TOGAF 9 Vs TOGAF 10: What’s The Difference?
Introduction
The Open Group Architecture Framework (TOGAF) is a widely adopted methodology for enterprise architecture. It provides a comprehensive framework for designing, planning, implementing, and managing enterprise information technology architecture.
TOGAF is essential for organizations seeking to align their IT strategies with their business goals, improve their efficiency, and reduce costs. It also helps ensure consistency, standardization, and interoperability across the organization’s IT systems.
Introducing TOGAF Standard 10
The TOGAF10 standard was launched by the Open Group to facilitate an easier adoption of its best practices by global enterprises. The new version is the largest update to the framework since TOGAF9.1 and focuses on the significance of agility and digital transformation. It also offers more practical and exhaustive documentation on tailoring and implementing the framework. TOGAF10 aims to simplify the adoption of the framework for organizations so that it can help manage their enterprise architecture.
With TOGAF10, the TOGAF framework has introduced numerous changes in its delivery method. The documentation has been simplified and modularized to become more user-friendly. Additionally, the framework was separated into two distinct categories:
The TOGAF Fundamental Content and the TOGAF Series Guides
The TOGAF Fundamental Content is made up of the framework’s fundamental components, as well as guidance on how to implement it within an organization. This section covers the framework’s introduction and key concepts, the Architecture Development Method (ADM), ADM techniques, ADM application, architecture content, enterprise architecture capability, and governance. It is the framework’s cornerstone and is expected to remain largely unchanged in the future.
The other component of the framework is the TOGAF Series Guides, which offer in-depth information on a variety of topics, including enterprise, agile, digital, and technology architecture as well as business, information, and security architecture. Advice on MSA/SOA architectures and adapting the Architecture Development Method are also provided in this section (ADM). A manual on reference models and procedures also provides illustrations of various architecture models.
Introducing TOGAF Standard 10
TOGAF is one of the unique frameworks that are designed with the intent to be tailored to meet the unique needs of an organization. Despite it being built on a set of fundamentals and principles that make it adaptable, TOGAF is a very customizable framework.
With the introduction of the new version, the customizability of the framework has been taken to the next level, thanks to its modular format. For instance, enterprises can now identify the series guides that are relevant to their requirements and disregard those that do not apply to their enterprise architecture situation or strategy.
A significant amount of redundant documentation has been omitted from the framework to make it leaner and more streamlined. In a very well thought fashion, the Open Group has also very carefully expanded the “How-to” and the overall guiding material to support the adoption and implementation of the framework by organizations.
TOGAF and Digital Transformation
Prior to TOGAF10, the framework had a focus on enterprise architecture as its core subject matter. However, with TOGAF10, the Open Group recognized the need for the industries to transform themselves using digital technologies and embraced the support for digital transformation. TOGAF10 provides significant guidance to accomplish digital transformation and also helps the organizations develop their enterprise architecture in a way fully conformant with the agile methodologies.
TOGAF and Agility In Enterprise Architecture
TOGAF10 beautifully blends the best of both worlds – enterprise architecture and agile. It references the Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) and leverages its concept of architecture runway to facilitate the development of enterprise architecture. It also advocates bridging the gap between the architecture and the implementation workstreams using SAFe concepts including Agile release trains, planning program increments and preparing for the architectural runway.
Conclusion
In a nutshell, TOGAF10 introduces several significant improvements to the classic TOGAF9. It brings the framework up to the demands of modern enterprises and embraces several practices, including agile ways of working. It also eases up the path to the adoption of enterprise architecture, not just for the enterprises at large but also for the practitioners of enterprise architecture.
