Enterprise architecture in MDA terms

Recently one of my colleagues quipped about UML being nothing but pretty pictures. But at the same time he wanted to use MDA for EA. He pointed this documents as a good start.

I feel he was wrong about UML being nothing more than pretty pictures. It has a meta-model behind it. Which can be extended and used in ways you want. I myself have extended UML to capture object relational mappings and generated a lot of code. Given misconceptiosn about UML, no wonder there is big resistance to MDA to be used as means, in enterprise IT scenario. But things are changing. Now there are attempts to make MDA means for enterprise architecture, definition and deployment. There are a few challenges in achieving this, though.

I often wanted models for every cell of Zachman framework. For me the downward journey within a column of Zachman f/w is that of model refinement and horizontal journey is that of model traceability. However Zachman f/w is just a framework. To be useful, it need to be fleshed out. The canvas is very big. So those EA within an enterprise, who believe in MDA, should take upon themsalves couple of responsibilities. a) to create models for every cell of zachman f/w and prove model transformations do work, by refining models down the cells. And b) they must create a body of knowledge on deploying and governing these models, across the f/w. How to fit this in normal IT governance f/w and secure funding is a big challenge. For that I propose that we must first use 'model driven development' (MDD for short) to prove value of MDA like approach.

MDA is a big culture shock for most IT organisation, precisely because everyone out there thinks UML is nothing but pretty pictures. Those who believe in MDA need to start small and prove value of MDA approach then only we can go to next level, that is making EA congruent with MDA. Using MDD is a very good way to begin proving value of MDA, unless you find organisations which are sold on MDA to begin with. In short this is a very tough ask and lot of farming/hunting is required to nurture the approach. Being a practioner I would suggest to try this approach out on small scale, in non mission-critical projects.

Another problem we might face is that the models are rigid way of capturing knowledge. They are suitable for more defined aspect of entrprise architecture (ie. all circles of TOGAF framework) but are not suitable for more fluid aspects (like business and IT strategies as required in a few cells of Zachman f/w). So from TOGAF f/w persepctive they are OK but not from Zachman f/w persepctive. To be used with Zachman f/w we may have to augment MDA with something more, some sort of unstructured knowledge repository. But this is long way of and can be ignored for time being.

I find it good that interest in MDA is reinvigorating.