DoDAF

DoDAF, the Department of Defense Architecture Framework, is a framework used by the United States Department of Defense to describe and analyze complex enterprises, programs, and systems. It provides a standardized method for capturing architectural information to support decision making across planning, budgeting, acquisition, and operations. DoDAF emphasizes capability-based planning and interoperability through a common set of viewpoints and models.

DoDAF prescribes a set of architecture views and models to capture different concerns. Core views include the Operational View for tasks and information exchanges, the System View for system structure and behavior, the Capability View for capabilities and requirements, the Services View for service interfaces, the Data and Information View for data standards, the Technical Standards View for constraints, and the All View for integrated representations. Model types such as OV-1, OV-2, SV-1, SV-4, and CV-1 are used to describe increasing levels of detail.

History and governance: DoDAF emerged in the 1990s to standardize architectural descriptions for the DoD. It has evolved through revisions, with DoDAF v2 introducing integrated architecture products and a focus on capability-based planning. The framework is maintained by the DoD Chief Information Officer and the Architecture Framework Working Group.

Usage and impact: DoDAF is used to document architectures for programs and capabilities, assess the effects of changes, guide systems engineering and procurement, and support governance and risk management across a program’s life cycle. It promotes interoperability, reuse of artifacts, and traceability from strategic goals to implemented systems.

Relation to other frameworks: DoDAF is defense-specific but is designed to be used in conjunction with other enterprise architectures and standards, including general practices in TOGAF and Zachman. It supports model-based systems engineering and aligns with defense-specific acquisition and modernization processes.