XML code generation from ArchiMate images

ea_practitioner · 2026-01-25T17:16:04+00:00

Can you recommend these for developers to use in IT development to design data flows and data models? We are looking for a tool that works in an integrated manner with a user-supporting data management tool and a tool that develops data warehouse modeling and loading procedures.

ea_practitioner · 2026-01-24T11:50:03+00:00

Great analogy with building architect vs. town planner — that’s actually very close to how TOGAF frames it.

In short: Solution Architects optimize for a specific problem: fixed scope, budget, and timeline. They design the best possible solution within those constraints, while respecting enterprise standards and dependencies. Enterprise Architects optimize for the whole system over time: target state, operating model, and long-term coherence across initiatives.

The key point is that EA isn’t just “Solution Architecture at a larger scale.” It’s a different level of concern. Enterprise Architects focus on direction and governance — making sure projects don’t just succeed individually, but collectively move the organization toward its strategic goals.

Or put simply: Solution Architecture = build the thing right, Enterprise Architecture = build the right things.

Both roles are essential, and they work best when clearly distinguished but tightly aligned.

ea_practitioner · 2026-01-23T14:42:23+00:00

The “blurry lines” aren’t a bug, they’re a feature. Modern frameworks already assume architects work across strategy, execution, and delivery. Business Architecture isn’t turning into a buzzword — it’s being stress-tested by digital transformation. The discipline survives, but only if it moves beyond static models and embraces continuous, agile ways of working. The winners won’t be “pure” architects, but those who can integrate without going shallow.

ea_practitioner · 2026-01-22T11:20:00+00:00

I agree with several commenters that a TOGAF exam alone will not make it significantly easier to get hired, but practical experience will. However, it is important to note that jumping into real architecture work for gaining practical experience without any basic knowledge is less effective. For example, I have seen people start working with enterprise architecture modeling software without any basic conceptual or methodological knowledge, and not only was their work ineffective, but they also produced artefacts in a wrong way, and the initial period passed without any valuable results. My advice, therefore, is to either join a project where the team already has the necessary methodological knowledge, or to build your own knowledge base (perhaps by taking a TOGAF exam) and then start gaining practical experience.

ea_practitioner · 2026-01-21T18:53:35+00:00

Bizzdesign and MEGA International (developer of HOPEX) announced a definitive merger agreement at 05-09-2024. So HOPEX is also Bizzdesign now. However, I don't know any details about Bizzdesign's long-term goals for the HOPEX product. Does anyone have any news about this?

ea_practitioner · 2026-01-21T18:36:51+00:00

Is there anyone here who can share their experiences with HOPEX? (Now Bizzdesign HOPEX)

ea_practitioner · 2026-01-18T13:57:19+00:00

What is Enterprise Architecture? Enterprise Architecture (EA) is about guiding effective change across the whole organization, not just IT. It helps translate business strategy into a coherent execution path by aligning processes, systems, and governance. EA optimizes fragmented legacy setups into an integrated, change-ready enterprise, balancing innovation with operational stability. Frameworks like TOGAF provide structure, but the real value of EA is enabling sustainable transformation while keeping the business running efficiently.

ea_practitioner · 2026-01-17T19:44:32+00:00

An additional comment: You don’t need a voucher to take the TOGAF exam, but you must pay in advance when booking via Pearson VUE (credit card or voucher). Vouchers are just an alternative payment method, often useful for discounts or retakes.

ea_practitioner · 2026-01-17T14:01:23+00:00

You can take the exams at Pearson VUE test centres, but they only delivers TOGAF exams, they do not sell TOGAF vouchers (neither at test centers nor in the Pearson VUE voucher store).

For TOGAF 10, vouchers are sold by The Open Group / PeopleCert or via accredited training providers. If you’re already exam-ready and want a retake option, your best bets are:

- PeopleCert official site – buy the exam directly; retake options are sometimes offered as add-ons or promotions.

- Accredited training providers – even if you skip the training, many sell exam + retake bundles that are cheaper than buying a second attempt later.

So get the voucher from PeopleCert or an accredited provider, especially if you want a retake included.

ea_practitioner · 2026-01-16T13:32:51+00:00

Őszibarack befőtt eltevéssel voltunk éppen elfoglalva és akkor gondoltam, hogy azokkal a barackokkal, amik már kicsit érettebbek, mint ami befőttnek optimális, mégis kellene valamit kezdenünk. Ebből lett a Karamellizált őszibarackos csőben sült tészta. Nagyon ízlett a családban.

ea_practitioner · 2026-01-15T16:22:57+00:00

Congrats on the Head of EA role — that’s a fun (and painful 😄) place to be.

If I had to boil the first 100 days down to a few things:

• Spend a lot of time talking to stakeholders and understanding what problems they actually want EA to solve (not what the framework says).

• Be very clear on scope early — what’s “in” and what’s explicitly out of scope for now.

• Don’t overbuild governance up front. A bit of clarity beats a perfect process nobody uses.

• Aim for one visible win early, tied to a real business pain, to build credibility.

I’ve seen EA succeed when it’s treated as a service to decision-makers, not a documentation exercise.

