Architecting and designing > Unified Architecture Framework (UAF) > Overview > Differences between UAF and DoDAF 2 > Framework-agnostic view prefixes and names > Additional architecture concepts
  
Additional architecture concepts
UAF introduces some architecture concepts to the domain metamodel that amalgamates DoDAF 2.02, MODAF 1.2, NAF 3.0, and DNDAF 1.7. Some of these concepts are:
New strategic concepts
EnduringTask – A type of template behavior recognized by an enterprise as being essential to achieving its goals – that is, a template for a strategic specification of what the enterprise does.
EnterprisePhase – A current or future state of the wholeLifeEnterprise or another EnterprisePhase.
EnterpriseGoal – A statement about a state or condition of the enterprise to be brought about or sustained through appropriate Means. An EnterpriseGoal amplifies an EnterpriseVision that is, it indicates what must be satisfied on a continuing basis to effectively attain the EnterpriseVision. BMM: OMG dtc-13-08-24.
WholeLifeEnterprise – A WholeLifeEnterprise is a purposeful endeavor of any size involving people, organizations and supporting systems. It is made up of TemporalParts and StructuralParts. A WholeLifeEnterprise contains an OperationalArchitecture and a ResourceArchitecture.
OrganizationInEnterprise – A tuple (explicit relationship containing information) relating an ActualOrganization to an ActualEnterprisePhase to denote that the ActualOrganization plays a role or is a stakeholder in an ActualEnterprisePhase
New operational concepts
OperationalArchitecture – A type used to denote a model of the Architecture, described from the Operational perspective.Part of a WholeLifeEnterprise.
Post – from MODAF – A type of job title or position that a person can fill (for example – Lawyer, Solution Architect, Machine Operator or Chief Executive Officer).
Modified data concepts
Data Element – UAF formerly adds Data Element to its metamodel. In DoDAF 2.02, Data Element – the most elemental piece of data – was not specifically called out in its metamodel. System Architect already supported the concept of Data Element in its data modeling metamodel, and offered DoDAF 2 users with a Data (DM2) definition type, which itself had a list of Data Elements. Now, users can specify Data Element directly in UAF models.
InformationElement – a data construct that is part of a Data Model, flows between OperationalPerformers and is produced, and is consumed by the OperationalActivities that the OperationalPerformers are capable of performing. This concept is the same as the Entity concept that System Architect supports in its data modeling. For UAF, Entity is renamed under the covers to InformationElement. It contains attributes, which themselves are local instantiations of Data Elements. Previously, in DoDAF 2, users would model the Data (DM2) concept, and specify the Entity that the Data (DM2) represented. Now users can directly specify InformationElements (which are represented on logical data models) in the architecture.
Data Model – A structural specification of data types, showing relationships between them that is devoid of implementation detail. System Architect already supported this concept in its data modeling.
New resource and systems concepts
ResourceArchitecture – A type used to denote a model of the Architecture, described from the ResourcePerformer perspective. Part of a WholeLifeEnterprise.
ResourceArtifact – A type of man-made object that contains no human beings (that is, satellite, radio, petrol, gasoline, and so on).
Software – A sub-type of ResourceArtifact that specifies an executable computer program.
Technology – A sub type of ResourceArtifact that indicates a technology domain – that is, nuclear, mechanical, electronic, mobile telephony, and so on.
CapabilityConfiguration – A composite structure representing the physical and human resources (and their interactions) in an enterprise, assembled to meet a capability. It is a subtype of ResourceArchitecture, which in turn is a subtype of ResourcePerformer. CapabilityConfiguration contains a grouping of Resources.
Parent topic
Framework-agnostic view prefixes and names