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The UK Ministry of Defence Architectural Framework (MODAF) defines a standardised way of modelling an enterprise. The purpose of MODAF is to ensure a consistent approach when developing enterprise architectures. There is a website serving the MODAF community at http://www.modaf.com, acting as the publication hub for the MODAF documentation and providing a forum for user and vendor feedback on MODAF.

Contents 1 Scope 2 Methodology & Models 3 Policy 4 Terminology 5 Views 5.1 Operational Viewpoint (OV) 5.2 System Viewpoint (SV) 5.3 Strategic Viewpoint (StV) 5.4 Technical Viewpoint (TV) 5.5 All Viewpoint (AV) 5.6 Acquisition Viewpoint (AcV) 6 Origins 7 Representation of Views 8 Harmonization Between National Architecture Frameworks

MODAF defines architectural views covering the strategic goals of the enterprise, and the people, processes and systems that deliver those goals. It also includes capability management (Lines of Development / DOTMLPF) and programmatic aspects such as project dependencies.

There is no methodology associated with MODAF. Recommended practice is specified for five Communities of Interest (CoI) in the MODAF CoI Deskbooks. Neither does MODAF specify a modelling technique. For example, OV-5 products (activity models) could be represented as IDEF0, BPMN, UML Activity Diagrams, or any other commonly used process modelling syntax.

The key aspect of MODAF is that it encourages a data-driven approach to architecture. The specification is underpinned by the MODAF Meta-Model (M3) - see http://www.modaf.com/m3. The M3 defines types of architectural elements and the relationships between them - e.g. organizations, operational nodes, systems, capabilities, etc. MODAF-compliant architectures are contiguous, coherent models of the enterprise which conform to the M3. The MODAF views are a set of standard specifications for presenting those architectures to different communities of interest.

As yet there is no policy within MOD on mandating MODAF. However, it should be used in all cases in the MOD where architectures are being developed - i.e. if you are producing architectures, they should conform to MODAF. Any future policy on mandation is likely to be by Community of Interest (CoI), as specified in the MODAF Deskbooks.

In developing MODAF, the MODAF Partners team established a set of terminology:

An "architectural framework" or "architecture framework" is a specification for the production of an "architectural description". An architectural framework consists of a set of "views". MODAF is an architectural framework.

An "architectural description" is a contiguous, coherent model of an enterprise. An architectural description is comprised of "architectural products". MODAF is not and architectural description.

A "view" is a specification of how to present an aspect of an enterprise. A MODAF view specifies the type of content of a "product", but does not specify the modelling technique to be used.

An "architectural product" is a model of some aspect of the enterprise. An architectural product conforms to a "view"

A "viewpoint" is a collection of "views", which together provide a perspective of the enterprise - e.g. the operational perspective, the systems perspective, etc.

A MODAF model is organised into six viewpoints:

The Operational Viewpoint (OV) covers the business or process level.

• OV-1a -- High Level Operational Concept Graphic
• OV-1b -- High Level Operational Concept Description
• OV-1c -- Operational Performance
• OV-2 -- Operational Node Connectivity Diagram
• OV-3 -- Operational Information Exchange Matrix
• OV-4 -- Organisational Relationships Chart
• OV-5 -- Operational Activity Model
• OV-6a -- Operational Rules Model
• OV-6b -- Operational State Transition Diagram
• OV-6c -- Operational Event Trace Description
• OV-7 -- Logical Data Model

The System Viewpoint (SV) documents the set of systems that support the processes.

• SV-1 -- System Interface Description
• SV-2a -- System Port Specification
• SV-2b -- System To System Port Connectivity
• SV-2c -- System Connectivity Clusters
• SV-3 -- Systems-Systems Matrix
• SV-4 -- Systems Functionality Description
• SV-5 -- Activity to Systems Function Map
• SV-6 -- Systems Data Exchange Matrix
• SV-7 -- Systems Performance Parameters Matrix
• SV-8 -- Systems Evolution Description
• SV-9 -- Systems Technology Forecast
• SV-10a -- System Rules Model
• SV-10b -- Systems State Transition Description
• SV-10c -- Systems Event-Trace Description
• SV-11 -- Physical Schema

The Strategic Viewpoint (StV) is a high level view all about the capabilities provided by the system.

• StV-1 -- Capability Vision
• StV-2 -- Capability Taxonomy
• StV-3 -- Capability Phasing
• StV-4 -- Capability Dependencies
• StV-5 -- Capability to Systems Map
• StV-6 -- Capability to Activity Map

The Technical Viewpoint (TV) indicates the standards followed.

• TV-1 -- Technical Standards Profile
• TV-2 -- Technical Standards Forecast

The All Viewpoint (AV) giving an executive summary.

• AV-1 -- Overview and Summary Information
• AV-2 -- Integrated Dictionary

The Acquisition Viewpoint (AcV) covers purchasing related issues. The unit here is what is purchased - one purchase can give many capabilities or one capability can require many purchases.

• AcV-1 -- Acquisition Clusters
• AcV-2 -- Systems of Systems (SoS) Acquisition Programmes

MODAF is based on the US Department of Defense Architectural Framework (DoDAF), extending it by two additional viewpoints - strategic and acquisition. The MODAF CoI deskbooks provide lists of views that individual communities would be particularly interested in.

MODAF does not mandate a particular notation for its views, however it does specify XMI 2.1 (for UML 2.0) as its standard for data exchange.

There is an OMG effort to standardise a UML Profile for military architecture frameworks UPDM (UML Profile for DoDAF and MODAF). In addition, the IDEAS Group is a four nation (Australia, Canada, UK, USA + NATO as observers) effort to standardise a conceptual model for military architecture frameworks.