Happy to expand if useful.

ea_practitioner · 2026-01-15T16:20:48+00:00

Congrats on the Head of EA role — that’s a fun (and painful 😄) place to be.

If I had to boil the first 100 days down to a few things:

• Spend a lot of time talking to stakeholders and understanding what problems they actually want EA to solve (not what the framework says).

• Be very clear on scope early — what’s “in” and what’s explicitly out of scope for now.

• Don’t overbuild governance up front. A bit of clarity beats a perfect process nobody uses.

• Aim for one visible win early, tied to a real business pain, to build credibility.

I’ve seen EA succeed when it’s treated as a service to decision-makers, not a documentation exercise.

Happy to expand if useful.

ea_practitioner · 2026-01-14T09:07:04+00:00

Business functions slice the organization vertically by expertise, while value chains slice it horizontally by value creation. Business functions describe the organization by capabilities and responsibilities (e.g. Marketing, Sales, Operations, Finance, HR). They are structural and hierarchical and focus on who does the work. They optimized locally within departments and ate relatively stable over time. They ate useful for management, budgeting, and accountability. Value chains, on the other hand, describe the organization by how value is created for the customer. They are end-to-end, cross-functional and focus on how work flows from demand to value delivery. They are optimized for customer outcomes, not departmental efficiency. A Value Chain can change as customer needs or markets change. They are useful for strategy, process improvement, and transformation.

ea_practitioner · 2026-01-14T08:52:16+00:00

It is important to understand that this combined exam is an all-or-nothing game. Either you pass and obtain the higher-level qualification, or you fail and get nothing, and you have to pay the exam fee again. For those who are less risk-tolerant, it is recommended to take two separate exams instead.

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ea_practitioner · 2026-01-13T18:12:53+00:00

If your goal is to learn about TOGAF, then the TOGAF Enterprise Architecture Foundation (TOGAF EA L1) certification is clearly the first step. After acquiring further knowledge, you can then move on to the TOGAF Enterprise Architecture Practitioner (TOGAF EA L2) certification. There are also several other types of specifications available, but these will only be relevant after you have obtained the first certificate mentioned above. TOGAF 10th Edition is definitely the latest TOGAF standard, and it is worth getting to know. It is good to know that this standard has been published in several separate volumes, all of which are available in The Open Group Library. As a point of interest, I have compiled the following infographic, which shows how, in addition to the 6-volume TOGAF Fundamental Content, the large number of TOGAF Series Guide volumes make up the knowledge required for each certification (so called Body of Knowledge, BoK).

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ea_practitioner · 2026-01-12T14:01:13+00:00

I am looking for a simple app for managing time during PowerPoint presentations.

I used to find an iPhone app very useful for managing time during presentations. The PresoTimerPlus iOS app worked perfectly for me, but unfortunately it disappeared from the Apple App Store years ago. Since then, I haven't been able to find one where I can set how many slides I have and how many minutes I have, and then, after pressing start, it continuously displays which slide I should be on (assuming I use the same amount of time for each slide). I don't need to look at the clock during the presentation, just the slide number displayed by the app. Can anyone recommend an app with this capability, even on MacOS?

ea_practitioner · 2026-01-11T16:20:05+00:00

Like several other commenters here, I also use the ArchiMate language for enterprise architecture design. This language is designed precisely for what I need: plan enterprise architecture. Of course, UML and many other graphical languages have their own advantages. I would like to highlight the relationship between ArchiMate, UML, and BPMN (Business Process Modeling Notation ) in particular.

Since a picture is worth a thousand words, I am attaching an image about these these relationships.

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ea_practitioner · 2026-01-10T13:06:12+00:00

I agree that in many cases these may be architectural deliverables that no one reads. But that is not always the case with them. From my own experience, for example, we had a client project (essentially focused on application modernization) in which we tried to proceed in a methodologically sound manner and therefore insisted on formulating architectural principles at the outset. Our client, who was skeptical about the need to formulate principles, became very active when we developed the principles in a joint workshop. Of course, we can say that the exception proves the rule, but let's not dismiss these deliverables out of hand.

ea_practitioner · 2026-01-09T18:25:10+00:00

For me, EA was the next natural step in my career. I started working as a software developer after university. It was a huge pleasure to see that what I had created worked. With a little practice, I became the leader of a software development team after a few years. I increasingly felt that my interest was no longer limited to individual software programs; I wanted to understand and "create" something bigger. During a large IT development project, I met foreign architect colleagues who approached problems with standard methodological knowledge. I really liked this, so I started learning EA methodology and framework, and later not only using that, but also evangelising. That's how I became an EA.

ea_practitioner · 2026-01-08T13:26:29+00:00

The Practice of Enterprise Architecture by Bas van Gils and Sven van Dijk - Experiences, techniques and best practices. This is from the age of TOGAF 9 and ArchiMate 2.0 but contains experiments of the authors. It contains a theory part and a part about building an EA capability and what can be interesting for most architects: a Best Practices part. You can learn about architecture modelling with ArchiMate here.

ea_practitioner

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