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.
•Challenge – new with UAF 1.2, and added to the Strategic viewpoint, enables the modeling of motivation and Value Chains.
•Opportunity – new with UAF 1.2, and added to the Strategic viewpoint, enables the modeling of motivation and Value Chains.
•Driver – new with UAF 1.2, and added to the Strategic viewpoint, enables the modeling of motivation and Value Chains.
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
•StrategicInformation – UAF 1.2 introduces StrategicInformation as data used at the Conceptual level.
•OperationalInformation and ResourceInformation – UAF 1.2 has renamed InformationElement of UAF 1.0, to OperationalInformation, and renamed Data Element to ResourceInformation. System Architect implements both as an Entity with stereotype of OperationalInformation or ResourceInformation. An entity is part of a Data Model; it flows between OperationalPerformers and is produced and consumed by the OperationalActivities that the OperationalPerformers are capable of performing. An entity 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.