Catalogs, matrices, and diagrams in practice

Three forms, three uses

A catalog records elements of one type and their attributes: it is the inventory, often the source of the other two forms. A matrix crosses two sets to show how they relate, for example which applications serve which functions. A diagram visually represents elements and their links to aid understanding by a given audience.

These three forms describe building blocks; they are not building blocks. They feed deliverables, and the contract decides whether an artifact is itself a deliverable. In practice, work often starts with the catalog, which supplies the elements that matrices and diagrams will then relate or illustrate.

• Catalog: list of things (inventory)
• Matrix: relationships between things (cross-reference)
• Diagram: picture of things (communication)

Landmarks by phase

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The standard suggests artifacts for each phase. Without learning them all, a few landmarks help locate a description in the ADM.

The Architecture Definition Document and the Architecture Roadmap themselves contain named artifacts: the Data Entity/Business Function matrix for the Data Architecture, the Implementation Factor catalog and the Consolidated Gaps, Solutions, and Dependencies matrix for the Roadmap. The correspondence between organizational units and business functions is also expressed as a matrix.

• Preliminary: Principles catalog
• Phase A: Stakeholder Map matrix, Value Chain diagram, Solution Concept diagram
• Phase B: Organization/Actor catalog, Actor/Role matrix, Business Interaction matrix, Process Flow diagram
• Phase C: Data Entity/Business Function matrix, Application Portfolio catalog, Application Interaction matrix
• Phase D: Technology Standards catalog, Environments and Locations diagram; Phase E: Project Context and Benefits diagrams; Requirements Management: Requirements catalog

Reading a classification question

Faced with a description, look for the verb: "lists", "records", "inventories" point to a catalog; "crosses", "relates", "maps A to B" point to a matrix; "represents", "shows visually", "sketches" point to a diagram. The artifact's name often gives the answer: a slash (Actor/Role) almost always signals a matrix.

Beware of distractors that mix product categories and artifact forms: deliverable, viewpoint, or building block are not artifact forms.