Week 1: Introduction to the Zachman Framework

Question 1

IT Components

Answer 1

• Hardware
• Software
• Data
• Network
• Procedures
• People

Question 2

GUI

Answer 2

Graphical User Interface

Question 3

Database

Answer 3

A structured set of data. It is a combined set of tables.

Question 4

Random Access Memory (RAM)

Answer 4

In-memory and temporarily.

Question 5

Hard disk

Answer 5

Has a database. Still saved when unplugged.

Question 6

IT Architecture

Answer 6

Is about models:
- A model is used for communication and understanding a phenomenon.
+ A symbolic representation of a phenomenon.
+ Created using a visual language with grammar.
+ Map/diagram/artifacts/model
- As the phenomenon gets more complex, the need for a model rises.
- Not just a model
+ Sometimes many models are needed.
+ For different people/perspectives.
Architecture means models for IT to understand hardware, software, data, network, procedures, and people in the business. Understand the grammar and map different models together.

Question 7

Flowcharts (for programs)

Answer 7

It's hard to understand a code written by another program. Therefor, programmers communicate in flowcharts. These are language independent. 
Purpose of flowcharts: visualize what is going on in a program.
Why? For communication and understanding.
User View (command line) -> Developer View (C-language) -> Designer View (language-independent)

Question 8

Parts of a flow chart

Answer 8

• Start/End
• Input/Output: Getting data from user or displaying data to him/her.
• An operation: e.g. i=1
• Decision: e.g., if i=1 then
• Order of operation

Question 9

Engineer perspective

Answer 9

Flowchart

Question 10

Developer perspective

Answer 10

C, Python, Java, or another language.

Question 11

User perspective

Answer 11

Executable file, script, Java program.

Question 12

Primary key

Answer 12

The unique identifier for a table.

Question 13

Foreign key

Answer 13

Primary key in another table (parent table). Makes sure that you cannot enter a value that is not present in the parent table.

Question 14

Logical Data Model (Relational Model)

Answer 14

When you want to communicate, but do not want it to be program dependent.

Question 15

Grammar of a Relational Model

Answer 15

Relation: A table = a set of connected rectangles with a name in capital letters.
Attribute: A column in a relation (table) = a rectangle
Primary key: an attribute that uniquely identify all rows in a relation. = a solid line.
Foreign key: A primary key in a parent table borrowed by the child table. = connected with an arrow to the primary key of the parent table.

Question 16

Conceptual Data Model

Answer 16

Cares about the design. This is higher level data model, and is easier to understand for the customer.

Question 17

Grammar of a Conceptual Data Model

Answer 17

Entity: A thing that can be uniquely identified and the business needs to store data about. = A rectangle with a name in capital letters.
Attribute: a property of an entity that is of interest to the business. = an item in a rectangle with a name whose first letter is capitalized.
Relationship: an association between one or several entities primary key in a parent table borrowed by the child table. = a line connecting one, two, or more rectangles.
Identifier: an attribute whose value distinguishes instances of an entity. = underscored attribute.
Composite attribute: has several components. = round brackets.
Multi-valued attribute: may take more than one value for a given entity. = curly brackets.
Calculated attribute: its value can be calculated from other attributes or relationships. = square brackets.

Question 18

Differences between a conceptual model (ER model) and a logical model (Relational model)

Answer 18

• M:N relationships: Logical model has only 1-N and 1-1 relationships. Unlike conceptual models, logical models cannot have many to many (N-N) relationships.
• Primary keys: Entities in a conceptual diagram for the current state of an organization may lack identifiers (primary keys). In a logical model, all tables must have a primary key.
  Mapping current state: To develop a system, we usually start by developing a conceptual model for the current state of the organization. Then, we create a conceptual model for the future state. Then, we map the conceptual model to the logical model.

Question 19

System-use-case Diagram

Answer 19

• What functionalities are supported in a system?
• What relationships between functionalities?
• What external actors interact with the system?
• Note the direction of arrows.

