An Activity-Based Methodology for Development and Analysis of Integrated DoD Architectures

This paper describes the Activity Based Methodology that establishes a common means to express integrated DOD architecture information consistent with intent of DoD Architecture Framework (DoDAF) and the Clinger-Cohen Act. The methodology consists of a tool-independent approach to developing fully integrated, unambiguous, and consistent DODAF Operational, System, and Technical views in supporting both "as-is" architectures (where all current elements are known) and "to-be" architectures (where not all future elements are known). It is based on a set of DoDAF Operational and System architecture elements aligned to each other from which four Operational and four System architecture elements provide the core building block foundation of integrated architectures. An integrated architecture is the basis for any type of subsequent architecture analysis for any purposes such as impact analysis and for identifying redundant, conflicting, missing, and/or obsolete architecture elements. The DoDAF Architecture Description Specification Model (DADSM), derived from the aligned DoDAF architecture elements, will be presented as well as the mapping of DADSM to military DOTMLPF. Workflow steps to creating integrated DoDAF operational and system architecture descriptions will be described. The Activity Based Methodology also enables the transition to executable process models and their associated time-dependent behavior and dollar cost analysis of complex, dynamic operations and human and system resource interactions that cannot be identified or properly understood using static models.