Definitions Part 3

Question 1

Gap

Answer 1

Gap
A statement of difference between two states. Used in the context of gap analysis, where the difference between the Baseline and Target Architecture is identified.

Question 2

Governance

Answer 2

Governance
The discipline of monitoring, managing, and steering a business (or IS/IT landscape) to deliver the business outcome required.

Question 3

Information

Answer 3

Information
Any communication or representation of facts, data, or opinions, in any medium or form, including textual, numerical, graphic, cartographic, narrative, or audio-visual forms.

Question 4

Information Technology (IT)

Answer 4

Information Technology (IT)
1.The lifecycle management of information and related technology used by an organization.
2.An umbrella term that includes all or some of the subject areas relating to the computer industry, such as Business Continuity, Business IT Interface, Business Process Modeling and Management, Communication, Compliance and Legislation, Computers, Content Management, Hardware, Information Management, Internet, Offshoring, Networking, Programming and Software, Professional Issues, Project Management, Security, Standards, Storage, Voice and Data Communications. Various countries and industries employ other umbrella terms to describe this same collection.
3.A term commonly assigned to a department within an organization tasked with provisioning some or all of the domains described in (2) above.
4.Alternate names commonly adopted include Information Services, Information Management, et al.

Question 5

Logical

Answer 5

Logical
An implementation-independent definition of the architecture, often grouping related physical entities according to their purpose and structure.

For example, the products from multiple infrastructure software vendors can all be logically grouped as Java application server platforms.

Question 6

Metadata

Answer 6

Metadata
Data about data, of any sort in any media, that describes the characteristics of an entity.

Question 7

Metamodel

Answer 7

Metamodel
A model that describes how and with what the architecture will be described in a structured way.

Question 8

Method

Answer 8

Method
A defined, repeatable approach to address a particular type of problem.

Question 9

Methodology

Answer 9

Methodology
A defined, repeatable series of steps to address a particular type of problem.

Which typically centers on a defined process, but may also include definition of content.

Question 10

Model

Answer 10

Model
A representation of a subject of interest. A model provides a smaller scale, simplified, and/or abstract representation of the subject matter.

A model is constructed as a ‘‘means to an end’’. In the context of enterprise architecture, the subject matter is a whole or part of the enterprise and the end is the ability to construct ‘‘views’’ that address the concerns of particular stakeholders; i.e., their ‘‘viewpoints’’ in relation to the subject matter.

Question 11

Modeling

Answer 11

Modeling
A technique through construction of models which enables a subject to be represented in a form that enables reasoning, insight, and clarity concerning the essence of the subject matter.