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Analysis of Scenario and TOGAF Guidance

Given the scenario, the main objective is to create a consolidated and standardized architecture for sales operations using the TOGAF Architecture Development Method (ADM). The COO aims to reduce redundancy and enhance efficiency, while the CIO has specified a preference for off-the-shelf applications rather than preserving the current, potentially redundant systems.

The ADM process is currently transitioning from the Architecture Vision phase to the Business and Application Target Architectures in the next iteration. The identified areas of focus include defining the Target Business and Application Architectures, which require specific catalogs, matrices, and diagrams for effective representation.

Requirement: Selection of Artifacts

According to TOGAF 9.2, artifacts like catalogs, matrices, and diagrams are essential in representing different aspects of the architecture. These are detailed in Section 31.6 (Architectural Artifacts chapter, Part IV) of the TOGAF Standard, which outlines the purpose of each artifact type within the ADM phases.

Rationale for Option B

Target Business Architecture Artifacts:

Organization/Actor Catalog: This catalog is used to capture all actors (people, organizations, etc.) involved in the business operations. It is essential for mapping the current and target structure and aligns with the goal of consolidating operations to reduce redundancy.

Business Service/Function Catalog: This catalog lists all the business services and functions, helping identify which services/functions will remain, be removed, or be merged. This aligns with the objective of standardizing and streamlining processes.

Capability/Organization Matrix: This matrix maps business capabilities to organizational units, which helps define what new capabilities may be required to support the business change as requested by the COO.

Target Application Architecture Artifacts:

Application Portfolio Catalog: This catalog identifies and details applications involved in the target architecture, including the new off-the-shelf package applications. It is crucial for cataloging all software solutions that will be part of the consolidated system.

Application/Function Matrix: This matrix links applications to the business functions they support, which is instrumental in assessing how the new applications align with the business needs.

Alignment with TOGAF ADM Guidelines

ADM Phase B (Business Architecture): Catalogs like the Organization/Actor catalog and Business Service/Function catalog are appropriate to capture actors and their interactions with services. Additionally, matrices like the Capability/Organization matrix align with TOGAF guidelines to document necessary business capabilities and organizational responsibilities.

ADM Phase C (Application Architecture): For the Application Architecture, an Application Portfolio catalog supports cataloging applications as the organization considers packaged solutions. The Application/Function matrix is useful for mapping how these applications fulfill specific business functions, aligning with TOGAF guidance for this phase.

Why Options A, C, and D are Less Suitable

Option A: While it includes the Business Service/Function catalog, it does not provide sufficient emphasis on organizational structure or capabilities (e.g., Capability/Organization matrix), both of which are crucial for understanding the roles and responsibilities in the target business structure.

Option C: This option suggests a Business Capability Map and Application/Organization matrix, which are less directly relevant to the immediate needs of cataloging applications and mapping functions to applications as specified by the CIO’s intent to move to standardized packages.

Option D: The Application Migration diagram and Application and User Location diagram are more appropriate for later stages of the architecture, focusing on implementation rather than the Business and Application Architectures, making them premature for this stage.

TOGAF References Supporting Option B

31.6.1 Catalogs (Business Architecture and Application Architecture sections): Organization/Actor catalog, Business Service/Function catalog, and Application Portfolio catalog are standard catalogs for Business and Application Architectures.

31.6.2 Matrices (Business Architecture and Application Architecture sections): Capability/Organization matrix and Application/Function matrix are recommended matrices for defining relationships between capabilities, organizations, and functions.

Thus, Option B is the most suitable answer as it aligns with the requirements in the scenario and adheres to TOGAF’s recommended artifacts for the Business and Application Architectures in these ADM phases.