An Architecture Building Block (ABB) is a package of functionality defined to meet business needs.
ABBs are used in the Enterprise Continuum method of TOGAF. Categorizing the EA into ABBs helps lead to improvements in legacy system integration, interoperability, and flexibility in the creation of new systems and applications.
For example, an ABB can simply consist of a grouping of functionality such as a customer database and some retrieval tools, or a new hybrid Cloud platform that is being planned.
According to the Architecture Continuum, systems are built from collections of building blocks, so most building blocks have to interoperate with other building blocks. That makes it important that the interfaces to a building block are published and reasonably stable.
Properties of ABBs
•They can define what functionality will be implemented.
•They can capture business and technical requirements.
•They are technology aware.
•They can guide the development of Solution Building Blocks.
Relationships to other definitions
You can relate the following definitions to an ABB within its definition:
•Policies it maps to.
•Requirements that it satisfies.
•Architecture Standards it supports.
•Projects that implement it.
•The Logical Technology Components it is comprised of.
•The Systems it maps to.
•The Solution Building Blocks (SBBs) that implement it.
