ArchiMate: Strategy to Technology
The visual language that connects business goals to technology decisions. One framework to rule the layers—from boardroom strategy to server racks.
The Silo Problem
Business talks strategy. IT talks systems. Neither speaks the other's language. When the CEO asks "what's the impact of acquiring Company X?"—how do you trace it from capabilities to applications to infrastructure?
What is ArchiMate?
ArchiMate is an Open Group standard for enterprise architecture modeling. It provides a common language for describing how organisations work—from strategic capabilities down to physical infrastructure.
Think of ArchiMate as a map of your entire organisation. Just as a city map shows roads, buildings, utilities, and zoning—ArchiMate shows business processes, applications, data, and infrastructure, and how they connect.
ArchiMate vs Other Notations
| Notation | Focus | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| ArchiMate | Enterprise-wide, all layers | Strategic planning, impact analysis |
| BPMN | Process flow detail | Process automation, workflow design |
| UML | Software design | Application architecture, class design |
| C4 Model | Software containers | Development team communication |
The Four Layers of ArchiMate
ArchiMate organizes the enterprise into layers. Each layer answers different questions and serves different stakeholders.
Strategy Layer
Why we exist. Goals, capabilities, resources.
Key Elements
Questions Answered
- →What capabilities do we need?
- →What value do we deliver?
The Layered View
Each layer realizes the one above it. Technology supports Applications, which support Business, which realizes Strategy.
ArchiMate Resources
The Modeling Standards Family
Need Help with Enterprise Architecture?
We help organisations model their current state, design target architectures, and plan transformation roadmaps using ArchiMate and related standards.