The Architecture Development Method – often referred to by its abbreviation as the ADM – is a detailed step by step process for developing or changing an enterprise architecture (EA).
The ADM is right at the heart of TOGAF, in part II of the documentation. Much of the TOGAF documentation covers the ADM, and everything else in TOGAF can be mapped back to the ADM.
The ADM describes covers 10 phases which describe the architecture development cycle.
The Preliminary Phase makes sure there is a well defined Request for Architecture Work, and that the organization – and Enterprise Architecture team in particular – have everything in place to be able to fulfil that request.
The Requirements Management phase sits in the centre of the ADM diagram because it is a continuous ongoing process to ensure changes to requirements are well governed and reflected in all other phases.
The rest of the Phases are arranged in the development cycle to show the ongoing nature of enterprise architectural change.
Incidentally, the ADM diagram is often called the “crop circle” diagram because of its shape.
The TOGAF ADM sets out a recommended sequence for the various phases and steps involved in developing an architecture. Even when an EA team isn’t using the ADM it is likely to follow a similar process to that outlined in the ADM.
As with other TOGAF documentation, you should always adapt the ADM to meet your exact needs.
