisation and the systems that support it. In order to provide coherent and consistent models, it is necessary to have a “framework” which defines the different types of model that can be used, and how those models inter-relate. MODAF is a framework for MOD architectures, both in the business-space and the battle-space.

Architectures can be viewed as models which support business processes by providing a data-based representation of that business. This representation can be used inter alia: in analysis, for the articulation of issues and requirements, as a support to planning, and as a means of solution design and validation. Architectures are developed at a level of granularity that is appropriate for a given objective. Using an architecture framework, Architectures can be developed for the smallest sub-system or for an entire enterprise.

What is an Architectural Framework?

An Architectural Framework (AF) is a specification of how to organise and present architectural models. Because Enterprise Architecture is such an all-encompassing discipline, and because the enterprises it describes are often large, it can result in very complex models. To manage this complexity, an AF defines a standard set of model categories (called “Views” ) which each have a specific purpose. These views are often categorised by the domain they cover – e.g. operational / business, technical, etc. – which are known in MODAF as “Viewpoints” , .

An AF defines a standard set of business and technical information about an enterprise (or aspects thereof). The purpose of the AF may be to identify elements of this information that will be mandatory to produce within the enterprise or to act as a guide to which types of information may be of most value in analysing aspects of an Enterprise Architecture. The AF usually takes the form of a set of standard Viewpoints and Views on the enterprise.

Architectural Framework Viewpoints

The Architectural Framework Viewpoints provide consistent perspectives of an Architecture and they enable a user to articulate and analyse issues and requirements, and specify, design and validate solutions across a wide range of activities.

The MODAF Viewpoints and their constituent Views are described in this document. The usage of these Views within key Communities of Interest are described in the MODAF Deskbooks.

Architectural Framework Meta Models

Views alone only provide consistency in terms of the type of information produced – i.e. humans can recognise that one View is a systems model, whilst another is a process model. However, the same information may be represented in more than one View, and there may be important relationships between the information in different Views that should be captured. This consistency between Views is provided by a reference model which identifies all the types of architectural elements represented across all the Views, and the relationships between those concepts. The reference model (or meta model in the case of MODAF) therefore provides semantic rigour for the Architectural Framework.

Many of the benefits from using an architectural approach will ultimately come about from the ability to share, integrate, search and re-use architectural information across an enterprise. In order for the architectural information to be stored, managed and queried electronically, the reference model that underpins the Views needs to support the sharing of Architectural Products between tools and the implementation of an architectural repository that stores those Products and the meta-data relating to those Products.

Also, although the a meta model describes generic types of architectural information and their relationships, if re-use and integration of Architectural Products is required, those Products must utilise a common Taxonomy too. This ensures that each instance of an Architectural Element (e.g. organisation, system, activity, etc) uses a commonly agreed and shared definition for its name.

Architectural Framework Taxonomies

A Taxonomy provides a standard structured dictionary for an Architecture. A Taxonomy constrains the diversity of an Architecture to ensure consistency across an enterprise, and alignment with a business strategy.

The purpose of the MODAF Taxonomy [ IA/02/16, ERMcm05, version 1.0] is to provide a standard set of terminology and reference data to support:

Like its US counterpart, DoD Architectural Framework (DoDAF), the MODAF specification relies on using a Taxonomy to support the architectural Views. Whereas the DoDAF Taxonomy is specified in text in the Volume II document, the MODAF Taxonomy is to be published electronically , and made accessible to users and architectural tools and repositories. The Taxonomy has technical definitions that will underpin Architectures and their development. The suite of MODAF documents also includes a glossary and acronym list. Whilst these will be consistent with the Taxonomy their purpose is only to support the readability of the MODAF documents.

Why use MODAF?

There is an increase in the need to support flexible, highly responsive joint and coalition operations and a growing need to deliver end to end military capability, whilst delivering more for less and ensuring interoperability.

“Our need in the future is for flexible and adaptable armed forces properly supported to carry out the most likely expeditionary operations”
Rt. Hon G Hoon MP July 2004 – Defence white paper ‘Delivering security in a changing world’

Military strategies and systems have become far more complex and, although ad-hoc acquisition will still occur, the conflict between satisfying short term needs yet increasing medium and long term complexity needs to be firmly managed. Projects and programmes now link and overlap. There are multiple operational, technical, and service boundaries emerging, which must be managed coherently and there is overlapping functionality in subsystems.

NEC is a key component of efforts to meet changing requirements. NEC enables the military to federate systems, sensors, and effectors and, hence, to improve overall military effectiveness.

“NEC is the linking of sensors, decision makers and weapon systems so that information can be translated into synchronised and overwhelming military effect at optimum tempo”
Capability Manager (Information Superiority), CM(IS), July 2002

There is a requirement for a more structured approach to the management of complexity and a concomitant requirement to balance all relevant user perspectives. Architectural frameworks support such requirements, and the most mature and widely adopted Architectural Framework in the defence sector is DoDAF which has been developed over a number of years by the US Department of Defense (DoD).

CM(IS) recognised DoDAF as the most appropriate Architectural Framework in his NEC Next Steps Paper to the Joint Capabilities Board (JCB).
“Working with major stakeholders (DG(Info), DCSA, IA and others) DEC CCII has identified the US Department of Defense Architecture Framework (DoDAF) as the most appropriate framework to underpin the development of NEC. “
CM(IS), NEC Next Steps Paper, April 03

DoDAF has its origins in the C4ISR community and is seen as a fundamental part of the DoD drive towards Net-Centric Warfare (NCW). MODAF is based on the DoDAF specification. MODAF version 1.0 uses some aspects of the existing DoDAF without alteration together with additional Viewpoints that are required to support UK MOD processes, procedures, and organisational structures. Version 1.1 continues this evolution and contains significant modifications to version 1.1 to better suit the requirements of UK MoD.

Page version 1.1, dated 4th April 2007

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