Architecture Continuum

Intro

The Architecture Continuum is a model that organises architectures from generic foundations to organisation‑specific solutions. In EA, it guides reuse of patterns and standards.

Key points:

• Separates foundation, common, industry, and organisation‑specific architectures
• Improves consistency and accelerates delivery through reuse
• Common use cases: reference stack selection, pattern libraries, standardised building blocks, solution tailoring
• Pitfall: weak governance allows divergence from core standards

Examples:

• Foundation cloud patterns adapted to enterprise needs
• Industry data models tailored to local domains
• Reusable integration patterns for event‑driven services

In practice:

See Enterprise Architecture for standard libraries and adoption approaches.

Related terms: Reference Architecture; Building Block; Standards

FAQs:

Q: Why use an architecture continuum?
A: To structure reuse from generic foundations to tailored enterprise solutions.

Q: How do we keep it aligned?
A: Govern changes via design authority and regular standard reviews.

‍