Question 20

System-use-case Diagram language

Answer 20

Actor: a class of person, organization, device, or external software component that interacts with your system. Symbol: Face or Person.
Use-case: the actions that are performed by one or more actors in the pursuit of a particular goal. Symbol: Oval
System: whatever you are developing. Symbol: Square
Association: Which actor or functionality initiates the communication. Symbol: Arrow.
Include: one use case describes some of the detail of another. Symbol: broken-line-arrow (with include).
Extend: show that one use case may add functionality to another use case under certain circumstances. Symbol: broken-line-arrow (with extend).
Generalization: show that a specialized use case is a particular way to achieve the goals expressed by another general use case. Symbol: broken-line-arrow with large head.

Question 21

System Activity Diagram

Answer 21

Shows the details of a use-case. User interfaces do not have to be added. It is important to have consistency between the different diagrams.

Question 22

System Activity Diagram language

Answer 22

Action: a non-interruptible action. Symbol: Rectangle
Action flow: the transitions from one action to another. Symbol: Arrow
Decision: a decision needs to be made. Symbol: Diamond
Guard: a statement written next to a decision diamond that must be true before moving to the next activity. Symbol: Arrow with words.
Synchronization: several actions can be done in parallel. Symbol: Double line.
System/System components: show that one use case may add functionality to another use case under certain circumstances. Symbol: Rectangle with word.
Initial state: the start point of the activity diagram. Symbol: filled dot.
Final state: the end point of an activity diagram. Symbol: filled dot with ring.
Generalization: show that an actor or specialized use case is a particular way to achieve the goals expressed by another general use case. Symbol: broken-line-arrow with large head.

Question 23

Business diagram

Answer 23

Are about the business. They provide information for business analysts and business managers. Contains:

• What the business does.
• How the business does that.

Question 24

System diagram

Answer 24

System diagrams are about systems. The provide information for system designers and system developers. Contains:

• What the systems do.
• How the systems do it.

Question 25

System and business use-case diagrams

Answer 25

Provide bird views.

Question 26

System and business activity diagrams

Answer 26

Provide huge details.

Question 27

CRUD Matrix

Answer 27

Create, Read, Update, Delete. Where functionality (process) and data (inventory) meet.
Connecting:
- System use-case (or activity) diagram and relational model (logical data model).
- Business use-case (or activity) diagram and entity-relationship model (conceptual data model).

Question 28

CRUD Matrix process

Answer 28

Used for analyzing the current state of an organization. CRUD is created for current processes and entities. Based on missing C, R, U, or D, a new process is suggested.
CRUD can also suggest improving a process by looking at the process row and check if C, R, U, or D is missing. CRUD matrix is used to come up with the future (to-be) state of the organization.

Question 29

Zachman Framework

Answer 29

Zachman created a sort of periodic table for business.
- Model doesnot suggest any diagrams.
- It just tells that a diagram exists. If you miss a model, your understanding of the company is missing.
- The phenomenon in 1989-1992 is an IT organization. IT architecture -> 3 columns: what, how, and where.
- The phenomenon in 2011 is an organization -> Enterprise architecture.
Systems are nog just information systems, they can also be manufacturing systems etc.

Question 30

Zachman Framework - Content

Answer 30

Table is 6X6.
- Primitive interrogatives as columns:
+ What (data), How (process), Where (network), Who (people), When (time), Why (goal).
+ If you answer the 6 questions you have a complete picture of the organisation.
- Stakeholders as rows:
+ Executives, business managers, architects, engineers, technicians, users.

Question 31

Operational Node Connectivity (OV-2)

Answer 31

Constructs nodes (oval as a symbol) and needline (line as the symbol).
Construct node: a place belong to the organization.
Operational needline: a need for exchanging resources.

Question 32

System Resource Flow Description (SV-2)

Answer 32

System: an application server or a network node. Symbol: Oval.
Port: the port used for info exchange. Symbol: at the connection of oval and arrow.
Resource flow: exchanged information. Symbol: Arrow.

Question 33

Core components of Enterprise Architecture

Answer 33

• As-it -> the current state assessment of the organization.
• To-be -> the future state and, generally, the main focus of an EA assignment.
• Migration plan: without a viable route from as-is to to-be the architecture already failed.
• Principles: guidelines for the users of the architecture, such as buy or build, adherence to publish data standards.
• Decisions log: started during the development of the EA but a key part of the living architecture.