Zachman Framework

1. Scope (Ballpark view): Definition of the enterprise's direction and business purpose. This is an industry view, concerned with the things that define the nature and purpose of the business. This is necessary to establish the context for any system development effort.
2. Model of the business (Owner's view): This defines -- in business terms -- the nature of the business, including its structure, functions, organization, and so forth.
3. Model of the information system (Architect's view): This defines the business described in step 2, but in more rigorous information terms. Where row two described business functions, for example, as perceived by the people performing them, row three describes them specifically as transformations of data. Where row two described all the things of interest to the enterprise, row three describes those things about which the organization wishes to collect and maintain information, and begins to describe that information.
4. Technology model (Designer's view): This describes how technology may be used to address the information processing needs identified in the previous rows. Here relational databases are chosen over network ones (or vice versa), kinds of languages are selected and program structures are defined, user interfaces are described, and so forth.
5. Detailed representations (Builder's view): This is a view of the program listings, database specifications, networks, and so forth that constitute a particular system. These are all expressed in terms of particular languages.
6. Functioning system: Finally, a system is implemented and made part of an organization.
The columns in the Zachman framework represent different areas of interest for each perspective. The columns describe the dimensions of the systems development effort. These are:
1. Data: Each of the rows in this column address understanding of and dealing with any enterprise's data. This begins in row one with an list of the things that concern any company in this industry, affecting its direction and purpose. As you pass down through the rows, you move to progressively more rigorous descriptions of the data (row two is the business person's view, and row three is a disciplined translation of this), until you get to row four, where a specific design approach (and a specific database management system) is specified. Row five is the detailed representation of the data on the computer (tablespaces and the like), and row six is the working database.
2. Function: The rows in the function column describe the process of translating the mission of the enterprise into successively more detailed definitions of its operations. Where row one is a list of the kinds of activities the enterprise conducts, row two describes these activities in a contiguous model. Row three portrays them in terms of data transforming processes, described exclusively in terms of the conversion of input data into output data. The technology model in row four then converts these data conversion processes into the definition of program modules and how they interact with each other. Pseudo-code is produced here. Row five then converts these into source and object code. Row six is where the code is linked and converted to executable programs.

3. Network: This column is concerned with the geographical distribution of the enterprise's activities. At the strategic level (row one), this is simply a listing of the places where the enterprise does business. At row two, this becomes a more detailed communications chart, describing how the various locations interact with each other. Row three produces the architecture for data distribution, itemizing what information is created where and where it is to be used. In row four, this distribution is translated into the kinds of computer facilities that are required in each location, and in row five, these facilities requirements are translated into specification of particular computers, protocols, communications facilities, and the like. Row six describes the implemented communications facilities.
4. People: The fourth column describes who is involved in the business and in the introduction of new technology. The row one model of people is a simple list of the organizational units and each unit's mission. In row two, this list is fleshed out into a full organization chart, linked to the function column. Here also, requirements for security are described in general terms. In row three, the potential interaction between people and technology begins to be specified, specifically in terms of who needs what information to do his job. In row four, the actual interface between each person and the technology is designed, including issues of interface graphics, navigation paths, security rules and presentation style. In row five, this design is converted into the outward appearance of each program, as well as the definitions of access permissions in terms of specific tables and/or columns each user can have access to. In row six, you have trained people, using the new system.
5. Time: The fifth column describes the effects of time on the enterprise. It is difficult to describe or address this column in isolation from the others, especially column two. At the strategic (row one) level, this is a description of the business cycle and overall business events. In the detailed model of the business (row two), the time column defines when functions are to happen and under what circumstances. Row three defines the business events which cause specific data transformations and entity state changes to take place. In the technology model (row four), the events become program triggers and messages, and the information processing responses are designed in detail. In row five, these designs become specific programs. In row six business events are correctly responded to by the system.
6. Motivation: As Mr. Zachman originally described this column, it concerned the translation of business goals and strategies into specific ends and means. This can be expanded to include the entire set of constraints that apply to an enterprise's efforts. In row one, the enterprise identifies its goals and strategies in general, common language terms. In row two, these are translated into the specific rules and constraints that apply to an enterprise's operation. In row three, business rules may be expressed in terms of information that is and is not permitted to exist. This includes constraints on the creation of rows in a database as well as on the updating of specific values. In row four, these business rules will be converted to program design elements, and in row five they will become specific programs. In row six, business rules are enforced.